“‘ But suppose you admit that both you and your people who lived before you have sinned. You admit the evil and dishonest things you have done against me. And you admit you have become my enemy.

“他们要承认自己的罪和他们祖宗的罪，就是干犯我的那罪，并且承认自己行事与我反对，

“他们要承认自己的罪孽和祖先的罪孽，就是背叛我，行事与我作对的过犯。

“他们要承认自己的罪孽和祖先的罪孽，就是背叛我，行事与我作对的过犯。

“如果他们承认自己和祖先的罪，就是背叛我、与我作对的恶行——

“那时他们就会承认自己的罪孽和他们祖先的罪孽，就是他们对我不忠的过犯，又承认因为行事与我的心意相违，

「他們要承認自己的罪和他們祖宗的罪，就是干犯我的那罪，並且承認自己行事與我反對，

「他們要承認自己的罪孽和祖先的罪孽，就是背叛我，行事與我作對的過犯。

「他們要承認自己的罪孽和祖先的罪孽，就是背叛我，行事與我作對的過犯。

「如果他們承認自己和祖先的罪，就是背叛我、與我作對的惡行——

“那時他們就會承認自己的罪孽和他們祖先的罪孽，就是他們對我不忠的過犯，又承認因為行事與我的心意相違，

『他們若承認自己的罪愆、和他們祖宗的罪愆、就是他們的不忠實、對我不忠實、並且行事跟我作對。

是時必承己愆、及前人之罪、自認所行逆我、

如其能任己愆、及前人之罪、自知差失、所行逆我、

彼時必認己之罪、及其列祖之罪、即干我逆我以行之罪、

“‘ But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors— their unfaithfulness and their hostility toward me,

“ But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me,

“ But at last my people will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors for betraying me and being hostile toward me.

“ But when they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their ancestors— their unfaithfulness that they practiced against me, and how they acted with hostility toward me,

‘ But if they confess their wrongdoing and the wrongdoing of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me—

‘ But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me,

And they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they trespassed against me, and also that, because they walked contrary unto me,

“ But if they will confess their sin and the sin of their fathers— their unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, and how they acted with hostility toward Me,

If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;

However, when they confess their iniquity and their ancestors’ iniquity which they committed by trespassing against me, by which they also walked in hostility against me

“‘ If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they trespassed against me; and also that because they walked contrary to me,

Anyone who hides their sins doesn’t succeed. But anyone who admits their sins and gives them up finds mercy.

I have told you about all these blessings and curses. The Lord your God will bring them on you. Then you will think carefully about the blessings and curses. You will think about them everywhere the Lord your God scatters you among the nations.You and your children will return to the Lord your God. You will obey him with all your heart and with all your soul. That will be according to everything I’m commanding you today.When all that happens, the Lord your God will bless you with great success again. He will be very kind to you. He’ll bring you back from all the nations where he scattered you.

“ Suppose your people Israel have lost the battle against their enemies. And suppose they’ve sinned against you. But they turn back to you and praise your name. They pray to you in this temple. And they ask you to help them.Then listen to them from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel. Bring them back to the land you gave to their people who lived long ago.“ Suppose your people have sinned against you. And because of that, the sky is closed up and there isn’t any rain. But your people pray toward this place. They praise you by admitting they’ve sinned. And they turn away from their sin because you have made them suffer.Then listen to them from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live. Send rain on the land you gave them as their share.

But suppose your people change their ways in the land where they are held as prisoners. They turn away from their sins. They beg you to help them in the land of those who won the battle over them. They say,‘ We have sinned. We’ve done what is wrong. We’ve done what is evil.’

I will go back to my lion’s den. I will stay there until they pay the price for their sin. Then they will turn to me. They will suffer so much that they will really want me to help them.”The people say,“ Come. Let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces. But he will heal us. He has wounded us. But he’ll bandage our wounds.After two days he will give us new life. On the third day he’ll make us like new again. Then we will enjoy his blessing.

“‘ After all that, suppose you still do not listen to me. And suppose you continue to be my enemy.Then I will be angry with you. I will be your enemy. I myself will again punish you for your sins over and over.

Joshua said to Achan,“ My son, the Lord is the God of Israel. So give him glory and honor him by telling the truth! Tell me what you have done. Don’t hide it from me.”

“‘ Suppose you continue to be my enemy. And suppose you still refuse to listen to me. Then I will multiply your troubles many times because of your sins.

Then I admitted my sin to you. I didn’t cover up the wrong I had done. I said,“ I will admit my lawless acts to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Then I myself will be your enemy. I will make you suffer again and again for your sins.

You will remember your evil ways and the sinful things you have done. You will hate yourselves because you have sinned so much. I also hate your evil practices.

The Israelites separated themselves from everyone else. They stood and admitted they had sinned. They also admitted that their people before them had sinned.They stood where they were. They listened while the Levites read parts of the Book of the Law of the Lord their God. They listened for a fourth of the day. They spent another fourth of the day admitting their sins. They also worshiped the Lord their God.Some people were standing on the stairs of the Levites. They included Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. With loud voices they called out to the Lord their God.Then some Levites spoke up. They included Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah. They said to the people,“ Stand up. Praise the Lord your God. He lives for ever and ever!” So the people said,“ Lord, may your glorious name be praised. May it be lifted high above every other name that is blessed and praised.

