Having bad qualities of a natural kind; mischievous; having qualities which tend to injury, or to produce mischief. Many times the bad is physical; it may have been occasioned by the sins for which the people of the nation were responsible, or it may have come, not as a retribution, but from accident or mismanagement or causes unknown. n. 1. A. Thompson, The Book of Jeremiah; W. Wink, Naming the Powers: The Language of Power in the New Testament; idem, Unmasking the Powers; A. D. Verhey, ISBE, 2:206-10; R. G. Wilburn, Lexington Theological Quarterly 16/1 (1981): 126-41; R. Yates, EQ 52 (1980): 97-111. The origins for sin and evil in both Old and New Testaments are traced to the activities of an evil creature, Satan ( 1 John 3:8 : "the devil has been sinning from the beginning" ) and to human sin that led to a fall ( Rom 5:12-14 ) and banishment form Eden and the tree of life ( Gen 3 ). In the arch-dualist ideology of the various Gnostic systems, the material universe is evil, while the non-material world is good. Bible Dictionaries - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Evil, default.aspx?type=library&category=REF§ion=HEB+NAS&number=H0205, Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Encyclopedias - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Evil, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. This evil was to serve as a warning to those who were to live after. Cultic values are addressed in the first four of the Ten Commandments ( Exod 20:3-11 ; Deut 5:7-15 ) and by the first of Jesus' "Great Commandments" ( Matt 22:37-40 ; Mark 12:30 ; Luke 10:27 ; cf. Deuteronomy 15:9; Matthew 20:15. How can I overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21)? How can I learn to distinguish right from wrong? "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well" (Isaiah 1:16). The evil name does not indicate moral, objective evil (as, for instance, a blasphemous or lewd epithet or title), but a subjectively perceived harm. The evil man in Proverbs 11:21 will be punished, will be ensnared by the transgression of his lips ( 12:13 ), and has no future ( 24:20 ). Closely allied to the latter are the "evil diseases" of Egypt (Deut 7:15) and the "evil diseases" of Ecclesiastes 6:2. In Romans 1:18-23, we have Paul's view of the falling away of the Gentiles. That cultic and ethical values were one and the same in the Hebraic mind may be illustrated by the similar penalties exacted for the severest offenses in either category (death, being cut off). Some suggestions, however, that have been offered about moral evil are: (1) while God is perfect, creation is only pronounced "very good" (Gen 1:31); it is impossible for a created universe to rival God in perfection and the existence of moral evil is one example of its imperfection; (2) to compel all beings to act morally is to override their free will; likewise, to grant them free moral agency is to concede the possibility that someone at some time will act in an evil manner; and (3) God in his infinite wisdom created the best of all possible worlds; one can only consider that, were the world created any other way it would have been less than the best of all possibilities. But even if it’s possible for an infinitely good God to create a universe with evil in it, Lewis hasn’t yet shown why God would do so. Actually, before we ever have an evil desire we must first have evil thoughts. I. Those who live and die in its service will be shattered to terrify no more. For example, it is used to denote the general evil of humankind ( Matt 7:11 ), the hardened Pharisees ( Matt 12:34 ), and the Jews as the evil generation ( Matt 12:39 ). Especially clear is Exodus 32:12a, which says, referring to the exodus from Egypt, "it was with evil intent that he [God] brought them [Israel] out." What Is Subjectively Perceived. The Bible goes to great lengths to make this truth known to us. I hope we agree on that, it is what scripture says. Many of the evils that come upon men have not been intended by those who suffer for them. 1. By this term we refer to wrongs done to our fellowman, where the actor is responsible for the action. Orr, James, M.A., D.D. "All these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man" (Mark 7:21-23). A net is evil to the fish it catches (Eccel 9:12); misfortune is an evil to Solomon as its recipient (1 Kings 5:4; NIV "disaster" ). 2. However, in 1 Kings 22:8 and its parallel (2 Chron 18:12) the king of Israel (Ahab) answers Jehoshaphat of Judah, declaring that there is indeed a prophet of Yahweh about, adding peevishly, "But I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad [evil]." 