21 Yes, it would be better for those people to have never known the right way. That would be better than to know the right way and then to turn away from the holy teaching that was given to them.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
21 For never to have obtained a [full, personal] knowledge of the way of righteousness would have been better for them than, having obtained [such knowledge], to turn back from the holy commandment which was [verbally] delivered to them.
21 For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
21 It would be better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, having come to know it, to turn back from the holy commandment entrusted to them.
21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of justice than, after acknowledging it, to turn away from that holy commandment which was handed on to them.
“Now, maybe a good man might stop being good. He might change his life and begin to do all the terrible things that bad person had done in the past. (That bad person changed, so he can live!) So if that good person changes and becomes bad, then God won’t remember all the good things that person did. God will remember that that man turned against him and began to sin. So that man will die because of his sin.”
“Or maybe a good man will stop being good. I might put something in front of him that causes him to fall (sin). He will start to do bad things, so he will die. He will die because he is sinning and you did not warn him. I will make you responsible for his death. And people won’t remember all the good things he did.
“That servant knew what his master wanted him to do. But that servant did not make himself ready or try to do what his master wanted. So that servant will be punished very much!
If I had not come and spoken to the people of the world, then they would not be guilty of sin. But now I have spoken to them. So they have no excuse for their sin.
Jesus said, “If you were really blind (without understanding), you would not be guilty of sin. But you say that you see (know what you are doing). So you are guilty.”
Some people turned away from the Lord. They quit following me. Those people stopped asking the Lord for help. So I will remove those people from that place.”
John came showing you the right way to live. And you did not believe John. But the tax collectors and prostitutes believed John. And you saw that the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. But you still refused to change and believe him.
I heard what the Lord God said.\par He said there would be peace\par for his people and loyal followers.\par So they must not go back to their foolish\par way of living.\par
“Maybe I will tell a good person that he will live. But maybe that good person will begin to think that the good things he did in the past will save him. So he might begin to do bad things. But I won’t remember the good things he did in the past! No, he will die because of the bad things he begins to do.
I want you to remember the words that the holy prophets {\cf2\super [11]} spoke in the past. And remember the command that our Lord and Savior gave us. He gave us that command through your apostles. {\cf2\super [12]}