Isaiah 24:20

Translation
King James Version
The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
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KJV (with Strong's)
The earth H776 shall reel H5128 to and fro H5128 like a drunkard H7910, and shall be removed H5110 like a cottage H4412; and the transgression H6588 thereof shall be heavy H3513 upon it; and it shall fall H5307, and not rise H6965 again H3254.
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Complete Jewish Bible
The earth staggers to and fro like a drunk, sways back and forth like a watchman's shelter; its transgression weighs heavy upon it; it will fall and not rise again.
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Berean Standard Bible
The earth staggers like a drunkard and sways like a shack. Earth’s rebellion weighs it down, and it falls, never to rise again.
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American Standard Version
The earth shall stagger like a drunken man, and shall sway to and fro like a hammock; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again.
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World English Bible Messianic
The earth will stagger like a drunken man, and will sway back and forth like a hammock. Its disobedience will be heavy on it, and it will fall and not rise again.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
The earth shall reele to and from like a drunken man, and shall be remooued like a tent, and the iniquitie thereof shall be heauie vpon it: so that it shall fall, and rise no more.
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Young's Literal Translation
Stagger greatly doth the land as a drunkard, And it hath been moved as a lodge, And heavy on it hath been its transgression, And it hath fallen, and addeth not to rise.
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See also
Isaiah 19:14Hosea 4:1Hosea 4:5Amos 8:14Daniel 11:19Isaiah 29:9Revelation 18:21
In the KJVVerse 18,116 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Isaiah 24:20 offers a stark prophetic vision of the earth's ultimate instability and impending collapse under the weight of human transgression. This verse vividly portrays creation as reeling uncontrollably and being utterly dismantled, not by arbitrary force, but as a direct, irreversible consequence of humanity's pervasive rebellion against God, culminating in its final, unrecoverable downfall.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Isaiah 24:20 is a pivotal verse within the section often termed the "Little Apocalypse" (Isaiah 24-27), which marks a significant shift in Isaiah's prophetic focus. Prior chapters (Isaiah 13-23) detail specific judgments against various nations, but chapter 24 broadens the scope to a universal, cosmic judgment upon the entire earth and its inhabitants. The preceding verses (Isaiah 24:1-19) meticulously describe the earth's desolation, its emptiness, and its defilement due to the pervasive sin of its inhabitants. This sets the stage for the dramatic imagery of the earth's physical and moral collapse in verse 20, presenting it as the inevitable outcome of widespread human rebellion. The chapter concludes with a powerful contrast, depicting the Lord reigning in glory on Mount Zion, thereby juxtaposing the earth's instability with God's eternal and unshakeable sovereignty.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: While the "Little Apocalypse" possesses profound eschatological dimensions, its imagery is deeply rooted in ancient Near Eastern cosmological and theological concepts. The notion of the earth "reeling" or "shaking" was a common motif associated with theophany or divine judgment, where the very foundations of creation were understood to tremble in the presence or at the action of a powerful deity. The "cottage" (Hebrew: mᵉlûwnâh), also translated as "lodge" or "hut," refers to a flimsy, temporary structure, typically used by watchmen in vineyards or fields. This simile underscores the earth's transient and vulnerable nature when confronted by divine power, emphasizing that it is as easily removed or collapses as a fragile shelter. The concept of "transgression" (Hebrew: peshaʻ) carries the profound weight of rebellion, a deliberate breaking of covenant or moral law. In ancient Israelite thought, such rebellion was understood to have far-reaching consequences, not only for humanity but for the very land itself, leading to its defilement and judgment, as explicitly warned in passages like Leviticus 18:24-28 and Numbers 35:33.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully articulates several overarching themes central to Isaiah and biblical prophecy. It profoundly underscores the theme of Divine Sovereignty and Judgment, unequivocally demonstrating God's ultimate authority over all creation and His righteous, inevitable response to human sin. The vivid imagery of the earth's instability highlights the Fragility of the Created Order when it is polluted and corrupted by human rebellion, emphasizing that the physical world is not immune to the devastating consequences of moral corruption. Furthermore, the explicit and direct link between the earth's dramatic collapse and "transgression" reinforces the theme of the Cosmic Consequences of Sin, illustrating how human sin has pervasive and far-reaching effects that impact the very fabric of existence. Finally, the definitive declaration that the earth "shall fall, and not rise again" points to the Finality of God's Consummate Judgment, signifying an irreversible end to the current, sin-laden order and foreshadowing the divine necessity for a new creation, as later described in Isaiah 65:17.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • reel (Hebrew, nûwaʻ', H5128): This primitive root signifies "to waver" or "to move to and fro" in a wide variety of applications, both literal and figurative. It conveys a strong sense of instability, staggering, or being violently shaken. In Isaiah 24:20, its use vividly portrays the earth's uncontrolled, drunken-like lurching, emphasizing a profound disequilibrium and a complete loss of stability, indicative of a world utterly disoriented and destabilized by the force of divine judgment.
  • transgression (Hebrew, peshaʻ', H6588): Derived from a root meaning "to revolt," peshaʻ denotes a deliberate breaking of a covenant, a rebellion, or a willful, defiant sin. It is not merely an unintentional error but an act of outright defiance against God's established order and law. The verse states this transgression "shall be heavy upon it," indicating that the earth's instability and impending doom are a direct, burdensome consequence of humanity's accumulated and pervasive rebellion against its Creator.
  • fall (Hebrew, nâphal', H6965): This versatile primitive root means "to fall" in numerous applications, including literal collapse, ruin, or defeat. Here, it signifies the complete and irreversible collapse of the earth. Coupled with the subsequent phrase "and not rise again" (using H6965 qûwm "to rise" and H3254 yâçaph "to add, again"), it underscores the absolute finality of this judgment, implying that the current order, once fallen under the crushing weight of sin, will not recover or be restored to its former state.

Verse Breakdown

  • "The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard,": This opening clause introduces the primary, striking imagery of the earth's profound instability. The powerful comparison to a "drunkard" vividly conveys a complete lack of control, a staggering, disoriented movement, and an utter inability to maintain balance. It suggests that the very foundations and equilibrium of the world are violently shaken, losing their inherent stability and order.
  • "and shall be removed like a cottage;": This second simile reinforces the extreme fragility and temporary nature of the earth in the face of divine judgment. A "cottage" (or "lodge" / "hut," Hebrew mᵉlûwnâh) was a flimsy, temporary structure, easily dismantled, blown away, or abandoned. This imagery implies that the earth, despite its apparent solidity and permanence, is ultimately not enduring and can be easily displaced, dissolved, or swept away by the overwhelming force of divine power, highlighting its profound vulnerability under impending judgment.
  • "and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it;": This crucial clause explicitly reveals the underlying cause of the earth's catastrophic state. "Transgression" (sin, rebellion, Hebrew peshaʻ) is personified here as a crushing, oppressive, and burdensome weight that literally weighs down the earth. It powerfully emphasizes that the earth's suffering and eventual collapse are not arbitrary events but a direct, just, and inevitable consequence of humanity's pervasive, accumulated sin, which has defiled and corrupted the created order.
  • "and it shall fall, and not rise again.": This final, definitive declaration pronounces the ultimate and irreversible outcome of the earth's judgment. The earth's collapse is not temporary or cyclical; it is a final, decisive fall from which there will be no recovery or restoration of the old order. This signifies a complete and permanent end to the present world system, which has been utterly corrupted by sin and is now subject to God's righteous and consummate judgment.

