[ 6:6] And the Lord God, having seen that the wicked actions of men were multiplied upon the earth, and that everyone in his heart was intently brooding over evil continually,

And the Lord God smelled an aroma of sweetness, and the Lord God having considered, said, I will never again curse the earth, because of the works of men, because the imagination of man is intently bent upon evil things from his youth, I will never again smite all living flesh as I have done.

Alas then, abominable and unclean is man, drinking unrighteousness as a draught.

The heart is deep beyond all things, and it constitutes the man, and who can know him?

What then? Are we [any] better? Not at all. For we previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

Now we know that as many things as the law says, it speaks to those under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

But the Scripture has confined all under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

And you [He made alive], being dead in transgressions and sins,

among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the senses, and were by nature children of wrath, as also the rest.

For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, being deceived, being enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

And the Lord passed by before his face, and proclaimed, The Lord God, gracious and merciful, longsuffering and very compassionate, and true,

and keeping justice and mercy for thousands, taking away iniquity and unrighteousness and sins; and He will not clear the guilty; bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and to the children's children, to the third and fourth generation.

Whereas I was very little before You, O Lord, my Lord, yet You spoke concerning the house of Your servant for a long time [to come]. And [is] this the law of man, O Lord, my Lord?

For You, O Lord, are kind and gentle, and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon You.

But You, O Lord God, are compassionate and merciful, longsuffering, and abundant in mercy and true.

For as the heaven is high above the earth, the Lord has [so] increased His mercy toward them that fear Him.

As a father pities [his] children, the Lord pities them that fear Him.

Will a woman forget her child, so as not to have compassion upon the offspring of her womb? But if a woman should even forget these, yet I will not forget you, says the Lord.

For My counsels are not as your counsels, nor are My ways as your ways, says the Lord.

But as the heaven is distant from the earth, so is My way distant from your ways, and your thoughts from My mind.

How shall I deal with you, O Ephraim? [How] shall I protect you, O Israel? What shall I do with you? I will make you as Adamah, and as Zeboiim; My heart is turned at once, My repentance is powerfully excited.

I will not act according to the fury of My wrath, I will not abandon Ephraim to be utterly destroyed: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in your midst; and I will not enter into the city.

Who is a God like You, canceling iniquities, and passing over the sins of the remnant of His inheritance? And He has not kept His anger for a testimony, for He delights in mercy.

A son honors [his] father, and a servant his master: if then I am a Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My fear? Says the Lord Almighty. You the priests are they that despise My name: yet you said, In what way have we despised Your name?

And which father among you, if his son asks for bread, will he give him a stone? Or [if he asks for] a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?

If you then, being evil, know [how] to give good gifts to your children, by how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up on behalf of us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

even when we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! On account of this the world does not know you, because it did not know Him.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.

For the Lord loves mercy and truth; God will give grace and glory; the Lord will not withhold good things from them that walk in innocence.

For the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield its fruit.

[This translation omits this verse.]

Take with you words, and turn to the Lord your God. Speak to Him, that you may not receive [the reward of] unrighteousness, but that you may receive good things; and we will render in return the fruit of our lips.

Then the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

If you then, being evil, know [how] to give good gifts to your children, by how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that in everything always having all sufficiency, you may abound for every good work,

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness;

Because the ministry of this service not only is supplying the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,

and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,

whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,