¹⁷ “As for you, My flock, this is what the Lord God says: ‘Behold, I am going to ^(A)judge between one ^[a]sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats. ¹⁸ Is it too ^(B)little a thing for you to feed in the good pasture, that you must trample with your feet the rest of your pastures? Or too little for you to drink the clear waters, that you must muddy the rest with your feet? ¹⁹ But as for My flock, they must eat what you trample with your feet, and drink what you muddy with your feet!’”

²⁰ Therefore, this is what the Lord God says to them: “Behold, I, I Myself will also judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. ²¹ Since you push away with your side and shoulder, and ^(C)gore all the ^[b]weak with your horns until you have scattered them ^[c]abroad, ²² therefore, I will ^(D)save My flock, and they will no longer be plunder; and I will judge between one sheep and another.

³ And He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will ^(A)purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may ^(B)present to the Lord ^[a]offerings in righteousness.

Final Admonition

4 “^[a]For behold, the day is coming, ^(A)burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be ^(B)chaff; and the day that is coming will ^(C)set them ablaze,” says the Lord of armies, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branches. ² But for you who ^[b]fear My name, the ^(D)sun of righteousness will rise with ^(E)healing in its wings; and you will go forth and ^(F)frolic like calves from the stall. ³ And you will ^(G)crush the wicked underfoot, for they will be ^(H)ashes under the soles of your feet ^(I)on the day ^[c]that I am preparing,” says the Lord of armies.