²¹ The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma^(A) and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground^(B) because of humans, even though^[a] every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood.^(C) And never again will I destroy^(D) all living creatures,^(E) as I have done.

³ Another angel,^(A) who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people,^(B) on the golden altar^(C) in front of the throne.

⁴ The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God^(A) from the angel’s hand.