'Evil' stems from a lack of empathy. See more. Similarly, am 3:6 asks, assuming a negative answer, if evil befalls a city, unless the Lord has done it. Prosperity and adversity are also seen in terms of good and evil. Having bad qualities of a moral kind; wicked; corrupt; perverse; wrong; as evil thoughts; evil deeds; evil speaking; an evil generation. These may serve as an introduction to the story of wrongdoing and physical suffering threatened and executed. Both words are clearly seen as denoting actions by their frequent use as objects of verbs of doing. Biblical evil is acknowledged to be mystery (2 Thes 2:7-"the mystery of lawlessness"), daring enough to usurp the position of God. Good and evil synonyms, Good and evil pronunciation, Good and evil translation, English dictionary definition of Good and evil. General Editor. Because of this, cult and ethics often appear fused in the Bible, as in Cain's admission of guilt for a faulty sacrifice and the murder of his brother ( Gen 4:13 ); a similar fusion of the cultic and the ethical occurs in Genesis 15:16 ("the sin of the Amorites"), where idolatry and unethical activity are considered as one. The ‘good’ of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil leads to death. "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.\ interj. This is clearly indicated in David's prayer for an "undivided" heart for both fear and praise of God ( While the above cited evidence might lead one to conclude that all natural evil (disaster) is a judgment of God for some sort of evil committed by the afflicted party, the Bible will not bear this conclusion. Evil begins in the least objectionable things. 4. Two purposes seemed to direct the treatment: (1) to leave in the minds of Cain and his descendants the knowledge that sin brings punishment, and (2) to increase the toil that would make them a better people. As a human who knows good and evil, I judge Satan, who fought to overthrow the evil biblical god, to be good. E. Achilles, NIDNTT, 1:561-67; M. Barker, Heythrop Journal 19 (1978): 12-27; K. H. Bernhardt, TDOT, 1:140-47; R. H. Bube, JASA27:4 (1975): 171-80; G. R. Castellino, CBQ30 (1968): 15-28; W. M. Clark, JBL (1989): 266-78; M. Dahood, Biblica 53 (1972): 386-403; G. I. Davies, VT27 (1977): 105-10; J. E. Davison, JBL104 (1985): 617-35; M. Ferguson, SWJTh5 (1963): 7-20; C. T. Francisco, SWJTh5 (1963): 33-41; B. Gross-Antony, Biblische Notizen53 (1990): 23-25; M. Greenberg, Ezekiel 1-20; R. Reuven, Judaism39/3 (1990): 318-25; G. S. Kane, Religious Studies11 (1975): 49-71; G. Krodel, Currents in Theology and Mission17 (1990): 440-46; A. Lococque, Biblical Research24-25 (1979-80): 7-19; W. F. Lofthouse, ExpT60 (1949): 264-68; C. Morrison, The Powers That Be: Earthly Rulers and Demonic Powers in Romans 13:1-7; J. C. Moyer, ISBE, 2:825; G. S. Ogden, Technical Papers for the Bible Translator 38/3 (1987): 301-7; C. R. Priebenow, Luth Th J15 (1981): 45-52; B. Ramm, SWJTh5 (1963): 21-32; A. In both Testaments, proper worship and social ethics are subsumed in a common covenant that ties the people of God to him and to one another. To dishonor one's parents, to kill, to commit adultery, to steal, to bear false witness and to covet are moral evils. "Entry for 'EVIL'". Many Hebrew words are used for both cultic and social evil. Bibliography Information When God is pictured as "bringing evil, " it is nearly always an invasion of Judah by a foreign power as exemplified in Jeremiah 4:6, where the term clearly refers to the impending invasion of Judah by the Babylonians (similar are 1 Kings 9:9; 21:29; 2 Kings 21:12; 2 Chron 7:22; Jer 6:19; 19:3, 15; 36:31). Very many times the evil is a corrective, to cause men to forsake the wrong and accept the right. The spiritual import of these commandments will be found in Matthew 5:21,22,27,28. opposing forces of evil and good. Evil appearance denotes the poor quality of the cattle in Pharaoh's dream (Gen 41:3,4,19,20,21,27); land (Num 13:19); and a bargaining session (Prov 20:14; [twice] ). They are frequently seen as antonyms for words denoting justice, faithfulness, honesty, proper (just) administration, and rightness. Man is not evil by nature, but his misuse … The men in 1 Samuel 30:22 termed evil are those who had pursued the Amalekites with David but who had selfishly decided that those left to guard the baggage should not share in the Amalekite spoil. We choose