⁴⁵ Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and ^(A)the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this ^(B)evil generation.”

²⁶ Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And ^(A)the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

²⁶ For ^(A)if we go on sinning deliberately ^(B)after receiving the knowledge of the truth, ^(C)there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ^27 (D)but a fearful expectation of judgment, and ^(E)a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. ^28 (F)Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy ^(G)on the evidence of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one ^(H)who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned ^(I)the blood of the covenant ^(J)by which he was sanctified, and has ^(K)outraged the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know him who said, ^(L)“Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, ^(M)“The Lord will judge his people.” ^31 (N)It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

⁴ For it is impossible, in the case of those ^(A)who have once been enlightened, who have tasted ^(B)the heavenly gift, and ^(C)have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and ^(D)have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ and ^(E)then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since ^(F)they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. ⁷ For ^(G)land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. ⁸ But ^(H)if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, ^(I)and its end is to be burned.

⁹ And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is ^(A)Legion, for we are many.”

^10 (A)But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. ¹¹ Woe to them! For they walked in ^(B)the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain ^(C)to Balaam's error and ^(D)perished in Korah's rebellion. ¹² These are hidden reefs^{[a] (E)}at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, ^(F)shepherds feeding themselves; ^(G)waterless clouds, ^(H)swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, ^(I)uprooted; ^13 (J)wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of ^(K)their own shame; ^(L)wandering stars, ^(M)for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

¹⁴ They have eyes full of adultery,^{[a] (A)}insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts ^(B)trained in greed. ^(C)Accursed children! ¹⁵ Forsaking the right way, ^(D)they have gone astray. They have followed ^(E)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved ^(F)gain from wrongdoing, ¹⁶ but was rebuked for his own transgression; ^(G)a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness.

^17 (H)These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. ^(I)For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. ¹⁸ For, ^(J)speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely ^(K)escaping from those who live in error. ¹⁹ They promise them ^(L)freedom, ^(M)but they themselves are slaves^[b] of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. ²⁰ For if, ^(N)after they have escaped the defilements of the world ^(O)through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, ^(P)the last state has become worse for them than the first. ²¹ For ^(Q)it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from ^(R)the holy commandment delivered to them. ²² What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The ^(S)dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

[Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9–20.]^[a]

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

⁹ [[Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, ^(A)he appeared first to ^(B)Mary Magdalene, ^(C)from whom he had cast out seven demons.

²² If I had not come and spoken to them, ^(A)they would not have been guilty of sin,^[a] but now they have no excuse for their sin. ^23 (B)Whoever hates me hates my Father also. ^24 (C)If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, ^(D)they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have ^(E)seen and hated both me and my Father.