⁴⁸ But if that wicked slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’

³² Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.

³ First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts^{(A) 4} and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died,^[a] all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!”^{(B) 5} They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water,^(C)

⁴⁵ But if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk,

² The devil had already decided^[a] that Judas son of Simon Iscariot would betray Jesus. And during supper^(A)

²¹ For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: sexual immorality, theft, murder,

²² Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

³ “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land?^(A)

²² He said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?^(A)