⁵ The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth,^(A) and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.^(B)

²¹ The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma^(A) and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground^(B) because of humans, even though^[a] every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood.^(C) And never again will I destroy^(D) all living creatures,^(E) as I have done.

¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[a](A) For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.^(B)