THE UNFORGIVABLE SIN
In this article we will identify and illustrate two forms of the unforgivable sin. First, we will identify the circumstances preceding the execution of the sin. Second, who can commit the sin? Third, what are the consequences relating to those who perpetrate either form of the unforgivable sin. We will need to lay a firm foundation before we proceed with this explanation. To explore this concept we will examine a deeper meaning of COVENANT.
God gave us a sign to confirm the promise he made to Noah after the worldwide flood.
God said, “This is a sign of the covenant I making between me and you, a covenant for all generations to come. I have set a rainbow in the clouds and it will be the sign of the convent between me and the earth… So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and your and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth. Genesis 9:12- 16We know a covenant is a binding and solemn agreement or promise made between two or more individuals to do or keep from doing a specified thing.
We read that Abram believed the Lord and God credited it to Abram as righteousness. Soon after, Abram believed God; the Lord made a covenant with Abram an promised to give Abram land.
On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.” Genesis 15:18In the 24th chapter of Leviticus, we read that a son of an Israelite woman and Egyptian father had a fight and the son blasphemes the name of the Lord with a curse. Blasphemy is the strongest of the terms used in any remark deliberately mocking and proving they are contemptuous of God. Blasphemy is saying God’s promises and covenant are worthless and are contemptuous to their thoughts and actions.
God said, “IF ANYONE curses his God he will be held responsible; ANYONE who blasphemes the name of the Lord MUST be put to death. Whether an alien or a native-born, when he blasphemes the NAME, he MUST be put to death.” Leviticus 24:15,16Death ends any struggle and stops all contentions and resistance. When God sentences some one to death it shows the strong righteous anger God has for the action of the individual. In Numbers’ 15th chapter, we read:
If just one person sins unintentionally, he must bring a year old female goat for a sin offering. The priest is to make atonement before the Lord for the one who erred be sinning unintentionally, and when the atonement has been made for him, he will be forgiven. One and the same law applies to everyone… but ANYONE who sins defiantly where native-born or alien blasphemes the Lord, that person must be cut off from his people, because he as despised the Lord’s word and broken his commands, that person must surely be cut off; his guilt remains on him. Numbers 15:27, 30, 31Here we see a person that knows God’s commandments and defiantly blasphemes or calls God’s words lies, he must be cut off from his people. Again, we see the person that blasphemes God’s word must be cut off from God’s people. This action indicated he must be separated from his people to prevent his lies from encroaching and seizing the whole community. However, his guilt remains on him as the person defiantly blasphemed God.
Later, we see Moses following the commands of the Lord, by leading Israel from slavery in Egypt to the land flowing with milk and honey. Korah, Dathan, Abiram and a group of 250 men came up against Moses. They challenged Moses, stating he was not a valid leader. The said, “You lead us out of a land flowing with mild and honey to kill us in the desert.” They also said Moses has not kept his promises to bring them to a land flowing with milk and honey. Moses summoned Datham and Abiram to come up to the tent of the Lord. They said no, we will not come. It is against the Lord that you and your followers have banded together. God told Moses to move away from the tents of the wicked man, do not touch anything that belongs to them or you will be swept away. Moses said, “If these men die a natural death then you will know God had not sent me. But, if the Lord brings about something new then, you will know these men have treated the Lord with CONTEMPT.”
Then the earth split apart and the men and their families went down alive into the grave with all their possessions. To treat a person with contempt means the actions of the person toward someone they consider worthless, despised and scorn. It also shows disrespect and doubts for authority.
We must remember the comments the assembly made were directed at Moses and the Lord. God chose Moses to bring his people out of Egypt.
So now, go, I am sending you [Moses] to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. Exodus 2:10The assembly did violate God’s covenant and they did lie and blaspheme the Holy Spirit. The men and their families went down to their grave, they were consigned to the flames of Sheol, God was angry with the assembly and he put an end to their rebellion. When the Israelites were about to cross the Jordan River, God told them to be careful and do not forget his covenant.