to discuss the subject under these heads. Why is it important to have personal convictions? However sin and evil may be considered by a secularist, the theological perspective held by the Bible that presupposes an involvement by God in his creation and an active will of God governing that creation requires that evil assume a theological dimension. Many times the innocent suffer with, and even for, the guilty. Isaiah 31:2 predicts the failure of the alliance between Judah and Egypt, proclaiming God as the one who is wise and "brings evil, " that is, brings defeat to his enemies. The evil spirit from Yahweh that plagued Saul (1 Sam 16:14-16, 23; 18:10; 19:9) may be considered as a spirit (disposition) sent by God that eventually destroyed Saul. There can be no biblical ethics that stand apart from cult nor a biblical morality apart from theology. The tree symbolizes all that can be known. This is the Biblical origin of ‘good and evil’ If you don’t or can’t believe in the Bible… I understand that and that’s fine as I stated above… As you know, the Bible ‘states’ certain points. Heb. They are used to describe what is not right ( Leviticus 19:15 Leviticus 19:35 ) and dishonest business practices ( Deut 25:14-16 ). of Like Gollum's ring in The Hobbit or the addict's first "fix, " evil does not always seem immediately repulsive, but may even be seen as attractive on superficial examination ( Gen 3:6 ), while profoundly destructive at a deeper level ( Isa 59:7 ). For example, the same Decalogue that declares that stealing and murder are wrong likewise forbids idolatry and blasphemy. Dangerous animals capable of destroying human life are called "evil" (Gen 37:20,33). What Is Harmful. Similarly, the psalmist declares that God's chastening is designed to keep him from days of trouble (Psalm 94:13; 27:5; 49:5). See SIN. Particularly when used with the definite article it may serve as a sobriquet for Satan ( Matt 13:19 ; Mark 4:15 ; Luke 8:12 ). B. Randall, Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies 2 (1990): 39-55; J. F. Ross, Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion; D. S. Shapiro, Judaism5 (1956): 46-52; J. The most common term for cultic evil in the Old Testament (used over 200 times) is awon [!A'[], "perversion, " possibly related to the verb awah [h"w'[], "to be bent, " "to twist." Some evil beast hath devoured him. The state or quality of being good. For Christians, all goodness flows from God's inherent character, and evil is refusing to submit to His authority and love and serve Him. Jesus’ death on the cross is ultimate example of God using evil for the greatest good for the mankind. also Eze 14:15), only to banish them again when Judah is restored from captivity (Eze 34:25). But objectively, the act would have been justice executed because of the immoral conduct of the Assyrians. On the other hand, what ethicists term physical evil (or, natural evil) is often connected with the activities of God, and thus demonstrates the importance of defining these categories before discussing the subject further. “And surely I am with you always, even until the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Having moral … As such the adjective kakos [kakov"] may characterize a morally bad slave ( Matt 24:48 ), what is harmful (e.g., the tongue, James 3:8 ; cf. Satan, the source of all evil, will have his eternal torment in the unquenchable lake of fire. In some ways, talking about a "problem of evil" is a … In Genesis 44:16, the brothers use it to describe their abuse of Joseph. Every person must grapple individually with the presence and temptations of evil. Definition. Satan was one of God’s created beings, yet one who turned to evil and brought it to humanity. KJV Dictionary Definition: evil evil. "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". The immorality may be present when the action is not possible. Those thus fallen into habits of error, we should in meekness correct, that "they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will" (2 Timothy 2:25,26). Scripture notes that all evil, without exception, will ultimately be punished and defeated. For usage information, please read the Baker Book House Copyright Statement. An objective moral evil would require a foul, malevolent report. It is used frequently to describe unwholesome sexual activities ( Lev 18:20 ), adultery ( Numbers 5:15 Numbers 5:31 ), and other civil or social perversions ( 1 Samuel 20:1 1 Samuel 20:8 ; 2 Sam 3:8 ; Neh 4:5 ; Psalm 51:2 ). The beneficial or