²³ for God created us for incorruption
and made us in the image of his own eternity,^[a](A)
24 but through an adversary’s^[b] envy death entered the world,
and those who belong to his company experience it.^(B)

3 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
² In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be a disaster^(A)
3 and their going from us to be their destruction,
but they are at peace.
⁴ For though in the sight of others they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.^(B)

⁵ Why have they been numbered among the children of God?
And why is their lot among the holy ones?

¹⁹ and immortality brings one near to God,