Wisdom of Solomon 2:16–24

¹⁶We are considered by him as something base,

and he avoids our ways as unclean;

he calls the last end of the righteous happy,

and boasts that God is his father.

¹⁷Let us see if his words are true,

and let us test what will happen at the end of his life;

¹⁸for if the righteous man is God’s son, he will help him,

and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries.

¹⁹Let us test him with insult and torture,

that we may find out how gentle he is,

and make trial of his forbearance.

²⁰Let us condemn him to a shameful death,

for, according to what he says, he will be protected.”

²¹Thus they reasoned, but they were led astray,

for their wickedness blinded them,

²²and they did not know the secret purposes of God,

nor hope for the wages of holiness,

nor discern the prize for blameless souls;

²³for God created man for incorruption,

and made him in the image of his own eternity,

²⁴but through the devil’s envy death entered the world,

and those who belong to his party experience it.