²⁰ But as for you, the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace,^(A) out of Egypt,^(B) to be the people of his inheritance,^(C) as you now are.

⁴ the terms I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt,^(A) out of the iron-smelting furnace.^(B)’ I said, ‘Obey^(C) me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people,^(D) and I will be your God.

¹⁸ “Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross^(A) to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace.^(B) They are but the dross of silver.^{(C) 19} Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you have all become dross,^(D) I will gather you into Jerusalem. ²⁰ As silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you.^{(E) 21} I will gather you and I will blow^(F) on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her.^{(G) 22} As silver is melted^(H) in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the Lord have poured out my wrath^(I) on you.’”^(J)

⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness^(A) of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire^(B)—may result in praise, glory and honor^(C) when Jesus Christ is revealed.^(D)