⁴⁸ But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’

³² “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.

³ Above all, you must understand that in the last days^(A) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.^{(B) 4} They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?^(C) Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”^{(D) 5} But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word^(E) the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.^(F)

⁴⁵ But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk.

² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.^(A)

²¹ For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder,

²² Repent^(A) of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.

³ Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan^(A) has so filled your heart^(B) that you have lied to the Holy Spirit^(C) and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?^(D)

²² “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words,^(A) you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow?^(B)