17. He warns them to turn away from doing wrong.And he warns them not to be proud.
18. God does this to save a man’s soul from death.He does it to keep him from dying.
19. A man may be corrected while on his bed in great pain.He may have continual pain in his very bones.
20. He may be in such pain that he even hates food.He may hate even the very best meal.
21. His body becomes so thin there is almost nothing left of it.And his bones that were hidden by flesh now stick out.
22. His soul is near the place of death.His life is almost over.
23. “But there may be an angel on his side.The angel may be one out of a thousand who will speak for the man.He will tell the man what he should do.
24. The angel will beg for mercy and say:‘Save this man from the place of death.I have found a way to pay for his life.’
25. Then his body is made new like a child’s body.It will be returned to the way it was when he was young.
26. That person will pray to God, and God will listen to him.He will see God’s face and will shout with happiness.And God will set things right for him again.
27. Then the man will say to other people,‘I sinned and twisted what was right.But I did not receive the punishment I should have received.
28. God bought back my life from death.And I will continue to enjoy life.’
29. “God does all these things to a man.He does them two times or even three.
30. He does them so a person won’t die as punishment for his sins.He does it so the man may still enjoy life.