Ezekiel 36:16-23

16Then this further message came to me from the Lord:

17“Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by the evil way they lived. To me their conduct was as unclean as a woman’s menstrual cloth.

18They polluted the land with murder and the worship of idols, so I poured out my fury on them.

19I scattered them to many lands to punish them for the evil way they had lived.

20But when they were scattered among the nations, they brought shame on my holy name. For the nations said, ‘These are the people of the Lord, but he couldn’t keep them safe in his own land!’

21Then I was concerned for my holy name, on which my people brought shame among the nations.

22“Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations.

23I will show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign Lord, then the nations will know that I am the Lord.