16 I will not accuse my people forever. I will not always be angry. If I continued to show my anger, then the human spirit, the life I gave them, would die before me.
17 Israel’s evil greed made me angry, so I punished them. I turned away from them because I was angry. But they continued to do wrong. They did whatever they wanted.
18 I have seen their way of life, but I will heal them. I will guide and comfort them and those who mourn for them.
19 I will teach them a new word: peace. I will give peace to those who are near and to those who are far away. I will heal them.” The Lord himself said this.
20 But evil people are like the angry ocean. They cannot be quiet and peaceful. They are angry, and like the ocean, they stir up mud.
21 My God says, “There is no peace for evil people.”