and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

so that you may not be sluggish, ¹  but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast, which reaches inside behind the curtain, ¹ 

By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, ¹  so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for ¹  these things, strive to be found ²  at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence. ³ 

Then the Benjaminites saw they were defeated. The Israelites retreated before ¹  Benjamin, because they had confidence in the men they had hid in ambush outside Gibeah.

for you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a dynasty ¹  for him. That is why your servant has had the courage to pray to you. ² 

Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat in light of these actions of theirs – also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who were trying to scare me!

You will say, “I will invade ¹  a land of unwalled towns; I will advance against ²  those living quietly in security – all of them living without walls and barred gates –

but you rise up as an enemy against my people. ¹  You steal a robe from a friend, ²  from those who pass by peacefully as if returning from a war. ³ 

Ashkelon will see and be afraid; Gaza will be in great anguish, as will Ekron, for her hope will have been dried up. ¹  Gaza will lose her king, and Ashkelon will no longer be inhabited.

The disciples were astonished at these words. But again Jesus said to them, ¹  “Children, how hard it is ²  to enter the kingdom of God!

Then ¹  he said to them, “Where is your faith?” ²  But they were afraid and amazed, ³  saying to one another, “Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the water, ⁴  and they obey him!”

So ¹  the Lord replied, ²  “If ³  you had faith the size of ⁴  a mustard seed, you could say to this black mulberry ⁵  tree, ‘Be pulled out by the roots and planted in the sea,’ ⁶  and it would obey ⁷  you.

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, ¹  but take courage ²  – I have conquered the world.” ³ 

“Brothers, ¹  I can speak confidently ²  to you about our forefather ³  David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

When they saw the boldness ¹  of Peter and John, and discovered ²  that they were uneducated ³  and ordinary ⁴  men, they were amazed and recognized these men had been with Jesus.

When ¹  they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, ²  and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak ³  the word of God ⁴  courageously. ⁵ 

who was with the proconsul ¹  Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsul ²  summoned ³  Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear ⁴  the word of God.

‘Look, you scoffers; be amazed and perish! ¹  For I am doing a work in your days, a work you would never believe, even if someone tells you.’” ²