¹⁹ When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.^(A)

⁶ Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the ground on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel, and they put dust on their heads.^(A)

¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law.”^{(A) 11} Now it is evident that no one is reckoned as righteous before God by the law, for “the one who is righteous will live by faith.”^{[a](B) 12} But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, “Whoever does the works of the law^[b] will live by them.”^{(C) 13} Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”^(D)—

¹⁹ For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ,^(A)

The Law and Sin

⁷ What then are we to say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”^{(A) 8} But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law sin lies dead.^{(B) 9} I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived ¹⁰ and I died, and the very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.^{(C) 11} For sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.

²⁰ For no human will be justified before him by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.^(A)

²² Now the king was sitting in his winter apartment (it was the ninth month), and there was a fire burning in the brazier before him.^{(A) 23} As Jehudi read three or four columns, he would cut them off with a penknife and throw them into the fire in the brazier, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. ²⁴ Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was alarmed, nor did they tear their garments.^(B)

¹⁹ because your heart was penitent and you humbled yourself before the Lord, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, says the Lord.^(A)

¹¹ When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.