The nations will hear ¹  and tremble; anguish ²  will seize ³  the inhabitants of Philistia.

“I will deliver you from the power of the wicked. I will free you from the clutches of violent people.”

The people of Damascus will lose heart and turn to flee. Panic will grip them. Pain and anguish will seize them like a woman in labor.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, ¹  stand firm and hold on to the traditions that we taught you, whether by speech or by letter. ² 

To do this ¹  you must hold firmly to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck in regard to the faith.

Surely now he ¹  has worn me out, you have devastated my entire household.

A trap ¹  seizes him by the heel; a snare ²  grips him.

They lock tightly together, one to the next; ¹  they cling together and cannot be separated.

Deliver me ¹  from oppressive men, so that I can keep ²  your precepts.

But this I call ¹  to mind; ²  therefore I have hope:

Slaves ¹  rule over us; there is no one to rescue us from their power. ² 

But Jesus gently took his hand and raised him to his feet, and he stood up.

Therefore, strengthen ¹  your listless hands and your weak knees, ² 

What will you say ¹  when the Lord ²  appoints as rulers over you those allies that you, yourself, had actually prepared as such? ³  Then anguish and agony will grip you like that of a woman giving birth to a baby. ⁴ 

The Lord who rules over all ¹  says, “The people of Israel are oppressed. So too are the people of Judah. ²  All those who took them captive are holding them prisoners. They refuse to set them free.

Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, ¹  “Set out the food.”

Solomon sat on his father David’s throne, and his royal authority ¹  was firmly solidified.

who ¹  would take his ²  rod ³  away from me so that his terror ⁴  would not make me afraid.

For ¹  then you will lift up your face without ²  blemish; ³  you will be securely established ⁴  and will not fear.

But the righteous man holds to his way, and the one with clean hands grows stronger. ¹