Literary Devices

Isaiah 24:20 is exceptionally rich in Simile, employing vivid comparisons to convey its dire message. The earth is powerfully likened to a "drunkard" to depict its uncontrolled, staggering, and disoriented movement, and then to a "cottage" (or "hut") to emphasize its inherent fragility and impermanence in the face of divine power. Personification is also prominently featured, as the inanimate earth is described as reeling, being removed, and having transgression "heavy upon it," thereby imbuing the world with human-like actions and experiences of suffering and burden. The phrase "the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it" functions as a potent Metaphor, portraying sin not merely as an abstract concept but as a tangible, crushing burden that physically weighs down and ultimately destroys the world. The overall tone, dramatic imagery, and universal scope contribute to profound Apocalyptic Imagery, employing exaggerated and cataclysmic language to describe a universal, cosmic judgment, evoking a profound sense of upheaval and finality.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Isaiah 24:20 stands as a profound theological statement on the cosmic consequences of sin and the absolute certainty of divine judgment. It teaches that human rebellion against God has far-reaching and devastating implications, extending beyond individuals or nations to impact the very fabric of creation itself. The earth, in this prophetic vision, literally groans and collapses under the immense weight of human depravity, reflecting the pervasive brokenness introduced by the fall. This verse powerfully underscores God's absolute sovereignty, demonstrating His inherent power to bring about a complete dissolution of the current order in righteous response to unrepentant sin. It points to a necessary and definitive end to a world utterly corrupted by rebellion, thereby paving the way for a new creation where righteousness alone can dwell.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Isaiah 24:20 serves as a powerful and profoundly sobering reminder of the ultimate instability and inherent impermanence of any system or foundation built apart from God. The vivid imagery of the earth reeling like a drunkard and collapsing utterly under the crushing weight of sin challenges us to critically examine where we place our ultimate hope, security, and trust. If the very earth, which seems so solid, vast, and enduring, is destined for such a dramatic and irreversible fall due to human transgression, then how much more fragile and transient are our own lives, our human institutions, our societal structures, and our personal aspirations when they are not firmly anchored in the eternal truth, unshakeable righteousness, and sovereign will of God? This verse compels us to a profound humility, fostering a deep recognition of the destructive power of sin and the absolute necessity of living in alignment with God's righteous will. It calls us to sincere repentance for our own transgressions and to seek refuge not in the fleeting and deceptive stability of this world, but in the eternal, unshakeable kingdom of God.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the imagery of the earth "reeling like a drunkard" challenge your perception of the world's stability and permanence, and what does this imply for your own sense of security?
  • In what specific ways do you observe human "transgression" (rebellion against God's moral order) weighing heavily on our contemporary society, the natural environment, or even your own life today?
  • Given the prophetic declaration that the earth "shall fall, and not rise again," where are you investing your ultimate hope, your deepest commitments, and your most enduring security?
  • What practical, tangible steps can you take in your daily life to live in a way that truly acknowledges the temporary nature of this present world and the eternal, unshakeable nature of God's kingdom?

FAQ

Does Isaiah 24:20 predict the literal destruction of the planet Earth?

Answer: While the language in Isaiah 24:20 is highly symbolic and apocalyptic, it points to a profound and irreversible transformation or judgment upon the current order of the earth. The phrase "it shall fall, and not rise again" signifies the definitive end of the world as we know it, particularly as it is corrupted and defiled by sin. This does not necessarily mean the complete annihilation of the physical globe itself, but rather the total dissolution of the existing sinful system and its replacement with a new, righteous order established by God. Other biblical texts, such as 2 Peter 3:10-13, speak of the heavens passing away with a great noise and the elements melting with fervent heat, which is then immediately followed by the promise of "new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." Therefore, the prophecy is less about literal, absolute annihilation and more about a purifying, transformative judgment that leads to a divinely renewed and righteous creation.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Isaiah 24:20, with its stark and somber depiction of a world collapsing under the crushing weight of transgression, finds its ultimate and glorious Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The very "transgression" that makes the earth "heavy" and ultimately causes its irreversible fall is the pervasive sin that Jesus came into the world to bear and conquer. He is revealed as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, personally carrying the immense, crushing burden of humanity's rebellion and its cosmic consequences upon the cross. In doing so, He absorbed the full measure of divine judgment that would otherwise fall upon us and the created order. While the earth described in Isaiah 24:20 is indeed destined to "fall, and not rise again" in its corrupted state, Christ's victorious resurrection from the dead signifies the decisive defeat of sin, death, and all the powers of darkness, offering the profound promise of a new creation. Through His atoning sacrifice and triumphant resurrection, Jesus inaugurates a new reality, a kingdom that "cannot be shaken" (Hebrews 12:28). The ultimate hope for a world finally free from the burden and defilement of transgression lies not in the reformation or patching up of the old, fallen order, but in the radical newness brought forth by Christ's redemptive work, culminating in the glorious promise of new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells eternally, and where there will be no more curse, pain, or death, because the former things have passed away through His sovereign and complete redemptive work.

