This is what the Lord says to his chosen ¹  one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold ²  in order to subdue nations before him, and disarm kings, ³  to open doors before him, so gates remain unclosed:

Israel was set apart to the Lord; they were like the first fruits of a harvest to him. ¹  All who tried to devour them were punished; disaster came upon them,” says the Lord.’”

After looking around ¹  at them in anger, grieved by the hardness of their hearts, ²  he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ³ 

The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, ¹  and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common. ² 

But a Pharisee ¹  whose name was Gamaliel, ²  a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up ³  in the council ⁴  and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time.

So they slipped ¹  the anchors ²  and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the linkage ³  that bound the steering oars ⁴  together. Then they hoisted ⁵  the foresail ⁶  to the wind and steered toward ⁷  the beach.

We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, we are dishonored!

Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

“Drink, my lord,” she replied, and quickly lowering ¹  her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink.

It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be joined together. ¹ 

Then the man will be free from iniquity, but that woman will bear the consequences ¹  of her iniquity.’” ² 

They put him in custody, because there was no clear instruction about what should be done to him.

I grabbed the two tablets, threw them down, ¹  and shattered them before your very eyes.

Joshua kept holding out his curved sword until Israel had annihilated all who lived in Ai. ¹ 

Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap; ¹  she became his caregiver. ² 

But evil people are like thorns – all of them are tossed away, for they cannot be held in the hand.

But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah’s reign, such a Passover of the Lord was observed in Jerusalem.

For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise, he is more awesome than ¹  all gods.

But Haman restrained himself and went on to his home. He then sent for his friends to join him, ¹  along with his wife Zeresh.

when ¹  he caused ²  his lamp ³  to shine upon my head, and by his light I walked ⁴  through darkness; ⁵