13. “You have used harsh words against me,” says the Lord.“You ask, ‘How have we spoken against you?’
14. “You have said, ‘It’s pointless to serve God. What do we gain if we meet his standards or if we walk around feeling sorry for what we’ve done?
15. So now we call arrogant people blessed. Not only are evildoers encouraged, they even test God and get away with it.’ ”
16. Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord paid attention and listened. A book was written in his presence to be a reminder to those who feared the Lord and respected his name.
17. “They will be mine,” says the Lord of Armies. “On that day I will make them my special possession. I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.
18. Then you will again see the difference between righteous people and wicked people, between the one who serves God and the one who doesn’t serve him.