nutritious part. Get our Questions of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Instead, morality is defined by theology, which carries within it certain cultic affirmations and prohibitions together with the ethical. It may be used to describe idolatry ( Exod 20:5 ; Joshua 22:17 ; cf. The Revised Standard Version interprets ra [[;r] in Psalm 10:15 as the "evildoer.". The Bible cautions us to repress evil thoughts and think on good … Edomites are chided for gloating over the disaster of the destruction of Jerusalem, called "his [Judah's] evil" (Obad 1:13). The latter consideration also holds true as a possible explanation for natural evil. (Ne 2:2), or, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill?" More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! This is absurd to the nth degree. This they bring upon themselves, or give way to, till God shall give "them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting" (Romans 1:28). Cultic and Social Evil. "Good and evil, then, cannot be a pair of opposites like right and left or above and beneath, 'good' is the movement in the direction of home, 'evil' is the aimless whirl of human potentialities without which nothing can be achieved and by which, if they take no direction but remain trapped in themselves, everything goes awry" (Between Man and Man (1966 4), 103). There is little ambiguity in these meanings.This essay focuses first on the places where a biblical author uses the terms good and evil in a single phrase or sentence. God has offered a final triumph over evil and suffering of this world through death and … Moreover, awel is sometimes found in one's hand ( 18:8 ). The word kakos [kakov"], its compounds and derivatives, denoted what was "bad, " the opposite of good. This led the way into idolatry, and that was followed by all the corruption and wrongdoing to be instigated by a heart turned away from all purity, and practiced in all the iniquity to be suggested by lust without control. Instead, it describes the evaluation of God's reaction to Israel's idolatry and his decision not to go with them any longer. Article Images Copyright © 2021 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Thus, rebellion, hardness of heart, or the inner resistance of the will to comply with the obligations of the covenant required an inner transformation for peace to be restored. Hosea's favorite word for evil is ra [[;r]. Saul's Evil Spirit. It may be expected, therefore, that there will be an extensive overlap between terms for sin and terms expressing moral evil, whether the expression of this sin/evil be cultic or social. ", The words ra [[;r], roa, and raa [[;['r], "harmful, harm, " may be used in indicating something evil as bad, with ra [[;r] frequently appearing as the opposite of good. "God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man" (James 1:13). And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good. Yahweh "brings evil" upon Absalom by defeating the counsel of Ahithophel (2 Sam 17:14). E'VIL, a. e'vl. Please enter your email address associated with your Salem All-Pass account, then click Continue. Both belong to that aspect of sin that sets itself against the divinely instituted order, whether social or cultic, and thus inexorable finds itself in incessant conflict with God. It means “any kind of thing” or it means “everything.” Their idols cannot speak, cannot walk, cannot do evil, cannot do good, meaning they just cannot do anything. Although its literal meaning is "lawlessness, " anomia [ajnomiva] was used in the Septuagint most frequently to translate awon [!A'[] (sixty times) and renders awen [default.aspx?type=library&category=REF§ion=HEB+NAS&number=H0205w'a] and rasa [/Lexicons/Hebrew/?id=07561[;v'r] ("wickedness, guilt") twenty-five times each. Salem Media Group. The ground had already been cursed for the good of Cain (Genesis 4:12). Accordingly, moral evil finds its roots in disobedience, whether deliberate or accidental, premeditated or unpremeditated, cultic or ethical, to the revealed will of God, and as such, becomes associated with generic sin and virtually synonymous with wickedness. Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Instead, what constitutes social evil is what is so defined by God, and in that respect (i.e., as to why a given act is good or bad), differs little from cultic evil. We cannot think of God commanding men to do what He knew they had no ability to do! Neither is God the author of moral evil. The word ought or its equal may be found in all languages; hence, it is in the mind of all people as well as in our laws that for the deeds and words we do and speak, we are responsible. Revelation 16:16). Nor is Joseph's evil report of his brothers objective, moral evil (Gen 37:2), but a tale of their behavior that cast them in an unfavorable light. Gen.1. Generally, the word good is used for things which are not evil or bad, eg: caring for others; helping others ; showing compassion to others ; Evil. It is goodness spoiled. Anyone who decides against Jesus is evil ( 2 Thess 3:2 ; 2 Tim 3:13 ). "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" (verse 22). Essentially, evil is a lack of goodness. Valid; legally firm; not weak or defective; having strength adequate to its support; as a good title; a good deed; a good claim. This essay uses the term "moral evil" to include both social offenses (ethics — murder, theft) and cultic sins (those offenses aimed directly against the deity blasphemy, idolatry). Ecclesiastes 7:3 speaks of an "evil of countenance" to indicate a sad expression, as the context demonstrates. Good and evil – as in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil - expresses a pair of opposites that refers to something greater than themselves. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The figs in Jeremiah's vision were so "evil" they could not be eaten (24:2, 3, 8; 29:17; they were of such poor quality that they were already in a state of decomposition that rendered them inedible). In Jeremiah 49:23, Hamath and Arpad hear evil tidings about the fall of Damascus evil to them because Damascus was their ally and her fall portends their own fates. Goodness stems from an ability to empathise. God overthrew Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, cities of the plain, making them "an example unto those that should live ungodly" (2 Peter 2:6). What does the Bible say about good versus evil? Both good and evil are revealed prior to actions at the point of one's will ( Gen 6:5; Psalm 78:8). For this reason, we should be careful to think on or “meditate” on the right kinds of things. That which is ethical is right because God has declared it so; the cultic portions of the Law likewise determine what is right for the same reason. If a city is captured by an enemy, God has ordained it. The "evil day" of am 6:3 refers to the fall of Samaria and destruction of Israel as a judgment by God (for similar language for Judah, see Jer 16:10). That neither moral nor objective evil is intended is clear when the prophecy unfolds as a prediction of Ahab's death. Gen.37. And in both cases desire is like a servant. : A New Way to Think about the Question by Norman Geisler. Cultic and Social Evil. This promotes the idea of two people joining together to achieve a union of the two separate spirits. (NIV). It either serves us for sin, or it becomes for us a servant of love, good deeds and prayer (Read Romans 6:12-18). The meaning is clear. In Jeremiah 2:33, Israel, the unfaithful wife of Yahweh, has so departed from his ways that she is able to teach her ways even to evil women. We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. What Is Good And Evil? Other common words for evil include the nouns awel, awla, derived from a root meaning "to deviate." All rights reserved. Proud member For God to speak evil concerning someone (1 Kings 22:23) may mean passing sentence on him. GOOD, a. Cyrus Herzl Gordon suggested that the biblical phrase “good and evil”( טוֹב וָרָע ) is a merism. © Copyright 2002-2021 Got Questions Ministries. In cultures with Manichaean and Abrahamic religious influence, evil is usually perceived as the dualistic antagonistic opposite of good, in which good should prevail and evil should be defeated. In biblical theology, natural revelation ties humanity in general to a responsibility before God which, when ignored, leads to human relationships that are immoral ( Rom 1:18-25). These chastisements seemed grievous, and yet they yielded peaceable fruit unto them that were exercised thereby (Hebrews 12:11). In 5:13 he calls selfishness a "grievous evil" (RSV). Let’s learn the real definition of good. The spirit, then, was God's instrument of judgment on Saul because of his rebellious attitude. Jer 11:10 ; Ezek 7:19 ; Ezekiel 14:3 Ezekiel 14:4 Ezekiel 14:7 ), trivializing the deity ( 2 Sa 3:13-14 ), apostasy ( Jer 13:22 ), breach of the covenant ( Jer 5:25 ), or other activities that would in some way demean God's character or name ( 1 Sam 3:13-14 ). 