57 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and ^[a]merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away ^[b]from the evil to come. ² He entereth into peace; they rest in their beds, each one that walketh ^[c]in his uprightness.

³ But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot. ⁴ Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and put out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood, ⁵ ye that inflame yourselves ^[d]among the oaks, under every green tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? ⁶ Among the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; they, they are thy lot; even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast offered ^[e]an oblation. Shall I be appeased for these things? ⁷ Upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed; thither also wentest thou up to offer sacrifice. ⁸ And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy memorial: for thou hast uncovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them: thou lovedst their bed where ^[f]thou sawest it. ⁹ And thou wentest to the king with oil, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thine ambassadors far off, and didst debase thyself even unto Sheol. ¹⁰ Thou wast wearied with the length of thy way; yet saidst thou not, It is in vain: thou didst find ^[g]a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not ^[h]faint.

¹¹ And of whom hast thou been afraid and in fear, that thou liest, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of long time, and thou fearest me not? ¹² I will declare thy righteousness; and as for thy works, they shall not profit thee. ¹³ When thou criest, let ^[i]them that thou hast gathered deliver thee; but the wind shall take them, a breath shall carry them all away: but he that taketh refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.

¹⁵ Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto. ¹⁶ Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, ^[a]And to thy seed, which is Christ. ¹⁷ Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise. ¹⁹ What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. ²⁰ Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but God is one. ²¹ Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law. ²² But the scripture shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.