An evil person will not learn to do good\par if you show him only kindness.\par An evil person will do bad things,\par even if he lives in a good world.\par That evil person might never see\par the Lord’s greatness.\par
So now, ‘nice lady’ listen to me!\par You feel safe and you tell yourself,\par ‘I am the only important person.\par No one else is important like me.\par I will never be a widow.\par I will always have children.’\par
You party with your wine, harps, {\cf2\super [52]} drums, flutes, and other musical instruments. And you don’t see the things the Lord has done. The Lord’s hands have made many, many things—but you don’t notice those things. So, it will be very bad for you people.
They come and say,\par “I will drink some wine.\par I will drink some beer.\par I will do the same thing tomorrow.\par Only, I will drink even more.”\par
Now those people say, “We stop eating food to show honor to you. Why don’t you see us? We hurt our bodies to show honor to you. Why don’t you notice us?”
\{God said,\} “Your sister Sodom and her daughters were proud, they had too much to eat, and too much time on their hands. And they did not help poor, helpless people.
Israel, don’t celebrate like the nations do! Don’t be happy! You acted like a prostitute {\cf2\super [84]} and left your God. You did your sexual sin {\cf2\super [85]} on every threshing floor. {\cf2\super [86]}
I fought wild animals in Ephesus. If I did that only for human reasons, to satisfy my own pride, then I have gained nothing. If people are not raised from death, “Let us eat and drink, because tomorrow we die.” {\cf2\super [115]}
Your life on earth was full of rich living. You pleased yourselves with everything you wanted. You made yourselves fat, \{like an animal ready\} for the day of slaughter. {\cf2\super [25]}