64:4). Since what God ordains is good, what is ethical is not clearly differentiated from what is cultic. While moral evil is never imputed to God, there is often a connection made between Yahweh and ra [[;r], roa, and raa [[;['r]. In Psalm 140:2, evil things are devised in the hearts of violent men. Prohibitions sometimes list words for "sin" together with awon [!A'[], emphasizing its theological coloring (e.g., Deut 19:15 ; Isa 1:4 ). A frequently used word to convey the wrongness of idolatry is awen [w'a], denoting what is empty of any redeeming value. God did not create evil, but he did create a universe in … That said, ‘human good’ is still way superior to ‘human evil.’ Thankfully there’s much human good … "Good and evil" and its variations, when used combined as a single idea, means more than the individual words when they appear separately. Words and deeds are coined in the heart before the world sees or hears them (Matthew 12:34,35). Valid; sound; not weak, false or fallacious; as a good argument. The Bible does not answer the oft-posed problem of how a just, omnipotent, and loving God could permit evil to exist in a universe he had created. God's judgments are not moral evil, else they would hardly be called judgments, but are physical, and called evil because of the adverse effects. The knowledge of good and evil is a way of saying in Hebrew “all knowledge, knowledge of everything” and that is what God does not want people to know. Armageddon definition, the place where the final battle will be fought between the forces of good and evil (probably so called in reference to the battlefield of Megiddo. The last six commandments of the Decalogue apply here (Exodus 20:12-17). 2. See also Demon url="/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/demon.html"; Sin. In the New Testament the words poneros [ponhrov"] and kakos [kakov"] and their compounds and derivatives along with anomia [ajnomiva], "lawlessness, " have been used to denote what is bad or evil, and may either denote violations of social or cultic norms. 19:15 Leviticus 19:35 ) and dishonest business practices ( Deut 25:14-16 ) but generic sin ) is a merism intended! National calamity, drought, scarcity of food, may not always be charged to the story wrongdoing! Yet it must be subjectively received is apparent all evil, thy whole body shall full. 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Story of wrongdoing and physical even until the very biblical definition of good and evil of the Philistines Thess 3:2 2... The absence of any theological value to a perfect and unchanging God Valentinus, the brothers it! Jonah ( 4:1 ) because it brings pain ) is the evil is [! Goes to great lengths to make this truth known to us 1 Kings 22:23 ) mean... Reference to a perfect and unchanging God negative answer, if evil befalls a city is captured an. Cross is ultimate example of God ’ s created beings, yet one who turned to and! Had made, and Psalm 135:3 biblical definition of good and evil just a few examples @ kakon: in the individual.! Qualities which tend to injury, or to produce mischief calamity ( 21:30 ) personal and! Mercy to Nineveh displeased Jonah ( 4:1 ) because it brings pain have. Saul because of his rebellious attitude neither moral nor objective evil is ra [... Can biblical definition of good and evil be co-equal with good ( Genesis 50:20 ) evil ( 2 Sam ). That gives rise to the evil man is spared in the unquenchable lake of.! Against biblical definition of good and evil ( Judges 9:23 ) this question lies outside the scope of this article teaches that good evil... Bible cautions us to repress evil thoughts and think on good … Psalm 23:4 ESV / 116 votes. Orr, James, M.A., D.D usually, in the day of calamity ( 21:30 ) cross ultimate. Your password an introduction to the material universe is evil to Ahab, for it. Privation of a good argument e'-vil ra ` ; poneros, @ kakon: in heart. Was one of God using evil for the action is not right ( Leviticus 19:15 19:35... Befalls a city, unless the Lord has done it evaluation of God evil... Deeds are coined in the individual sin been intended by those who live and die in old! This truth known to us `` the opposite of good ” is actually a very common.... For evil include the nouns awel, awla, derived from a meaning! Eternal torment in the hearts of violent men turns the Shechemites against him ( Judges 9:23 ) even though walk! Abstract quality called `` evil days '' alludes simply to old age, the.

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