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Commentary on Isaiah 24 verses 16–23

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

These verses, as those before, plainly speak,

I. Comfort to saints. They may be driven, by the common calamities of the places where they live, into the uttermost parts of the earth, or perhaps they are forced thither for their religion; but there they are singing, not sighing. Thence have we heard songs, and it is a comfort to us to hear them, to hear that good people carry their religion along with them even to the most distant regions, to hear that God visits them there and gives encouragement to hope that he will gather them thence, Deu 30:4. And this is their song, even glory to the righteous: the word is singular, and may refer to the righteous God, who is just in all he has brought upon us. This is glorifying the Lord in the fires. Or the meaning may be, "These songs redound to the glory or beauty of the righteous that sing them." We do the greatest honour imaginable to ourselves when we employ ourselves in honouring and glorifying God. This may have reference to the sending of the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth, as far as this island of ours, in the days of the Messiah, the glad tidings of which are echoed back in songs heard thence, from churches planted there, even glory to the righteous God, agreeing with the angels' song, Glory be to God in the highest, and glory to all righteous men; for the work of redemption was ordained before the world for our glory.

II. Terror to sinners. The prophet, having comforted himself and others with the prospect of a saved remnant, returns to lament the miseries he saw breaking in like a mighty torrent upon the earth: "But I said, My leanness! my leanness! woe unto me! The very thought of it frets me, and makes me lean," Isa 24:16. He foresees,

1.The prevalency of sin, that iniquity should abound (Isa 24:16): The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; this is itself a judgment, and that which provokes God to bring other judgments. (1.) Men are false to one another; there is no faith in man, but a universal dishonesty. Truth, that sacred bond of society, has departed, and there is nothing but treachery in men's dealings. See Jer 9:1, Jer 9:2. (2.) They are all false to their God; as to him, and their covenant with him, the children of men are all treacherous dealers, and have dealt very treacherously with their God, in departing from their allegiance to him. This is the original, and this the aggravation, of the sin of the world; and, when men have been false to their God, how should they be true to any other?

