¹⁰ and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.^(A) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.^{(B) 11} For this reason God sends them^(C) a powerful delusion^(D) so that they will believe the lie^{(E) 12} and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.^(F)

²⁰ The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent^(A) of the work of their hands;^(B) they did not stop worshiping demons,^(C) and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.^{(D) 21} Nor did they repent^(E) of their murders, their magic arts,^(F) their sexual immorality^(G) or their thefts.

⁹ They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God,^(A) who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent^(B) and glorify him.^(C)

¹⁰ The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,^(D) and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.^(E) People gnawed their tongues in agony ¹¹ and cursed^(F) the God of heaven^(G) because of their pains and their sores,^(H) but they refused to repent of what they had done.^(I)