Be careful to not forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything because the Lord your God has forbidden it. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
God knew the Israelites would follow the gods of the people around them. God is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you and he will destroy you from the face of the earth. God will not share his glory with anyone. Those that worship other gods will be destroyed.
God said to Moses, “I am making a covenant with its oath, not only with you who are standing here with us today in the presence of the Lord our God, but also with those who are not here today.” Deuteronomy 29:14, 15God made a covenant with Abram. He promised to give him and Abram’s descendants the land from Egypt to the land we call Iraq.
These are the terms of the covenant he made with them at Horeb.
Deuteronomy 29:1
On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates- the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonties, Hittites, Perizizites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, Jebusites.” Genesis 15:18-21Later, after the Israelites had crossed the desert to Sihon, God made a renewal of the covenant he gave to Abraham. Moses gathered Israel together and reminded them of all God did when he lead them out of the slavery of Egypt with miraculous signs and wonders. During the 40 years, God has them in the desert, their clothes did not wear out and they had water to drink and food to eat.
When the Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan came out to fight the Israelites, Israel defeated both kings and took their land.
God told them to carefully follow all terms of the covenant. If they followed the terms of God’s covenant, they would prosper in everything they did.
God said, “I am making a covenant with its oath, not only with you who are standing here with us today in the presence of the Lord your God but also with those who are not here today.” Deuteronomy 29:14
When such a person hears the words of his oath, he invokes a blessing on himself and therefore thinks, “I will be safe even though I persist in going my own way.” This will bring disaster on watered land as will as dry. THE LORD WILL NEVER BE WILLING TO FORGIVE HIM; HIS WRATH AND ZEAL WILL BURN AGAINST THAT MAN. All curses written in this book will fall upon him… according to all the curses of the covenant written in this book. All the nations will ask, “Why has the LORD don’t his to this land? Why this fierce, burning anger?” Deuteronomy 29:19,20
The answer will be, “It is because this people ABANDONED THE COVENANT OF THE LORD.” Deuteronomy 29:25
It should be noted the fierce burning anger burned against the land and the people. The land became a burning waste of salt and sulfur- nothing planted, nothing sprouting, not vegetation growing on the land. It was death to a family if they lost their land as the lived in an agricultural society.
When the Lord wants to describe an object or a person, he uses a descriptive adjective in his words. An example would be His description of the beauty of Bethsheba.
One evening David got up from his bed and walked on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful.Later we see the use of not one descriptive adjective, such as very angry, but the Bible describes God’s anger as FURIOUS BURNING anger with great WRATH. Deuteronomy 29: 24 we find it, beyond our comprehension to understand and realize the deep abhorrent pain it is to God for anyone to abandoned or violate any of his covenants.
II Samuel 11:2
After God led Joshua and the Israelites into the promise land, they were to attack the city of Jericho and destroy every living thing in the city. God gave Joshua special instructions as to how and when the Israelites were to attack and destroy the city. In Deuteronomy 6:3-5, we read:
March around the city once with armed men. Do this for six days. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priest blowing trumpets. When you hear them sound a long last on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout, then the walls of the city will collapse. Joshua 6:3-5God also have instructions to the Israelites to destroy every living thing in the city. They were to keep away from the devoted things, if they took any of the devoted things it would make Israel liable to destruction. God gave them specific instructions; all the gold, silver, bronze and iron are sacred. They must go into the treasury.
Joshua followed God’s instructions, he destroyed and burned the city, but Joshua spared Rahab and her family because she had befriended the two Israeli men that Joshua sent to spy out the city. Joshua also put the silver, gold, and articles of bronze in the treasury of the Lord’s house.
Achan took some of the devoted things. The things he kept himself were irrevocable. Israel has violated God’s covenant, which he has commanded them to keep. They took some of the devoted thing, they has stolen and they has lied.
“Israel has sinned; they have violated my COVENANT, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen they lied, they have put them with their possessions. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.” Joshua 7:11,12By a series of eliminations, God showed Joshua the man that had lied and VIOLATED his covenant. He has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.
