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

“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 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.

“ 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 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,

People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

“ In the future, when you experience all these blessings and curses I have listed for you, and when you are living among the nations to which the Lord your God has exiled you, take to heart all these instructions.If at that time you and your children return to the Lord your God, and if you obey with all your heart and all your soul all the commands I have given you today,then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you back from all the nations where he has scattered you.

“ If your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and if they turn to you and acknowledge your name and pray to you here in this Temple,then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and return them to this land you gave their ancestors.“ If the skies are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and if they pray toward this Temple and acknowledge your name and turn from their sins because you have punished them,then hear from heaven and forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them to follow the right path, and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as their special possession.

But in that land of exile, they might turn to you in repentance and pray,‘ We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.’

Then I will return to my place until they admit their guilt and turn to me. For as soon as trouble comes, they will earnestly search for me.”“ Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds.In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence.

“ If in spite of all this you still refuse to listen and still remain hostile toward me,then I will give full vent to my hostility. I myself will punish you seven times over for your sins.

Then Joshua said to Achan,“ My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, by telling the truth. Make your confession and tell me what you have done. Don’t hide it from me.”

“ If even then you remain hostile toward me and refuse to obey me, I will inflict disaster on you seven times over for your sins.

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself,“ I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude

then I myself will be hostile toward you. I will personally strike you with calamity seven times over for your sins.

Then you will remember your past sins and despise yourselves for all the detestable things you did.

Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors.They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God.The Levites— Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani— stood on the stairway of the Levites and cried out to the Lord their God with loud voices.Then the leaders of the Levites— Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah— called out to the people:“ Stand up and praise the Lord your God, for he lives from everlasting to everlasting!” Then they prayed:“ May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise!

But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.“ In the distant future, when you are suffering all these things, you will finally return to the Lord your God and listen to what he tells you.For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors.

I have heard Israel saying,‘ You disciplined me severely, like a calf that needs training for the yoke. Turn me again to you and restore me, for you alone are the Lord my God.I turned away from God, but then I was sorry. I kicked myself for my stupidity! I was thoroughly ashamed of all I did in my younger days.’“ Is not Israel still my son, my darling child?” says the Lord.“ I often have to punish him, but I still love him. That’s why I long for him and surely will have mercy on him.

He will declare to his friends,‘ I sinned and twisted the truth, but it was not worth it.God rescued me from the grave, and now my life is filled with light.’

They must confess their sin and make full restitution for what they have done, adding an additional 20 percent and returning it to the person who was wronged.

Therefore, go and give this message to Israel. This is what the Lord says:“ O Israel, my faithless people, come home to me again, for I am merciful. I will not be angry with you forever.Only acknowledge your guilt. Admit that you rebelled against the Lord your God and committed adultery against him by worshiping idols under every green tree. Confess that you refused to listen to my voice. I, the Lord, have spoken!“ Return home, you wayward children,” says the Lord,“ for I am your master. I will bring you back to the land of Israel— one from this town and two from that family— from wherever you are scattered.And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding.

So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. I also wore rough burlap and sprinkled myself with ashes.I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:“ O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands.But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations.We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets, who spoke on your authority to our kings and princes and ancestors and to all the people of the land.“ Lord, you are in the right; but as you see, our faces are covered with shame. This is true of all of us, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you.O Lord, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.We have not obeyed the Lord our God, for we have not followed the instructions he gave us through his servants the prophets.All Israel has disobeyed your instruction and turned away, refusing to listen to your voice.“ So now the solemn curses and judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured down on us because of our sin.You have kept your word and done to us and our rulers exactly as you warned. Never has there been such a disaster as happened in Jerusalem.Every curse written against us in the Law of Moses has come true. Yet we have refused to seek mercy from the Lord our God by turning from our sins and recognizing his truth.Therefore, the Lord has brought upon us the disaster he prepared. The Lord our God was right to do all of these things, for we did not obey him.“ O Lord our God, you brought lasting honor to your name by rescuing your people from Egypt in a great display of power. But we have sinned and are full of wickedness.In view of all your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn your furious anger away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. All the neighboring nations mock Jerusalem and your people because of our sins and the sins of our ancestors.“ O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary.“ O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city— the city that bears your name— lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.“ O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.”I went on praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people, pleading with the Lord my God for Jerusalem, his holy mountain.

I will go home to my father and say,“ Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you,and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’