20
Let many perish who are now living, rather than that the law of God that is set before them be disregarded!
21
For the Lord strictly commanded those who came into the world, when they came, what they should do to live, and what they should observe to avoid punishment.
22
Nevertheless they were not obedient, and spoke against him; they devised for themselves vain thoughts,
23
and proposed to themselves wicked frauds; they even declared that the Most High does not exist, and they ignored his ways.
24
They scorned his law, and denied his covenants; they have been unfaithful to his statutes, and have not performed his works.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.