20. But when they arrived in the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name. It was said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, yet they have departed from his land.’
21. I was concerned for my holy reputation which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they went.
22. “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake that I am about to act, O house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy reputation which you profaned among the nations where you went.
23. I will magnify my great name that has been profaned among the nations, that you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the sovereign Lord, when I magnify myself among you in their sight.
24. “‘I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries; then I will bring you to your land.
25. I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols.
26. I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh.
27. I will put my Spirit within you; I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes and carefully observe my regulations.
28. Then you will live in the land I gave to your fathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.
29. I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and multiply it; I will not bring a famine on you.
30. I will multiply the fruit of the trees and the produce of the fields, so that you will never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.
31. Then you will remember your evil behavior and your deeds which were not good; you will loathe yourselves on account of your sins and your abominable deeds.
32. Understand that it is not for your sake I am about to act, declares the sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and embarrassed by your behavior, O house of Israel.
33. “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: In the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will populate the cities and the ruins will be rebuilt.
34. The desolate land will be plowed, instead of being desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by.
35. They will say, “This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; the ruined, desolate, and destroyed cities are now fortified and inhabited.”
36. Then the nations which remain around you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken – and I will do it!’