Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town ¹  and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.”

This is a message ¹  about the animals in the Negev: Through a land of distress and danger, inhabited by lionesses and roaring lions, ²  by snakes and darting adders, ³  they transport ⁴  their wealth on the backs of donkeys, their riches on the humps of camels, to a nation that cannot help them. ⁵ 

Do not take interest or profit from him, ¹  but you must fear your God and your brother must live ²  with you.

This is another misfortune: ¹  Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?

Her officials are like wolves in her midst rending their prey – shedding blood and destroying lives – so they can get dishonest profit.

and constant bickering by people corrupted in their minds and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness ¹  is a way of making a profit.

Remind people ¹  of these things and solemnly charge them ²  before the Lord ³  not to wrangle over words. This is of no benefit; it just brings ruin on those who listen. ⁴ 

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, ¹  if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith ²  save him? ³ 

Now ¹  as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit that enabled her to foretell the future by supernatural means. ²  She ³  brought her owners ⁴  a great profit by fortune-telling. ⁵ 

I am saying this for your benefit, not to place a limitation on you, but so that without distraction you may give notable and constant service to the Lord.

Now, brothers and sisters, ¹  if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I help you unless I speak to you with a revelation or with knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

“Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die! What use is the birthright to me?” ¹ 

“Is it to God that a strong man is of benefit? Is it to him that even a wise man is profitable? ¹ 

Such ¹  are the ways ²  of all who gain profit unjustly; ³  it ⁴  takes away the life ⁵  of those who obtain it! ⁶ 

The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes. ¹  How does that benefit him? ² 

Wisdom, like ¹  an inheritance, is a good thing; it benefits those who see the light of day. ² 

If the snake should bite before it is charmed, ¹  the snake charmer ²  is in trouble. ³ 

But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ.

I do not say this because I am seeking a gift. ¹  Rather, I seek the credit that abounds to your account.

Then I said, ¹  “Lord, you give me strength and protect me. You are the one I can run to for safety when I am in trouble. ²  Nations from all over the earth will come to you and say, ‘Our ancestors had nothing but false gods – worthless idols that could not help them at all. ³