6
The Lord's flaming anger will break out against a small gathering of sinners or a disobedient nation.
7
He did not forgive those ancient giants who rebelled against him, confident of their own strength. 1
8
He detested the arrogance of the people among whom Lot lived, and he did not spare them.
9
He showed no mercy on that nation which he doomed to destruction for its sins,
10
nor on those 600,000 people on the march through the wilderness who gathered together in stubborn rebellion.
11
Even if there had been only one stubborn person, it would have been a miracle if he had escaped punishment. The Lord is merciful, but he can also become angry. He can be overwhelming in his forgiveness or in his anger.
12
His punishment is as severe as his mercy is great. He judges people by what they have done.
13
No sinner can escape with what he has stolen. The Lord will reward the patience of devout people.
14
Every righteous person will be rewarded; everyone will get what he deserves.
[a].
[Hebrew] Every . . . rewarded; [Greek] He makes room for every act of mercy.
[b].
[Some manuscripts add verses 15-16:] The Lord made the king of Egypt so stubborn that he would not acknowledge the Lord, in order that the world might know the Lord's works. +V16+WHe shows his mercy to all creation; he has divided his light from darkness with a plumb line.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.