the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David is really honoring your father because he has sent consolers to you? Has not David sent his servants to you in order to explore the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”
“However, he rebelled against him in sending his messengers into Egypt, so they might give him horses and many people. Will he succeed? Will one doing such things escape? Will he break a covenant and escape?
Then he said: ‘Highly valued man, do not fear! Shalom to you. Be strong, now! Chazak!’ “Even as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, ‘Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.’
Though they know God’s righteous decree—that those who practice such things deserve death—they not only do them but also approve of others who practice the same.
Therefore you are without excuse, O man—every one of you who is judging. For by whatever you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things.
When they are saying, “Shalom and safety,” sudden destruction comes upon them like a woman having birth pains in the womb—there is no way they will escape.
See to it that you do not refuse the One who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the One who was warning them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject the One who warns us from heaven.