But now we call proud people blessed. Things go well with those who do what is evil. And God doesn’t even punish those who test him.’ ”

如今我们称狂傲的人为有福，并且行恶的人得建立；他们虽然试探神，却得脱离灾难。’”

现在，我们称狂傲的人为有福，并且行恶的人得以建立；他们虽然试探上帝，却得以逃脱。”

现在，我们称狂傲的人为有福，并且行恶的人得以建立；他们虽然试探神，却得以逃脱。”

如今我们称狂傲的人有福，因为作恶的人凡事顺利，他们虽然试探上帝，却仍能逃过灾祸。’”

现在我们称骄傲的人为有福，作恶的人得建立；他们虽然试探神，却得以逃脱。’”

所以我们就称傲慢的人有福；作恶的人不仅得以兴旺，他们试验神也得以逃脱。’”

如今我們稱狂傲的人為有福，並且行惡的人得建立；他們雖然試探神，卻得脫離災難。』」

現在，我們稱狂傲的人為有福，並且行惡的人得以建立；他們雖然試探上帝，卻得以逃脫。」

現在，我們稱狂傲的人為有福，並且行惡的人得以建立；他們雖然試探神，卻得以逃脫。」

如今我們稱狂傲的人有福，因為作惡的人凡事順利，他們雖然試探上帝，卻仍能逃過災禍。』」

現在我們稱驕傲的人為有福，作惡的人得建立；他們雖然試探神，卻得以逃脫。’”

如今我們呢、竟稱傲慢人為有福了！而行惡的人居然得建立了！他們雖試探上帝，卻還得逃脫、免受災難呢！」』

所以我們就稱傲慢的人有福；作惡的人不僅得以興旺，他們試驗神也得以逃脫。』」

我儕則謂狂傲者有福、行惡者建立、試上帝而獲免、

我見驕者福祉駢臻、惡者昌盛無比、雖試上帝、亦得免於患難、

爾又曰、今我可稱驕傲者為福、作惡者昌盛、昌盛或作得建彼雖試天主、亦得免於患難、

But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”

And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’”

From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.’”

So now we consider the arrogant to be fortunate. Not only do those who commit wickedness prosper, they even test God and escape.”

So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up, but they also put God to the test and escape punishment.’ ”

So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are raised up; They even tempt God and go free.’”

And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and escape.

So now we consider the arrogant to be fortunate. Not only do those who commit wickedness prosper, they even test God and escape.”

And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea,[ they that] tempt God are even delivered.

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

Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape.’

“ You can be sure the day of the Lord is coming. My anger will burn like a furnace. All those who are proud will be like straw. So will all those who do what is evil. The day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord who rules over all.“ Not even a root or a branch will be left to them.

In the same way, I’m speaking to you who are younger. Follow the lead of those who are older. All of you, put on a spirit free of pride toward one another. Put it on as if it were your clothes. Do this because Scripture says,“ God opposes those who are proud. But he gives grace to those who are humble.”( Proverbs 3:34)

We should not test the Messiah, as some of them did. They were killed by snakes.

Why doesn’t anyone bother the tents of robbers? Why do those who make God angry remain secure? They are in God’s hands!

In the desert they longed for food. In that dry and empty land they tested God.

Why do sinful people keep on living? The older they grow, the richer they get.They see their children grow up around them. They watch their family grow larger.Their homes are safe. They don’t have to be afraid. God isn’t punishing them.Every time their bulls mate, their cows become pregnant. And the calves don’t die before they are born.Sinful people send their children out like a flock of lambs. Their little ones dance around.They sing to the music of tambourines and lyres. They have a good time while flutes are being played.Those who are evil spend their years living well. They go down to their graves in peace.But they say to God,‘ Leave us alone! We don’t want to know how you want us to live.Who is the Mighty One? Why should we serve him? What would we get if we prayed to him?’

Your eyes are too pure to look at what is evil. You can’t put up with the wrong things people do. So why do you put up with those who can’t be trusted? The evil Babylonians swallow up those who are more godly than themselves. So why are you silent?You have made people to be like the fish in the sea. They are like the sea creatures that don’t have a ruler.The evil Babylonians pull all of them up with hooks. They catch them in their nets. They gather them up. So they celebrate. They are glad.They offer sacrifices to their nets. They burn incense to them. Their nets allow them to live in great comfort. They enjoy the finest food.Are you going to let them keep on emptying their nets? Will they go on destroying nations without showing them any mercy?

