²³ Do I at all desire the death of the wicked? An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Is it not in his turning back from his way -- And he hath lived?

⁹ the Lord is not slow in regard to the promise, as certain count slowness, but is long-suffering to us, not counselling any to be lost but all to pass on to reformation,

⁴ who doth will all men to be saved, and to come to the full knowledge of the truth;

¹¹ Say unto them, I live -- an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, I delight not in the death of the wicked, But -- in the turning of the wicked from his way, And he hath lived, Turn back, turn back, from your evil ways, Yea, why do ye die, O house of Israel?

³² For I have no pleasure in the death of the dying, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, And turn ye back and live!

¹¹ Jehovah is pleased with those fearing Him, With those waiting for His kindness.

¹⁸ Who `is' a God like Thee? taking away iniquity, And passing by the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance, He hath not retained for ever His anger, Because He -- He delighteth `in' kindness.

¹³ for the judgment without kindness `is' to him not having done kindness, and exult doth kindness over judgment.

³² but to be merry, and to be glad, it was needful, because this thy brother was dead, and did live again, he was lost, and was found.'

²² `And the father said unto his servants, Bring forth the first robe, and clothe him, and give a ring for his hand, and sandals for the feet;

²³ and having brought the fatted calf, kill `it', and having eaten, we may be merry,

²⁴ because this my son was dead, and did live again, and he was lost, and was found; and they began to be merry.

¹⁰ `So I say to you, joy doth come before the messengers of God over one sinner reforming.'

⁴ `What man of you having a hundred sheep, and having lost one out of them, doth not leave behind the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go on after the lost one, till he may find it?

⁵ and having found, he doth lay `it' on his shoulders rejoicing,

⁶ and having come to the house, he doth call together the friends and the neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I found my sheep -- the lost one.

⁷ `I say to you, that so joy shall be in the heaven over one sinner reforming, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men, who have no need of reformation.

⁸ How do I give thee up, O Ephraim? Do I deliver thee up, O Israel? How do I make thee as Admah? Do I set thee as Zeboim? Turned in Me is My heart, kindled together have been My repentings.

³³ For He hath not afflicted with His heart, Nor doth He grieve the sons of men.

²⁰ A precious son is Ephraim to Me? A child of delights? For since My speaking against him, I do thoroughly remember him still, Therefore have My bowels been moved for him, I do greatly love him, An affirmation of Jehovah.

²⁷ He looketh on men, and saith, `I sinned, And uprightness I have perverted, And it hath not been profitable to me.

²⁸ He hath ransomed my soul From going over into the pit, And my life on the light looketh.'

⁶ and Jehovah passeth over before his face, and calleth: `Jehovah, Jehovah God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in kindness and truth,

⁷ keeping kindness for thousands, taking away iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and not entirely acquitting, charging iniquity of fathers on children, and on children's children, on a third `generation', and on a fourth.'