13. This is what the Lord GOD says: “Land of Israel, people say bad things to you. They say you destroyed your people. They say you took the children away from your people.
14. But you will not destroy people anymore or take away their children again.” This is what the Lord GOD said.
15. “I will not let those other nations insult you anymore. You will not be hurt by them anymore. You will not take the children away from your people again.” This is what the Lord GOD said.
16. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said,
17. “Son of man, the family of Israel lived in their own country, but they made that land filthy by the bad things they did. To me, they were like a woman who becomes unclean because of her monthly time of bleeding.
18. They spilled blood on the ground when they murdered people in the land. They made the land filthy with their idols, so I showed them how angry I was.
19. I scattered them among the nations and spread them through all the lands. I gave them the punishment they deserved for the bad things they did.
20. But even in those other nations, they ruined my good name. How? Those nations said, ‘These are the Lord’S people, but they left his land.’
21. “The people of Israel ruined my holy name wherever they went, and I felt sorry for my name.
22. So tell the family of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Family of Israel, you ruined my holy name in the places where you went. I am going to do something to stop this. I will not do it for your sake, Israel. I will do it for my holy name.
23. I will show the nations how holy my great name really is. You ruined my good name in those nations! But I will show you that I am holy. I will make you respect my name, and then those nations will know that I am the Lord.’” This is what the Lord GOD said.
24. “I will take you out of those nations, gather you together, and bring you back to your own land.
25. Then I will sprinkle pure water on you and make you pure. I will wash away all your filth, the filth from those nasty idols, and I will make you pure.
26. I will also put a new spirit in you to change your way of thinking. I will take out the heart of stone from your body and give you a tender, human heart.
27. I will put my Spirit inside you and change you so that you will obey my laws. You will carefully obey my commands.
28. Then you will live in the land that I gave to your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God.
29. Also, I will save you and keep you from becoming unclean. I will command the grain to grow. I will not bring a famine against you.