²⁵ The Lord our God is putting us to the test, just as he tested our ancestors, and we should be thankful for that. ^26 (A)Remember how he put Abraham and Isaac to the test, and what happened to Jacob while he was working as a shepherd for his uncle Laban in Mesopotamia. ²⁷ God is not testing our loyalty as severely as he did theirs. God is not sending this punishment on us as revenge, but as a warning to us who worship him.

Free Will

^11 (A)Don't blame the Lord for your sin; the Lord does not cause what he hates.^{[a] 12} Don't claim that he has misled you; he doesn't need the help of sinners to accomplish his purposes. ¹³ The Lord hates evil in all its forms, and those who fear the Lord find nothing attractive in evil. ¹⁴ When, in the beginning, the Lord created human beings, he left them free to do as they wished. ¹⁵ If you want to, you can keep the Lord's commands. You can decide whether you will be loyal to him or not. ¹⁶ He has placed fire and water before you; reach out and take whichever you want. ¹⁷ You have a choice between life and death; you will get whichever you choose. ¹⁸ The Lord's wisdom and power are great and he sees everything. ¹⁹ He is aware of everything a person does, and he takes care of those who fear him. ²⁰ He has never commanded anyone to be wicked or given anyone permission to sin.