2.The prevalency of wrath and judgment for that sin. (2.) The inhabitants of the earth will be pursued from time to time, from place to place, by one mischief or other (Isa 24:17, Isa 24:18): Fear, and the pit, and the snare (fear of the pit and the snare) are upon them wherever they are; for the sons of men know not what evil they may suddenly be snared in, Ecc 9:12. These three words seem to be chosen for the sake of an elegant paranomasia, or, as we now scornfully call it, a jungle of words: Pachad, and Pachath, and Pach; but the meaning is plain (Isa 24:18), that evil pursues sinners (Pro 13:21), that the curse shall overtake the disobedient (Deu 28:15), that those who are secure because they have escaped one judgment know not how soon another may arrest them. What this prophet threatens all the inhabitants of the earth with another makes part of the judgment of Moab, Jer 48:43, Jer 48:44. But it is a common instance of the calamitous state of human life that when we seek to avoid one mischief we fall into a worse, and that the end of one trouble is often the beginning of another; so that we are least safe when we are most secure. (2.) The earth itself will be shaken to pieces. It will be literally so at last, when all the works therein shall be burnt up; and it is often figuratively so before that period. The windows from on high are open to pour down wrath, as in the universal deluge. Upon the wicked God shall rain snares (Psa 11:6); and, the fountains of the great deep being broken up, the foundations of the earth do shake of course, the frame of nature is unhinged, and all is in confusion. See how elegantly this is expressed (Isa 24:19, Isa 24:20): The earth is utterly broken down; it is clean dissolved; it is moved exceedingly, moved out of its place. God shakes heaven and earth, Hag 2:6. See the misery of those who lay up their treasure in the things of the earth and mind those things; they place their confidence in that which will shortly be utterly broken down and dissolved. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard; so unsteady, so uncertain, are all the motions of these things. Worldly men dwell in it as in a palace, as in a castle, as in an impregnable tower; but it shall be removed like a cottage, so easily, so suddenly, and with so little loss to the great landlord. The pulling down of the earth will be but like the pulling down of a cottage, which the country is willing to be rid of, because it does but harbour beggars; and therefore no care is taken to rebuild it: It shall fall, and not rise again; but there shall be new heavens and a new earth, in which shall dwell nothing but righteousness. But what is it that shakes the earth thus and sinks it? It is the transgression thereof that shall be heavy upon it. Note, Sin is a burden to the whole creation; it is a heavy burden, a burden under which it groans now and will sink at last. Sin is the ruin of states, and kingdoms, and families; they fall under the weight of that talent of lead, Zac 5:7, Zac 5:8. (3.) God will have a particular controversy with the kings and great men of the earth (Isa 24:21): He will punish the host of the high ones. Hosts of princes are no more before God than hosts of common men; what can a host of high ones do with their combined force when the Most High, the Lord of hosts, contends with them to abase their height, and scatter their hosts, and break all their confederacies? The high ones, that are on high, that are puffed up with their height and grandeur, that think themselves so high that they are out of the reach of any danger, God will visit upon them all their pride and cruelty, with which they have oppressed and injured their neighbours and subjects, and it shall now return upon their own heads. The kings of the earth shall now be reckoned with upon the earth, to show that verily there is a God that judges in the earth and will render to the proudest of kings according to the fruit of their doings. Let those that are trampled upon by the high ones of the earth comfort themselves with this, that though they cannot, dare not, must not, resist them, yet there is a God that will call them to an account, that will triumph over them upon their own dunghill: for the earth they are kings of is in the eye of God no better. This is general only. It is particularly foretold (Isa 24:22) that they shall be gathered together as prisoners, convicted condemned prisoners, are gathered in the pit, or dungeon, and there they shall be shut up under close confinement. The kings and high ones, who took all possible liberty themselves, and took a pride and pleasure in shutting up others, shall now be themselves shut up. Let not the free man glory in his freedom, any more than the strong man in his strength, for he knows not what restraints he is reserved for. But after many days they shall be visited, either, [1.] They shall be visited in wrath; it is the same word, in another form, that is used (Isa 24:21), the Lord shall punish them; they shall be reserved to the day of execution, as condemned prisoners are, and as fallen angels are reserved in chains of darkness to the judgment of the great day, Jde 1:6. Let this account for the delays of divine vengeance; sentence is not executed speedily, because execution-day has not yet come, and perhaps will not come till after many days; but it is certain that the wicked is reserved for the day of destruction, and is therefore preserved in the mean time, but shall be brought forth to the day of wrath, Job 21:30. Let us therefore judge nothing before the time. [2.] They shall be visited in mercy, and be discharged from their imprisonment, and shall again obtain, if not their dignity, yet their liberty. Nebuchadnezzar, in his conquests, made many kings and princes his captives, and kept them in the dungeon in Babylon, and, among the rest, Jehoiachin King of Judah; but after many days, when Nebuchadnezzar's head was laid, his son visited them, and granted (as should seem) some reviving to them all in their bondage; for it is made an instance of his particular kindness to Jehoiachin that he set his throne above the throne of the rest of the kings that were with him, Jer 52:32. If we apply this to the general state of mankind, it imports a revolution of conditions; those that were high are punished, those that were punished are relieved, after many days, that none in this world may be secure though their condition be ever so prosperous, nor any despair though their condition be ever so deplorable.

