¹⁰ Now, our God, what can we say in light of^[a] this? For we have abandoned the commands ¹¹ you gave through your servants the prophets, saying, “The land you are entering to possess is an impure land. The surrounding peoples have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness by their impurity and detestable practices.^(A)

¹³ After all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and terrible guilt—though you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve and have allowed us to survive^[a](A)—

²¹ This is what the Lord says: Watch yourselves; do not pick up a load and bring it in through Jerusalem’s gates on the Sabbath day.^{(A) 22} Do not carry a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day or do any work,^(B) but keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your ancestors.^{(C) 23} They wouldn’t listen or pay attention but became obstinate,^(D) not listening or accepting discipline.