Evil Under the Sun

4 ^(A)Again I ^(B)saw all ^(C)the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had ^(D)no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them.

¹⁵ And count ^(A)the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as ^(B)our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you ^(C)according to the wisdom given him,

⁴ Or do you presume on ^(A)the riches of his kindness and ^(B)forbearance and ^(C)patience, ^(D)not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? ⁵ But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are ^(E)storing up ^(F)wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

¹⁵ And now we call ^(A)the arrogant blessed. ^(B)Evildoers not only prosper but ^(C)they put God to the test and they escape.’”

The Messenger of the Lord

^17 (A)You have wearied the Lord with your words. ^(B)But you say, “How have we wearied him?” ^(C)By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, ^(D)“Where is the God of justice?”

⁵ Now therefore what have I here,” declares the Lord, “seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Their rulers wail,” declares the Lord, “and ^(A)continually all the day my name is despised.

¹¹ Because ^(A)the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, ^(B)the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. ¹² Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and ^(C)prolongs his life, yet I know that ^(D)it will be well with ^(E)those who fear God, because they fear before him.