And justas they did not see fitto acknowledgeGodany longer, Godgave them overto a depravedmind,to dothosethings which are not proper,
Then the LORDsawthat the wickednessof manwas greaton the earth,and that everyintentof the thoughtsof his heartwas onlyevilcontinually.
With the pureYou showYourself pure,And with the pervertedYou showYourself astute.
Addiniquityto their iniquity,And may they not comeinto Your righteousness.
"Howlong,O naiveones,will you lovebeing simple-minded?And scoffersdelightthemselves in scoffingAnd foolshateknowledge?
Becausethey hatedknowledgeAnd did not choosethe fearof the LORD.
The fearof the LORDis the beginningof knowledge;Foolsdespisewisdomand instruction.
Whyis there a pricein the handof a foolto buywisdom,When he hasnosense?
"For My peopleare foolish,They knowMe not; They are stupidchildrenAnd havenounderstanding.They are shrewdto doevil,But to dogoodthey do not know."
They callthem rejectedsilver,Becausethe LORDhas rejectedthem.
"Your dwellingis in the midstof deceit;Through deceitthey refuseto knowMe," declaresthe LORD.
in orderto layholdof the heartsof the houseof Israelwhoare estrangedfrom Me through alltheir idols."'
"I alsogavethem statutesthat were not goodand ordinancesby which they could not live;
My peopleare destroyedfor lackof knowledge.Becauseyou have rejectedknowledge,I also will rejectyou from being My priest.Since you have forgottenthe lawof your God,I alsowill forgetyour children.
"For while I was passing throughand examiningthe objects of your worship,I alsofoundan altarwith thisinscription,'TO AN UNKNOWNGOD.'Thereforewhatyou worshipin ignorance,thisI proclaimto you.
Nowwhen they heardof the resurrectionof the dead,some[began] to sneer,but otherssaid,"We shall hearyou againconcerningthis."
For the wrathof Godis revealedfrom heavenagainstallungodlinessand unrighteousnessof menwho suppressthe truthin unrighteousness,
For even though they knewGod,they did not honorHim as Godorgive thanks,but they became futilein their speculations,and their foolishheartwas darkened.
ThereforeGodgave them overin the lustsof their heartsto impurity,sothat their bodieswould be dishonoredamongthem.
For thisreasonGodgave them overto degradingpassions;for their womenexchangedthe naturalfunctionfor that which is unnatural,
Become sober-mindedas you ought,and stopsinning;for somehaveno knowledgeof God.I speak[this] to your shame.
[We are] destroyingspeculationsand everylofty thingraisedup againstthe knowledgeof God,and [we are] takingeverythoughtcaptiveto the obedienceof Christ,
and [there must be no] filthinessand silly talk,orcoarse jesting,whichare not fitting,but rathergiving of thanks.
dealingout retributionto thosewho do not knowGodand to thosewho do not obeythe gospelof our LordJesus.
Justas Jannesand JambresopposedMoses,sothese[men] alsoopposethe truth,menof depravedmind,rejectedin regardto the faith.
They professto knowGod,but by [their] deedsthey deny[Him], beingdetestableand disobedientand worthlessfor anygooddeed.
Therefore,though I haveenoughconfidencein Christto orderyou [to do] whatis proper,
For when they maintainthis,it escapes their noticethat by the wordof God[the] heavensexistedlong agoand [the] earthwas formedout of waterand by water,
