²⁵ Far be it from you to do such a thing^(A)—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous^(B) and the wicked alike.^(C) Far be it from you! Will not the Judge^(D) of all the earth do right?”^(E)

²⁶ The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.^(F)”

³¹ Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. ³² This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.^(A)

³ What if some were unfaithful?^(A) Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?^{(B) 4} Not at all! Let God be true,^(C) and every human being a liar.^(D) As it is written:

⁵ But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly,^(F) what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)^{(G) 6} Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?^{(H) 7} Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory,^(I) why am I still condemned as a sinner?”^{(J) 8} Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”?^(K) Their condemnation is just!