They were stubborn and tested God. They ordered him to give them the food they wanted.

Those who do what is wrong are safe for just a while. But those who do what is right last forever.

He said,“ Isn’t this the great Babylon I have built as a place for my royal palace? I used my mighty power to build it. It shows how glorious my majesty is.”

But they tested God. They refused to obey the Most High God. They didn’t keep his laws.

Here is what sinful people are like. They don’t have a care in the world. They keep getting richer and richer.

There your people of long ago really tested me. They did it even though they had seen what I had done for them.

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, give praise and honor and glory to the King of heaven. Everything he does is right. All his ways are fair. He is able to bring down those who live proudly.

While they lived, they believed they were blessed. People praised them when things were going well for them.

And here is what you can be just as sure of. Not one of these people will see the land I promised to give them. They have seen my glory. They have seen the signs I did in Egypt. And they have seen what I did in the desert. But they did not obey me. And they have tested me ten times.So not even one of them will ever see the land I promised to give to their people of long ago. The person who has not respected me will never see it.

He brags about what his heart desires. He speaks well of those who always want more. He attacks the Lord with his words.

“ If you are the Son of God,” he said,“ throw yourself down. It is written,“‘ The Lord will command his angels to take good care of you. They will lift you up in their hands. Then you won’t trip over a stone.’ ”( Psalm 91:11, 12)Jesus answered him,“ It is also written,‘ Do not test the Lord your God.’ ”( Deuteronomy 6:16)

You have worn out the Lord by what you keep saying.“ How have we worn him out?” you ask. You have done it by saying,“ All those who do evil things are good in the Lord’ s sight. And he is pleased with them.” Or you ask,“ Is God really fair?”

Peter asked her,“ How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! You can hear the steps of the men who buried your husband. They are at the door. They will carry you out also.”

There your people of long ago tested me. Yet for 40 years they saw what I did.

Then you come and stand in front of me. You keep coming to this house where I have put my Name. You say,‘ We are safe.’ You think you are safe when you do so many things I hate.

The appointed day came. Herod was seated on his throne. He was wearing his royal robes. He made a speech to the people.

Again and again they tested God. They made the Holy One of Israel sad and angry.

But Haman was able to control himself. He went on home. Haman called together his friends and his wife Zeresh.

If you return to the Mighty One, you will have what you had before. But first you must remove everything that is evil far from your tent.

But his heart became very stubborn and proud. So he was removed from his royal throne. His glory was stripped away from him.He was driven away from people. He was given the mind of an animal. He lived with the wild donkeys. He ate grass just as an ox does. His body became wet with the dew of heaven. He stayed that way until he recognized that the Most High God rules over all kingdoms on earth. He puts anyone he wants to in charge of them.“ But you knew all that, Belshazzar. After all, you are Nebuchadnezzar’s son. In spite of that, you are still proud.You have taken your stand against the Lord of heaven. You had your servants bring cups from his temple to you. You and your nobles drank wine from them. So did your wives and concubines. You praised your gods. The statues of those gods are made out of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood or stone. They can’t see or hear or understand anything. But you didn’t honor God. He holds in his hand your very life and everything you do.So he sent the hand that wrote on the wall.“ Here is what was written. mene, mene, tekel, parsin“ And here is what these words mean.“ The word Mene means that God has limited the time of your rule. He has brought it to an end.“ The word Tekel means that you have been weighed on scales. And you haven’t measured up to God’s standard.“ The word Peres means that your authority over your kingdom will be taken away from you. It will be given to the Medes and Persians.”

Lord, when I bring a matter to you, you always do what is right. But now I would like to speak with you about whether you are being fair. Why are sinful people successful? Why do those who can’t be trusted have an easy life?You have planted them. Their roots are deep in the ground. They grow and produce fruit. They honor you by what they say. But their hearts are far away from you.

I thought about all these things. I realized that those who are wise and do what is right are under God’s control. What they do is also under his control. But no one knows whether they will be loved or hated.Everyone will die someday. Death comes to godly and sinful people alike. It comes to good and bad people alike. It comes to“ clean” and“ unclean” people alike. Those who offer sacrifices and those who don’t offer them also die. A good person dies, and so does a sinner. Those who make promises die. So do those who are afraid to make them.

They’ll tell you that sinful people are spared from the day of trouble. They’ll say that those people are saved from the day when God will judge.

So the king gave the order. Daniel was brought out and thrown into the lions’ den. The king said to him,“ You always serve your God faithfully. So may he save you!”