At that time I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath. They were also bringing in stores of grain and loading [them] on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned [them] against selling food on that day.

I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them: "What is this evil you are doing-- profaning the Sabbath day?

When shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem just before the Sabbath, I gave orders that the gates be closed and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my men at the gates, so that no goods could enter during the Sabbath day.

but I warned them, "Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I'll use force against you." After that they did not come again on the Sabbath.

but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You must not do any work-- you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates.

"For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, a sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; it is a Sabbath to the LORD wherever you live.

Be careful to dedicate the Sabbath day, as the LORD your God has commanded you.

but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You must not do any work-- you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your ox or donkey, any of your livestock, or the foreigner who lives within your gates, so that your male and female slaves may rest as you do.

"If you keep from desecrating the Sabbath, from doing whatever you want on My holy day; if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the holy [day] of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, seeking your own pleasure, or talking too much;

then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride over the heights of the land, and let you enjoy the heritage of your father Jacob." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

This is what the LORD says: Watch yourselves; do not pick up a load and bring it in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.

You must not carry a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day or do any work, but you must consecrate the Sabbath day, just as I commanded your ancestors.

You are to hold a sacred assembly on the first day and another sacred assembly on the seventh day. No work may be done on those [days] except for preparing what people need to eat-- you may do only that.

"This is to be a permanent statute for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth [day] of the month you are to practice self-denial and do no work, both the native and the foreigner who resides among you.

On that same day you are to make a proclamation and hold a sacred assembly. You are not to do any daily work. This is to be a permanent statute wherever you live throughout your generations.

There is to be a sacred assembly on the first day; you are not to do any daily work.

You are to present a fire offering to the LORD for seven days. On the eighth day you are to hold a sacred assembly and present a fire offering to the LORD. It is a solemn gathering; you are not to do any daily work.

Therefore don't let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a sabbath day.

"Sow your land for six years and gather its produce.

But during the seventh year you are to let it rest and leave it uncultivated, so that the poor among your people may eat [from it] and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

But there will be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land in the seventh year, a Sabbath to the LORD: you are not to sow your field or prune your vineyard.

[Whatever] the land [produces during] the Sabbath year can be food for you; for yourself, your male or female slave, and the hired hand or foreigner who stays with you.

This fulfilled the word of the LORD through Jeremiah and the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation until 70 years were fulfilled.

There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen.

Others were saying, "We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine."

We and our children are [just] like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others."

After seriously considering the matter, I accused the nobles and officials, saying to them, "Each of you is charging his countrymen interest." So I called a large assembly against them

Then I said, "What you are doing isn't right. Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God [and not invite] the reproach of our foreign enemies?

Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and olive oil that you have been assessing them."

I also shook the folds of my robe and said, "May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn't keep this promise. May he be shaken out and have nothing!" The whole assembly said, " Amen," and they praised the LORD. Then the people did as they had promised.

"At the end of [every] seven years you must cancel debts.

You may collect [something] from a foreigner, but you must forgive whatever your brother owes you.

"If there is a poor person among you, one of your brothers within any of your gates in the land the LORD your God is giving you, you must not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.

Be careful that there isn't this wicked thought in your heart, 'The seventh year, the year of canceling debts, is near,' and you are stingy toward your poor brother and give him [nothing]. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Then the master of that slave had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan.

"At this, his fellow slave fell down and began begging him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'

When the other slaves saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened.

Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?'

So My heavenly Father will also do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from his heart."

For judgment is without mercy to the one who hasn't shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Isn't the fast I choose: To break the chains of wickedness, to untie the ropes of the yoke, to set the oppressed free, and to tear off every yoke?