Achan confessed, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God od Israel… I have coveted them and took them.” Joshua 7:20Again, it is very clear God will not tolerate anyone that violates His COVENANT. Here we see one man and his family violated God’s COVENANT and as a result all Israel experienced the pain and distress of God’s Abatement.
Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had to the valley of Achor… Then all Israel stoned him and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. Joshua 7:24, 25
He has violated the covenant of the LORD and has done a disgraceful thing in Israel. Joshua 7:15Some may say the violation of God’s covenants as recorded in the Old Testament is no longer valid. Jesus died on the cross, his blood became sin. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to do away with sins. The blood of animals only covered sins, Jesus eliminated sin. When the centurion plunged his spear into the side of Jesus, his sin saturated blood with water poured out on the ground. A person’s flesh is about 98 percent water, so we see, Jesus gave his whole body to sin.
God made him who had no sin to be sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21True, Jesus did negate or render sins against God’s Word powerless, but he did not atone or reconcile the sins committed against the Holy Spirit. When a person violates a covenant of God, he sins and blasphemes God the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not provide forgiveness for sins against the Holy Spirit.
But now he has appeared, once for all, at the end of ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:26
Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven, but ANYONE who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit WILL NOT BE FORGIVEN. Luke 12:10Remember, blasphemy is the strongest o words that is profane and contemptuous to God. Blasphemy is calling God a liar that HE will not do or act as He, God The Holy Spirit, has promised by HIS Covenant. It is the Holy Spirit that has the power to execute and fulfill the covenants of God. Jesus only had the kinetic energy of a normal man however, he had the authority by virtue of righteousness to direct the Holy Spirit, and fulfill the promises and conditions of a covenant.
The reason my FATHER loves me is that I lay down my life- only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own accord. I have AUTHORITY to lay it down and AUTHORITY to take it up again. John 10:17Let us examine this percept in the light of the New Testament.
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to our moral bodies through his SPIRIT, who lives in you. Romans 8:11
Peter and John were praying asking God to stretch out his hand to heal and performed miraculous signs and wonders. The Bible notes they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. No one claimed any of his possessions as his or her own. From time to time the people sold land and property then laid the money at the apostles’ feet. All the believers were of one heart, they all agreed and were in harmony to share their possessions with other that were in need.
Now Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property and kept some of the money for themselves. Ananias brought the remainder of the funds and laid money at the apostles’ feet. The Peter said, “How is it that Satan has filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit?” when Ananias heard Peter’s conviction he first fell to the floor and then died. Later Ananias’s wife, Sapphira, came in not knowing what has happened. Peter said to her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered. Peter said, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” At that moment she first fell to the floor and then died.
Here we see a person lying to the Holy Spirit. The Bible says, “All believers were of one heart and mind. Indicating both Ananias and Sapphira were believers. Sapphira tested the Holy Spirit and Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit.
The sin of both believers was directed against the Holy Spirit. All sin committed against God’s Word, was reconciled at the cross, but if a person sins against the Holy Spirit, there is no forgiveness. He will carry his guilt with him to the grave. How is it possible for anyone to commit a sin against only the Holy Spirit and not Christ?
It seems we have two sins that can be committed against the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that has the responsibility of executing and validating all of the promises of God. If a person rejects the terms of God’s covenant and blasphemes God, the Holy Spirit, he will never be forgiven, he is guilty of an eternal sin. The person, saved or lost, will suffer earthly death and spiritual death. When a person blasphemes God, the Holy Spirit, he is calling God a liar.
The Bible states, the devil is a murderer; not holding to the truth for there is not truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language for he is a liar and the father of lies. James 8:44To blaspheme God is to call God a liar just like Satan. God will never forgive such a horrible violation of His love and the disbelief of His covenant.
We note in Deuteronomy 23:21, If a man makes a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay for it, for the Lord your God will certainly, demand it from you and you will be guilty of sin. Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the Lord your God with you own mouth.We know Ananias and Sapphira lied and tested the Holy Spirit. They either violated a covenant of God or they violated their own vow.
