The Lord’s Covenant with David and Israel’s Afflictions.

A ^[a]Maskil of ^[b]Ethan ^[c]the Ezrahite.

Praise for Jerusalem’s Restoration and Prosperity.

Praise for Jerusalem’s Restoration and Prosperity.

²⁸ And just as they did not see fit ^[a]to acknowledge God, ^(A)God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper, ²⁹ people having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice; they are ^(B)gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, ^[b](C)haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, ^(D)disobedient to parents, ³¹ without understanding, untrustworthy, ^(E)unfeeling, and unmerciful; ³² and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of ^(F)death, they not only do the same, but also ^(G)approve of those who practice them.

The Impartiality of God

2 Therefore you have ^(H)no excuse, ^[c]you foolish person, ^(I)everyone of you who passes judgment; for ^[d]in that matter in which ^(J)you judge someone else, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. ² And we know that the judgment of God ^[e]rightly falls upon those who practice such things. ³ But do you suppose this, ^[f](K)you foolish person who passes judgment on those who practice such things, and yet does them as well, that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you think lightly of ^(L)the riches of His ^(M)kindness and ^[g](N)restraint and ^(O)patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? ⁵ But ^[h]because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart ^(P)you are storing up wrath for yourself ^(Q)on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ^6 (R)who will repay each person according to his deeds: ⁷ to those who by ^(S)perseverance in doing good seek ^(T)glory, honor, and ^(U)immortality, He will give ^(V)eternal life; ⁸ but to those who are ^(W)self-serving and ^(X)do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, He will give wrath and indignation. ⁹ There will be ^(Y)tribulation and distress ^[i]for every soul of mankind who does evil, ^[j]for the Jew ^(Z)first and also ^[k]for the Greek, ¹⁰ but ^(AA)glory, honor, and peace to everyone who does what is good, to the Jew ^(AB)first and also to the Greek. ¹¹ For ^(AC)there is no partiality with God.

Rank in the Kingdom

18 ^(A)At that ^[a]time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “^(B)Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ² And He called a child to Himself and set him among them, ³ and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you ^[b]change and ^(C)become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ So whoever will humble himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ And whoever receives one such child in My name, receives Me; ⁶ but ^(D)whoever ^(E)causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to ^[c]sin, it is better for him that a ^[d]heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Stumbling Blocks

⁷ “Woe to the world because of its ^[e]stumbling blocks! For ^(F)it is inevitable that ^[f]stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person through whom the ^[g]stumbling block comes!

⁸ “And ^(G)if your hand or your foot is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better for you to enter life maimed or without a foot, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. ⁹ And ^(H)if your eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the ^[h](I)fiery hell.