16 But, in fact, for this cause I have kept you in existence,*+ for the sake of showing you my power and in order to have my name declared in all the earth.*+

17 but we shall positively do every word that has gone forth from our mouth,+ in order to make sacrificial smoke to the ‘queen of the heavens’*+ and to pour* out to her drink offerings,+ just as we ourselves+ and our forefathers,+ our kings+ and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, when we used to be satisfied with bread and to be well off, and we did not see any calamity at all.+

9 Jehovah* is not slow respecting his promise,+ as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with YOU because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.*+