He says then to them again concerning these
things, " Why do ye fast to Me as on this day,
saith the Lord, that your voice should be heard
with a cry ? I have not chosen this fast, saith
the Lord, that a man should humble his soul.
Nor, though ye bend your neck like a ring, and
put upon you sackcloth and ashes, will ye call it
an acceptable fast." ^ To us He saith, " Behold,
this is the fast that I have chosen, saith the Lord,
not that a man should humble his soul, but that
he should loose every band of iniquity, untie the
fastenings of harsh agreements, restore to liberty
them that are bruised, tear in pieces every unjust
engagement, feed the hungry with thy bread,
clothe the naked when thou seest him, bring the
homeless into thy house, not despise the humble
if thou behold him, and not [turn away] from
the members of thine own family. Then shall
thy dawn break forth, and thy healing shall
quickly spring up, and righteousness shall go
forth before thee, and the glory of God shall en-
compass thee ; and then thou shalt call, and God