Add parallel Print Page Options

17 ‘Can mortals be righteous before[a] God?
    Can humans be pure before[b] their Maker?(A)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 4.17 Or more righteous than
  2. 4.17 Or more pure than

“Indeed, I know that this is so,
    but how can a mortal be just before God?(A)

Read full chapter

“Indeed, I know that this is true.
    But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?(A)

Read full chapter

How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
    How can one born of woman be pure?(A)

Read full chapter

How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
    How can one born of woman be pure?(A)

Read full chapter

20 Surely there is no one on earth so righteous as to do good without ever sinning.(A)

Read full chapter

20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,(A)
    no one who does what is right and never sins.(B)

Read full chapter

33 O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!(A)

Read full chapter

Doxology

33 Oh, the depth of the riches(A) of the wisdom and[a] knowledge of God!(B)
    How unsearchable his judgments,
    and his paths beyond tracing out!(C)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:33 Or riches and the wisdom and the

Do not enter into judgment with your servant,
    for no one living is righteous before you.(A)

Read full chapter

Do not bring your servant into judgment,
    for no one living is righteous(A) before you.

Read full chapter

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing,

“Holy, holy, holy,
the Lord God the Almighty,
    who was and is and is to come.”(A)

Read full chapter

Each of the four living creatures(A) had six wings(B) and was covered with eyes all around,(C) even under its wings. Day and night(D) they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’[a](E)

who was, and is, and is to come.”(F)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:3

20 But who indeed are you, a human, to argue with God? Will what is molded say to the one who molds it, “Why have you made me like this?”(A)

Read full chapter

20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?(A) “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,(B) ‘Why did you make me like this?’”[a](C)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:20 Isaiah 29:16; 45:9

By no means! Although every human is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written,

“So that you may be justified in your words
    and you will prevail[a] when you go to trial.”(A)

But if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)(B) By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my falsehood God’s truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being judged as a sinner?

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 3.4 Other ancient authorities read you may prevail

Not at all! Let God be true,(A) and every human being a liar.(B) As it is written:

“So that you may be proved right when you speak
    and prevail when you judge.”[a](C)

But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly,(D) what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)(E) Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?(F) Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory,(G) why am I still condemned as a sinner?”(H)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:4 Psalm 51:4

But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.(A)

Read full chapter

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath(A), when his righteous judgment(B) will be revealed.

Read full chapter

20 And he said, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. 21 For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Read full chapter

20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed,(A) malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Read full chapter

The heart is devious above all else;
    it is perverse—
    who can understand it?(A)

Read full chapter

The heart(A) is deceitful above all things
    and beyond cure.
    Who can understand it?

Read full chapter

Jeremiah Complains to God

12 You will be in the right, O Lord,
    when I lay charges against you,
    but let me put my case to you.
Why does the way of the guilty prosper?
    Why do all who are treacherous thrive?(A)

Read full chapter

Jeremiah’s Complaint

12 You are always righteous,(A) Lord,
    when I bring a case(B) before you.
Yet I would speak with you about your justice:(C)
    Why does the way of the wicked prosper?(D)
    Why do all the faithless live at ease?

Read full chapter