Acts 4:32 states all the believers were of one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.
Peter, Ananias, Sapphira, and the people that brought the property all knew the price that was paid for the land. We can assume the information about the sale of the land was known through out the community where they lived.
If anyone accuses God of lying the sin is not forgivable. The person will suffer an earthly death and a spiritual death.
However, if a saved person violates his vow, the sin is against the Holy Spirit and Jesus. The saved person will die an earthly death but the person, will not suffer a spiritual death. Jesus said in James 11:25, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
All sin committed against God’s Word, was reconciled at the cross, but if a person sins against the Holy Spirit, there is no forgiveness. He will carry his guilt with him to the grave. It is interesting to note, EVERY sin and blasphemy committed against the SON OF MAN will be forgiven. The Bible notes in the book of Acts:
Repent and be baptized… in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38Everyone, past, present and future has sinned and come short of God’s glory. Jesus has compensated the sins of the world by his blood. Only those that accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior will be eligible to be sanctified, sins forgiven, and then they will be given a counselor, the Holy Spirit.
Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to men by whom we must be saved. Acts 4:12
It is blood that makes atonement for ones life. Leviticus 17:11
Without the shedding of Blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22
When the counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth goes from the Father, he will testify about me. John 15:26A person unsaved does not have the Holy Spirit, and the Bible clearly states all of the sins and blasphemy committed against the SON OF MAN can be forgiven. Some may say the refusal to accept Jesus as the Lord and Savior is the unforgivable sin. If the unsaved person is able to commit the unforgivable sin, then the covenant of blood did not cover all the sins committed against the Son of Man.
The sin and blasphemy against the Son of Man will be forgiven but the sin or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Luke 12:30
I tell you the truth; all the sins and blaspheme of man will be forgiven them. But, whoever blasphemies against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin. Mark 3:28Anyone that has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior will receive the Holy Spirit. However, if they choose, they can VIOLATE A COVENANT of GOD. If they fall away they cannot be brought back to repentance.
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have SHARED THE HOLY SPIRIT, who have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the coming age. IF they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the SON OF GOD over again and subjecting HIM to public disgrace. Hebrew 6:4-6The only way for a person to be saved after the person has rejected the BLOOD COVENANT would be for Jesus to go back to the cross, be crucified again and establish another covenant of blood.
WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE IS
NO FORGIVENESS
NO FORGIVENESS
The Bible clearly identifies those that call away. They have been enlightened; tasted the heavenly gift, shared the Spirit, and tasted the goodness of God and the powers to come. This is a description of a person that has accepted JESUS and His salvation. Jesus is light (by His light we have spiritual understanding) when we taste something, the taste identifies the food, and the food is absorbed into our body. The Bible further identifies the person by stating who have shared in the Holy Spirit. A person cannot come back to repentance if the person has never received repentance. In addition, the Holy Spirit only indwells an individual that has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They note the saved individual has the mark or seal of the Holy Spirit; therefore, they say this individual cannot be lost. They visualize the seal as a locked vault that cannot be violated. However, the seal is a mark or a sign of ownership.
Having believed, you are MARKED in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit whom is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until redemption, of those who are God’s possessions. Ephesians 1:13, 14Another assumed conceptual belief is “once saved, always saved.” We are then free to say anything, or do anything, because we were reconciled be Jesus, making peace through His blood.
On Him, GOD the FATHER has placed HIS seal of approval. John 6:27
He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 1:22
Do not harm the land or the trees until we put a seal on their foreheads of the servants of our God. Revelation 7:3
The seal of the Holy Spirit is a mark, a deposit or a sign of ownership.
