naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me.'

I was a stranger but you would not welcome me in your homes, naked but you would not clothe me; I was sick and in prison but you would not take care of me.'

What God the Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering and to keep oneself from being corrupted by the world.

If any of my people or a prophet or a priest even uses the words 'the LORD's burden,' I will punish them and their families.

Shouldn't I punish them for these things and take revenge on a nation such as this?

"But I, the LORD, will punish them for these things; I will take revenge on this nation.

My people, were you ashamed because you did these disgusting things? No, you were not ashamed at all; you don't even know how to blush! And so you will fall as others have fallen; when I punish you, that will be the end of you. I, the LORD, have spoken.

So the LORD Almighty said, "I will punish them! Their young men will be killed in war; their children will die of starvation.

What will you say when people you thought were your friends conquer you and rule over you? You will be in pain like a woman giving birth.

Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about. Remember that my angel will guide you, but the time is coming when I will punish these people for their sin."

I will punish her for the times that she forgot me, when she burned incense to Baal and put on her jewelry to go chasing after her lovers. The LORD has spoken.

Even the best and most honest of them are as worthless as weeds. The day has come when God will punish the people, as he warned them through their watchmen, the prophets. Now they are in confusion.