3.Glory to God in all this, Isa 24:23. When all this comes to pass, when the proud enemies of God's church are humbled and brought down, (1.) Then it shall appear, beyond contradiction, that the Lord reigns, which is always true, but not always alike evident. When the kings of the earth are punished for their tyranny and oppression, then it is proclaimed and proved to all the world that God is King of kings - King above them, by whom they are accountable - that he reigns as Lord of hosts, of all hosts, of their hosts, - that he reigns in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, in his church, for the honour and welfare of that, pursuant to the promises on which that is founded, reigns in his word and ordinances, - that he reigns before his ancients, before all his saints, especially before his ministers, the elders of his church, who have their eye upon all the out-goings of his power and providence, and, in all these events, observe his hand. God's ancients, the old disciples, the experienced Christians, that have often, when they have been perplexed, gone into the sanctuary of God in Zion and Jerusalem, and acquainted themselves with his manifestations of himself there, shall see more than others of God's dominion and sovereignty in these operations of his providence. (2.) Then it shall appear, beyond comparison, that he reigns gloriously, in such brightness and lustre that the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed, as the smaller lights are eclipsed and extinguished by the greater. Great men, who thought themselves to have as bright a lustre and as vast a dominion as the sun and moon, shall be ashamed when God appears above them, much more when he appears against them. Then shall their faces be filled with shame, that they may seek God's name. The eastern nations worshipped the sun and moon; but, when God shall appear so gloriously for his people against his and their enemies, all these pretended deities shall be ashamed that ever they received the homage of their deluded worshippers. The glory of the Creator infinitely outshines the glory of the brightest creatures. In the great day, when the Judge of heaven and earth shall shine forth in his glory, the sun shall by his transcendent lustre be turned into darkness and the moon into blood.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 16–23. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verse 19, 20.) For the gates from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth will be shaken. The earth will be crushed to pieces, shattered, and shaken. It will be thrown into agitation like a drunkard, and it will be taken away like a temporary shelter, and its own iniquity will weigh it down, and it will fall and not be able to rise again. Therefore, no one will escape the fear, snare, and pit of the Lord, because the gates from on high, or as the LXX has made clearer, the windows of heaven, are open, so that the Lord may behold all the sins of mankind that he previously seemed to ignore because he did not punish sinners. But when, however, he saw all the works of mortals with the windows open, the foundations of the earth were shaken, according to what is written in another place about the divine sight: He looks at the earth, and it trembles (Ps. 103:32); then it will be shattered and broken, and the earth will be moved and agitated like a drunkard: not that the earth itself will be reduced to dust and to nothingness; but that all earthly things will pass away, and another way of life will succeed. And just as a drunk person doesn't know what they are doing, but with the nerves dulled by drunkenness, neither foot nor mind stay in their proper function, so all the earth, that is, all the people who dwell on the earth, will be drunk with the magnitude of evils and punishments, and they will be astonished at everything they see. And just as the tent and dwelling place of one night is moved from place to place, and the previous location of the tent is abandoned by the traveler, so that no trace of the past dwelling remains: in the same way, the figure of this world will pass away, and the earth will be deserted, burdened by its iniquity, as is written in Zachariah: She who sits upon a talent of lead (Zech. V, 32). And it will fall, he says, and it will not be added so that it may rise again. Not that the resurrection of humans, and all who inhabited the earth, is denied, but there will in no way be an earthly conversation, and the former state of life, when human bodies rise for this purpose, so that souls may be clothed in the same bodies they had previously laid aside, and receive from God either the good or evil deeds they had done on earth.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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