1 ⌞The \+nd Lord\+nd* says,⌟ “Judah’s sin is written with an iron pen.
2 Even their children remember their altars
3 and on mountains in the open country.
4 You will lose the inheritance that I gave you.
5 “This is what the Lord says:
6 He will be like a bush in the wilderness.
7 Blessed is the person who trusts the Lord.
8 He will be like a tree that is planted by water.
9 “The human mind is the most deceitful of all things. It is incurable.
10 I, the Lord, search minds and test hearts.
11 A person who gets rich dishonestly is like a partridge
12 Our holy place is a glorious throne,
13 O Lord, the Hope of Israel, all who abandon you will be put to shame.
14 Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed.
15 People keep asking me,
16 I have not run away from being your shepherd,
17 Do not terrorize me.
18 Put my persecutors to shame,
19 This is what the Lord said to me: Stand at People’s Gate, where the kings of Judah go in and out. Then stand at every gate in Jerusalem.
20 Tell everyone: “Listen to the Lord’s word, you kings of Judah, all the people of Judah, and all those who live in Jerusalem, and go through these gates.
21 This is what the Lord says: Watch out! If you value your lives, do not carry anything on the day of rest—a holy day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem.
22 Do not bring anything out of your homes on the day of rest. Do not do any work, but observe the day of rest as a holy day, as I told your ancestors.
23 Your ancestors did not obey me or pay attention to me. They were impossible to deal with and would not listen or accept discipline.
24 “Now,” declares the Lord, “you must listen to me and not bring anything through the gates of this city on the day of rest. You must observe the day of rest as a holy day by not doing any work on it.
25 If you do this, then the kings and princes who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this city. They and their princes will ride in chariots and on horses along with the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem. This city will always have people living in it.
26 “People will come from the cities of Judah, from all around Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin, from the foothills, from the mountains, and from the Negev. They will bring burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, and incense. They will also bring thank offerings to the Lord’s temple.
27 But you must listen to me and observe the day of rest as a holy day by not carrying anything through the gates of Jerusalem on the day of rest. If you don’t do this, I will set its gates on fire. The fire will burn down the palaces in Jerusalem, and you won’t be able to put it out.”