The Lord is far ¹  from the wicked, but he hears ²  the prayer of the righteous. ³ 

For you are aware of our many rebellious deeds, ¹  and our sins testify against us; indeed, we are aware of our rebellious deeds; we know our sins all too well. ² 

“Indeed, there are wicked scoundrels among my people. They lie in wait like bird catchers hiding in ambush. ¹  They set deadly traps ²  to catch people.

What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin,

This was ¹  also to demonstrate ²  his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just ³  and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness. ⁴ 

But the scripture imprisoned ¹  everything and everyone ²  under sin so that the promise could be given – because of the faithfulness ³  of Jesus Christ – to those who believe.

Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help. ¹ 

he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path ¹  will save that person’s ²  soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

save ¹  others by snatching them out of the fire; have mercy ²  on others, coupled with a fear of God, ³  hating even the clothes stained ⁴  by the flesh. ⁵ 

As for the censers of these men who sinned at the cost of their lives, ¹  they must be made ²  into hammered sheets for covering the altar, because they presented them before the Lord and sanctified them. They will become a sign to the Israelites.”

Everyone shares the same fate ¹  – the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, ²  the ceremonially clean and unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. What happens to the good person, also happens to the sinner; ³  what happens to those who make vows, also happens to those who are afraid to make vows.

So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, ¹  he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, ²  because he willingly submitted ³  to death and was numbered with the rebels, when he lifted up the sin of many and intervened ⁴  on behalf of the rebels.”

So Pharaoh sent and summoned Moses and Aaron and said to them, “I have sinned this time! ¹  The Lord is righteous, and I and my people are guilty. ² 

But the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned. You do to us as you see fit, ¹  but deliver us today!” ² 

When your people ¹  come to their senses ²  in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, ‘We have sinned and gone astray; ³  we have done evil.’

“King Manasseh of Judah has committed horrible sins. ¹  He has sinned more than the Amorites before him and has encouraged Judah to sin by worshiping his disgusting idols. ² 

Furthermore Manasseh killed so many innocent people, he stained Jerusalem with their blood from end to end, ¹  in addition to encouraging Judah to sin by doing evil in the sight of the Lord. ² 

When your people ¹  come to their senses ²  in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, ‘We have sinned and gone astray ³ , we have done evil!’

Don’t be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the Lord God of their ancestors, ¹  provoking him to destroy them, ²  as you can see.

For the Lord holds in his hand a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices, ¹  and pours it out. ²  Surely all the wicked of the earth will slurp it up and drink it to its very last drop.” ³