New International Version
2 "As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter,"
3 As long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils,
4 My lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies.
5 I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity.
6 I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.
7 "May my enemies be like the wicked, my adversaries like the unjust!"
8 For what hope have the godless when they are cut off, when God takes away their life?
9 Does God listen to their cry when distress comes upon them?
10 Will they find delight in the Almighty? Will they call on God at all times?
11 "I will teach you about the power of God; the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal."
12 You have all seen this yourselves. Why then this meaningless talk?
13 "Here is the fate God allots to the wicked, the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:"
14 However many his children, their fate is the sword; his offspring will never have enough to eat.
15 The plague will bury those who survive him, and their widows will not weep for them.
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay
Amplified Bible
2 As God lives, Who has taken away my right and denied me justice, and the Almighty, Who has vexed and embittered my life
3 As long as my life is still whole within me, and the breath of God is [yet] in my nostrils,
4 My lips shall not speak untruth, nor shall my tongue utter deceit.
5 God forbid that I should justify you--saying you are right [in your accusations against me]; till I die, I will not put away my integrity from me.
6 My uprightness and my right standing with God I hold fast and will not let them go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days and it shall not reproach me as long as I live.
7 Let my enemy be as the wicked, and let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.
8 For what is the hope of the godless and polluted, even though he has gained [in this world], when God cuts him off and takes away his life?
9 Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him?
10 Will he take delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times?
11 I will teach you regarding the hand and handiwork of God; that which is with the Almighty [God's actual treatment of the wicked man] will I not conceal.
12 Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves; why then have you become altogether vain [cherishing foolish notions]?
13 This [which I am about to tell] is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage which oppressors shall receive from the Almighty:
14 If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword; and his offspring will not have sufficient bread.
15 Those who survive him, [the pestilence] will bury, and [their] widows will make no lamentation.
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up clothing like clay
King James Version
2 As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
7 Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.
8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?
9 Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?
10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?
11 I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.
12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?
13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.
14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.
16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;
Becoming a Christian
Would you like to experience forgiveness and new life from the God of the Bible, who calls every person to believe that he sent his son Jesus Christ to make this possible?
The Bible explains why everyone needs to receive forgiveness and is called to serve Jesus Christ. The consistency of the Bible story, which was authored by people living thousands of years apart from diverse cultures and even different languages, is often cited as evidence of divine inspiration. Wikipedia has a list of many Biblical prophesies which have come true.
The story of God's plan to restore his relationship with us can be summarised in eight famous Bible verses below.
- In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
- All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23
- God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
- Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6
- If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
- For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Ephesians 2:8
- But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Acts 1:8
- Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:19
The truth in these verses is simple, yet to embrace it means letting go of all our personal hopes and dreams and embracing God's greater purpose for our lives instead, a purpose far above anything we could dream or imagine.
This is the most important decision you will ever make, because it affects not just the rest of your life here on earth, but what comes after as well. Don't put it off until too late. If you died tonight make the decision to spend eternity with your loving Father in Heaven.
If you're wondering what to do next as a new Christian, check out these helpful suggestions from Mary Fairchild on About.com: