12. For whether absent or present, they were tortured alike.
13. For they had received double: weariness and groaning in the remembrance of things past.
14. For when they paid attention to their punishments, to attend to their own benefit, they called to mind the Lord, admiring the end result.
15. For though they showed scorn by throwing out distorted statements, in the end they were amazed at the result, but this is not the same as thirsting for justice.
16. For according to the thinking of their irrational iniquity, because some, going astray, were worshiping mute serpents and worthless beasts, you sent upon them a multitude of mute beasts for vengeance,
17. so that they might know that by whatever things a man sins, by the same also is he tormented.
18. For it was not impossible for your all-powerful hand, which created the world from unknown material, to send forth upon them a multitude of bears, or fierce lions,