Sirach 17:20-28
Good News Translation
20 None of their sins are hidden from him; he is aware of them all.[a] 22 When we give to the poor, the Lord considers it as precious as a valuable ring. Human kindness is as precious to him as life itself. 23 Later he will judge the wicked and punish them; they will get what they deserve. 24 But the Lord will allow those who repent to return to him. He always gives encouragement to those who are losing hope.
A Call to Repentance
25 (A)Come to the Lord, and leave your sin behind. Pray sincerely that he will help you live a better life. 26 Return to the Most High and turn away from sin. Have an intense hatred for wickedness. 27 (B)Those who are alive can give thanks to the Lord, but can anyone in the world of the dead sing praise to the Most High? 28 A person who is alive and well can sing the Lord's praises, but the dead, who no longer exist, have no way to give him thanks.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Sirach 17:20 Some manuscripts add verse 21: But the Lord is gracious and knows his creatures; so he has spared them rather than abandon them.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
