Psalms 50:21

50:21 When you did these things, I was silent, ¹ 

so you thought I was exactly like you. ² 

But now I will condemn ³  you

and state my case against you! ⁴ 

Ecclesiastes 8:11-12

8:11 When ⁵  a sentence ⁶  is not executed ⁷  at once against a crime, ⁸ 

the human heart ⁹  is encouraged to do evil. ¹⁰ 

8:12 Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes ¹¹  and still live a long time, ¹² 

yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people ¹³  – for they stand in fear ¹⁴  before him.

Malachi 2:17

Resistance to the Lord through Self-deceit

2:17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” Because you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the Lord’s opinion, ¹⁵  and he delights in them,” or “Where is the God of justice?”

Malachi 3:15

3:15 So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful. ¹⁶  In fact, those who challenge ¹⁷  God escape!’”

Romans 2:4-5

2:4 Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know ¹⁸  that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? 2:5 But because of your stubbornness ¹⁹  and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed! ²⁰ 

Romans 2:2

2:2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth ²¹  against those who practice such things.

Romans 3:15

3:15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,

[50:21]  ¹ tn Heb “these things you did and I was silent.” Some interpret the second clause (“and I was silent”) as a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer, “[When you do these things], should I keep silent?” (cf. NEB). See GKC 335 §112.cc.

[50:21]  ² tn The Hebrew infinitive construct (הֱיוֹת, heyot) appears to function like the infinitive absolute here, adding emphasis to the following finite verbal form (אֶהְיֶה, ’ehyeh). See GKC 339-40 §113.a. Some prefer to emend הֱיוֹת (heyot) to the infinitive absolute form הָיוֹ (hayo).

[50:21]  ³ tn Or “rebuke” (see v. 8).

[50:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “and I will set in order [my case against you] to your eyes.” The cohortative form expresses the Lord’s resolve to accuse and judge the wicked.

[8:11]  ⁵ tn The particle אֲשֶׁר (’asher) is used as a conjunction in a conditional/temporal clause to introduce the protasis (“when” or “if”), and עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken) introduces the apodosis (“then”); cf. BDB 83 s.v. אֲשֶׁר 8.d.

[8:11]  ⁶ tn The noun פִתְגָם (fitgam, “decision; announcement; edict; decree”) is a loanword from Persian patigama (HALOT 984 s.v. פִּתְגָם; BDB 834 s.v. פִּתְגָם). The Hebrew noun occurs twice in the OT (Eccl 8:11; Esth 1:20), twice in the Apocrypha (Sir 5:11; 8:9), and five times in Qumran (11QtgJob 9:2; 29:4; 30:1; 34:3; 1QapGen 22:27). The English versions consistently nuance this as a judicial sentence against a crime: “sentence” (KJV, NEB, NAB, ASV, NASB, RSV, NRSV, MLB, YLT), “sentence for a crime” (NIV), “sentence imposed” (NJPS), “sentence on a crime” (Moffatt).

[8:11]  ⁷ tn Heb “is not done.” The verb עָשַׂה (’asah, “to do”) refers to a judicial sentence being carried out (HALOT 892 s.v. 2). The Niphal can denote “be executed; be carried out” of a sentence (Eccl 8:11) or royal decree (Esth 9:1; BDB 795 s.v. 1.a). Similarly, the Qal can denote “to execute” vengeance (Judg 11:36) or judgment (1 Sam 28:18; Isa 48:14; Ezek 25:11; 28:26; Ps 149:7, 9; BDB 794 s.v.).

[8:11]  ⁸ tn Heb “the evil.”

[8:11]  ⁹ tn Heb “the heart of the sons of man.” The singular noun לֵב (lev, “heart”) is used collectively. The term לֵב is often used figuratively (metonymy) in reference to inclinations and determinations of the will (BDB 525 s.v. 4), moral character (BDB 525 s.v. 6), and as a synecdoche for the man himself (BDB 525 s.v. 7).

[8:11]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “is full to do evil.” The verb מָלֵא (male’, “to fill”) is used figuratively (metonymy): the lack of swift judicial punishment only emboldens the wicked to commit more crimes without fear of retribution. Most English versions translate the term literally: “are filled” (NIV, MLB, YLT), “is fully set” (KJV, ASV, RSV, NRSV). However, several versions nuance it figuratively: “emboldened” (ASV, NJPS) and “boldly” (NEB). Moffatt renders the line, “Because sentence on a crime is not executed at once, the mind of man is prone to evil practices.”

[8:12]  ¹¹ tn Heb “does evil one hundred [times].”

[8:12]  ¹² tn Heb “and prolongs his [life].”

[8:12]  ¹³ tn Heb “those who fear God.”

[8:12]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “they fear.”

[2:17]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “in the eyes of the Lord.”

[3:15]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “built up” (so NASB); NIV, NRSV “prosper”; NLT “get rich.”

[3:15]  ¹⁷ tn Or “test”; NRSV, CEV “put God to the test.”

[2:4]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “being unaware.”

[2:5]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “hardness.” Concerning this imagery, see Jer 4:4; Ezek 3:7; 1 En. 16:3.

[2:5]  ²⁰ tn Grk “in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”

[2:2]  ²¹ tn Or “based on truth.”