Perhaps while you are there, you will seek the Lord your God. You will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.All the things I’ve told you about might happen to you. And you will be in trouble. But later you will return to the Lord your God. You will obey him.The Lord your God is tender and loving. He won’t leave you or destroy you. He won’t forget the covenant he made with your people of long ago. He gave his word when he made it.

“ I have heard the groans of Ephraim’s people. They say,‘ You corrected us like a calf you were training. And we have been trained. Bring us back to you, and we will come back. You are the Lord our God.After we wandered away from you, we turned away from our sins. After we learned our lesson, we beat our chests in sorrow. We were full of shame. What we did when we were young brought dishonor on us.’Aren’t the people of Ephraim my dear children? Aren’t they the children I take delight in? I often speak against them. But I still remember them. So my heart longs for them. I love them with a tender love,” announces the Lord.

Then that person will come to others and say,‘ I sinned. I made what is wrong appear to be right. But I wasn’t punished as I should have been.God has set me free. He has kept me from going down into the darkness of the grave. So I’ll live to enjoy the light of life.’

They must admit they have committed a sin. They must pay in full for what they did wrong. And they must add a fifth of the value to it. Then they must give all of it to the person they have sinned against.

Go. Announce this message to the people in the north. Tell them,“‘ Israel, you have not been faithful,’ announces the Lord.‘ Return to me. Then I will do good things for you again. That’s because I am faithful,’ announces the Lord.‘ I will not be angry with you forever.Admit that you are guilty of doing what is wrong. You have refused to obey me. I am the Lord your God. You have committed adultery with other gods. You worshiped them under every green tree. And you have not obeyed me,’ ” announces the Lord.“ You people have not been faithful,” announces the Lord.“ Return to me. I am your husband. I will choose one of you from each town. I will choose two from each territory. And I will bring you to the city of Zion.Then I will give you shepherds who are dear to my heart. Their knowledge and understanding will help them lead you.

So I prayed to the Lord God. I begged him. I made many appeals to him. I didn’t eat anything. I put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. And I sat down in ashes.I prayed to the Lord my God. I admitted that we had sinned. I said,“ Lord, you are a great and wonderful God. You keep the covenant you made with all those who love you and obey your commandments. You show them your love.We have sinned and done what is wrong. We have been evil. We have refused to obey you. We have turned away from your commands and laws.We haven’t listened to your servants the prophets. They spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our people of long ago. They also brought your message to all our people in the land.“ Lord, you always do what is right. But we are covered with shame today. We are the people of Judah and Jerusalem. All of us are Israelites, no matter where we live. We are now living in many countries. You scattered us among the nations because we weren’t faithful to you.Lord, we are covered with shame. So are our kings and princes, and our people of long ago. We have sinned against you.You are the Lord our God. You show us your tender love. You forgive us. But we have turned against you.You are the Lord our God. But we haven’t obeyed you. We haven’t kept the laws you gave us through your servants the prophets.All the people of Israel have broken your law and turned away from it. They have refused to obey you.“ Curses and warnings are written down in the Law of Moses. He was your servant. Those curses have been poured out on us. That’s because we have sinned against you.The warnings you gave us and our rulers have come true. You have brought great trouble on us. Nothing like what has been done to Jerusalem has ever happened anywhere else on earth.The curses that are written in the Law of Moses have fallen on us. We have received nothing but trouble. You are the Lord our God. But we haven’t asked for your favor. We haven’t turned away from our sins. We’ve refused to pay attention to the laws you gave us.Lord, you didn’t hold back from bringing this trouble on us. You always do what is right. But we haven’t obeyed you.“ Lord our God, you used your mighty hand to bring your people out of Egypt. You made a name for yourself. It is still great to this day. But we have sinned. We’ve done what is wrong.Lord, you saved your people before. So turn your great anger away from Jerusalem again. After all, it is your city. It’s your holy mountain. You have made those who live around us think little of Jerusalem and your people. That’s because we have sinned. Our people before us did evil things too.“ Our God, hear my prayers. Pay attention to the appeals I make to you. Lord, have mercy on your temple that has been destroyed. Do it for your own honor.Our God, please listen to us. The city that belongs to you has been destroyed. Open your eyes and see it. We aren’t asking you to answer our prayers because we are godly. Instead, we’re asking you to do it because you love us so much.Lord, please listen! Lord, please forgive us! Lord, hear our prayers! Take action for your own honor. Our God, please don’t wait. Your city and your people belong to you.”I was speaking and praying. I was admitting that I and my people Israel had sinned. I was making my appeal to the Lord my God. My appeal was about his holy mountain of Zion.

I will get up and go back to my father. I will say to him,“ Father, I have sinned against heaven. And I have sinned against you.I am no longer fit to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’