But the officers ¹  who came for them ²  did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, ³ 

Then Peter started speaking: ¹  “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, ² 

Paul and Barnabas ¹  learned about it ²  and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra ³  and Derbe ⁴  and the surrounding region.

but we preach about a crucified Christ, ¹  a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is futile and your faith is empty.

Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, ¹  the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia,

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near,

Indeed, he greatly missed all of you and was distressed because you heard that he had been ill.

So when we could bear it no longer, we decided to stay on in Athens ¹  alone.

who gave himself as a ransom for all, revealing God’s purpose at his appointed time. ¹ 

You know that everyone in the province of Asia ¹  deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

for which I suffer hardship to the point of imprisonment ¹  as a criminal, but God’s message ²  is not imprisoned! ³ 

From Paul, ¹  a prisoner of Christ Jesus, ²  and Timothy our ³  brother, to Philemon, our dear friend ⁴  and colaborer,

I have no greater joy than this: to hear ¹  that my children are living according to the truth. ² 

When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan ¹  – in the hill country, the lowlands, ²  and all along the Mediterranean coast ³  as far as ⁴  Lebanon (including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) –

“Announce ¹  the news among the nations! Proclaim it! Signal for people to pay attention! ²  Declare the news! Do not hide it! Say: ‘Babylon will be captured. Bel ³  will be put to shame. Marduk will be dismayed. Babylon’s idols will be put to shame. Her disgusting images ⁴  will be dismayed. ⁵ 

Also some of the Epicurean ¹  and Stoic ²  philosophers were conversing ³  with him, and some were asking, ⁴  “What does this foolish babbler ⁵  want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods.” ⁶  (They said this because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) ⁷ 

For ¹  it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, ²  since both in my imprisonment ³  and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God’s grace ⁴  together with me.

if indeed you remain in the faith, established and firm, ¹  without shifting ²  from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has also been preached in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.

That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug. “We’ve found water,” they reported. ¹