12. This is because I know about your many sins. You have done some very bad things: You hurt people who do right, you accept money to do wrong, and you keep the poor from receiving justice in court.
13. At that time wise teachers will be quiet, because it is a bad time.
14. You say that God is with you, so you should do good things, not evil. Then you will live, and the Lord God All-Powerful will be with you.
15. Hate evil and love goodness. Bring justice back into the courts. Maybe then the Lord God All-Powerful will be kind to the survivors from Joseph’s family.
16. The Lord, the Lord God All-Powerful says, “People will be crying in the public places. They will be crying in the streets. They will hire the professional criers.
17. People will be crying in the vineyards, because I will pass through and punish you.” This is what the Lord said.
18. Some of you want to see the Lord’S special day of judgment. Why do you want to see that day of the Lord? His special day will bring darkness, not light.
19. You will be like someone who escapes from a lion only to be attacked by a bear, or like someone who goes into the safety of his house, leans against the wall, and is bitten by a snake.
20. The Lord’S special day will be a day of darkness, not light—a day of gloom, without a ray of light.
21. “I hate your festivals; I will not accept them. I don’t enjoy your religious meetings.
22. Even if you offer me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. I will not even look at the fat animals you give as fellowship offerings.
23. Take your noisy songs away from here. I will not listen to the music from your harps.
24. But let justice flow like a river, and let goodness flow like a stream that never becomes dry.
25. Israel, you offered me sacrifices and offerings in the desert for 40 years.