House of Jacob, should it be asked, ‘Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient? Are these the things he does? ’ Don’t my words bring good to the one who walks uprightly?
Let whoever is wise understand these things, and whoever is insightful recognise them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.
Why was no one there when I came? Why was there no one to answer when I called? Is my arm too weak to redeem? Or do I have no power to rescue? Look, I dry up the sea by my rebuke; I turn the rivers into a wilderness; their fish rot because of lack of water and die of thirst.
Therefore, did what is good become death to me? Absolutely not! But sin, in order to be recognised as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure.