183 Nevertheless there is room
left to them of repentance, if they
shall speedily pursue it; but if
they shall delay, they also shall
be partakers of death with the
foregoing kind.
184 I said, air, why is there
room left to those for repentance,
and not to the foregoing kind,
seeing their sins are well nigh the
same?
185 There is therefore, said he,
to these a return unto life by
repentance, because they have not
blasphemed against their Lord,
nor betrayed the servants of God:
but by their desire of gain have
deceived men, leading them according
to the lusts of sinners; wherefore
they shall suffer for this thing.
186 Howbeit there is still left
them room for repentance, because
they have not spoken any thing
wickedly against the Lord.
187 They who are of the
third mountain which had thorns
and brambles, are those who
believed, but were some of them
rich; others taken up with many
affairs: the brambles are their
riches; the thorns, those affairs in
which they were engaged.
188 Now they who are entangled
in much business, and in diversity
of affairs, join not themselves to
the servants of God, but wander,
being called away by those affairs
with which they are choked.
189 And so they which are rich,
with difficulty yield themselves to
the conversation of the servants
of God; fearing lest any thing
should be asked of them. These
therefore shall hardly enter the
kingdom of God.
190 For as men walk with difficulty
bare-foot over thorns, even so
these kind of men shall scarcely
enter into the kingdom of God.
191 Nevertheless there is afforded
to all these a return unto repentance,
if they shall quickly return to it;
because in their former days they
having neglected to work, in the time
that is to come they may do some good.
192 If therefore having
repented they shall do the works
of righteousness, they shall live;
but if they shall continue in their
evil courses, they shall be delivered
to those women who will take away
their lives.