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30
But now, He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation- IF you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope out in gospel. Colossians 1:22Here, the promise is we are without blemish and free from accusation. This is a valid promise, and we are quick to claim the benefits of the promise, but we often overlook or ignore the conditions that are out responsibility to sustain the benefits. We want to accept the answer that is in compliance with our preconceived self-fulfilling aspirations. The Sanhedrin was unionized in their beliefs that their savior would be an authoritative person commanding a large powerful army.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and then government would be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there would be no end. He will reign on David’s throne, and over the kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. Isaiah 9:6-7The Lord and Savior was also pictured in a totally diverse dissimilar form. Their savior would have no beauty or majesty to attract us to him. He would have humble appearance and would appear to be just another man.
Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we would desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows yet, we consider him stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted. But, he was pierced for our transgressions he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him and his wounds heal us. We all, like sheep, have gone astray; each of us has truned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:1-6Hosanna is the Hebrew language means Kingdom is here. To the leaders of Israel, this announcement was totally in opposition to their preconceived view of the king and savior of Israel. The members of the Sanhedrin were learned men who had full knowledge of the scriptures. They choose to limit their faith and beliefs to satisfy their own personal desires, even though light, truth and day was before their eyes.
See your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, with no army and promoting his kingdom. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their coats over it, he sat on it. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David. Hosanna in the highest. Mark 11:7- 10
Other verses relating to falling away from a secure position:
Therefore dear friends since you already know this, be on your guard so that may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 2 Peter 3:17All these verses relate to a person who has made a choice and abandoned the blood of the covenant. Anyone can reject the blood of the covenant. There is one other verse people use to prove the concept of “once saved always saved.”
IF we claim to have fellowship with him, yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 1 John 1:6
We know we have come to know him IF we obey his commands. The MAN who says: “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But IF anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. 1 John 2:3-5
But, now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. IF you continue in your faith established and firm- not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. Colossians 1:22, 23
Therefore dear friends, since you already know this. Be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall away from your secure position. 2 Peter 3:17
IF we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, NO SACRAFICE for sins is left. Hebrews 10:26
How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the SON of GOD under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified Him, and who has insulted the Spirit of Grace? Hebrews 10:29
IF anyone does NOT remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up and thrown into the fire and burned. IF you remain in me MY words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. John 15:6,7
Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. Hebrews 13:5This promise was given to those that keep the faith. It is not meant to be a cover all for everybody. We always have the privilege of accepting or refusing God’s Word. IF we accept His Word, he will keep his promise of eternal life, IF we accept Satan’s temptations, we will suffer eternal Hell.
Deuteronomy 13:8
He was given power to give breathe to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He, also forced everyone small and great, rich or poor, free or slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast. Revelation 13:15- 17Remember the Mark on a person signifies ownership. Anyone, saved or lost, that accepts the Mark of the beast will go into everlasting hell. If a saved person values Satan’s worldly temptations more than the covenant of blood , he now belongs to Satan because he has violated God’s COVENANT.
IF ANYONE worships the beast of his image and receives his mark on the forehead or hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of GOD’S fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the LAMB and the smoke of their torment rises FOREVER and EVER. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for ANYONE who receives the mark of his name. Revelation 14:9-11
Some believe God will keep those, who are saved, from accepting Satan’s temptations. If that were true, then the person would not have a choice. If we were not able to accept Satan’s temptations, it would defeat God’s purpose for permitting the temptations. Also by answering God’s question by refusing to accept JESUS as their LORD and SAVIOR, God would force the unsaved man to commit the unforgivable sin.
UNTHINKABLE, IMPOSSIBLE!!
If we place the value of the earth on one side of a balance and the value of a drop of Jesus’ blood on the other side, the side with the blood would immediately fall. Everything in this world is temporary, God said he would never leave us or forsake us, but we can leave God. We never lose our freedom of choice. God will not force us to keep our commitment we must resist temptation, the LORD said:
My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge… a people without understanding will come to ruin. Hosea 4:6,14
EITHER WE CONQUER TEMPTATION OR TEMPTATION WILL CONQUER US.
VIOLATION OF GOD’S COVENANT
IS THE UNFORGIVEABLE SIN
IS THE UNFORGIVEABLE SIN
To Jesus be the Glory,
Curt Voyles
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