For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
Parallel translations
- KJV For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
- BSB For He does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of men.
- NKJV For He does not afflict willingly, Nor grieve the children of men.
- NASB For He does not afflict willingly Or grieve the sons of mankind.
- NLT For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God does not delight in afflicting people; judgment is not His eager preference.
Overview
Though God ordains affliction, He does not do so 'willingly,' that is, not from any pleasure in the suffering of His creatures. This reveals His tender heart even in judgment, consistent with His declaration that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 33:11). The gospel shows the lengths to which God goes to save rather than destroy (John 3:16).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Ezek 33:11Tell them, As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn, turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, house of Israel?
- Ezek 18:32For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Therefore turn yourselves, and live!
- Heb 12:9–10Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?
- Isa 28:21For Yahweh will rise up as on Mount Perazim. He will be angry as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his unusual work, and bring to pass his act, his extraordinary act.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The weeping over a ruined city and the steadfast mercies that are new every morning point to the man of sorrows who wept over Jerusalem and whose mercy rises new from the grave.
How Lamentations 3:33 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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