And the others ¹  who became priests were numerous, because death prevented them ²  from continuing in office, ³ 

I do not want you to be unaware, ¹  brothers and sisters, ²  that I often intended to come to you (and was prevented until now), so that I may have some fruit even among you, just as I already have among the rest of the Gentiles. ³ 

You were running well; who prevented you from obeying ¹  the truth?

So Sarai said to Abram, “Since ¹  the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with ²  my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” ³  Abram did what ⁴  Sarai told him.

Even by saying ¹  these things, they scarcely persuaded ²  the crowds not to offer sacrifice to them.

But John ¹  tried to prevent ²  him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?”

The ropes of Sheol ¹  tightened around me; ²  the snares of death trapped me. ³ 

They confronted ¹  me in my day of calamity, but the Lord helped me. ² 

My heart ¹  is in turmoil ²  unceasingly; ³  the days of my affliction confront me.

The ropes of Sheol tightened around me, ¹  the snares of death trapped me. ² 

They confronted ¹  me in my day of calamity, but the Lord helped me. ² 

I am up before dawn crying for help. I find hope in your word.

(but their eyes were kept ¹  from recognizing ²  him). ³ 

This is the reason I was often hindered from coming to you.

But the centurion, ¹  wanting to save Paul’s life, ²  prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, ³ 

(Who has confronted ¹  me that I should repay? ²  Everything under heaven belongs to me!) ³ 

Bring out some water for the thirsty. You who live in the land of Tema, bring some food for the fugitives.

Then Jeremiah told Baruch, “I am no longer allowed to go ¹  into the Lord’s temple.

But you know it was because of a physical illness that I first proclaimed the gospel to you,

For we wanted to come to you (I, Paul, in fact tried again and again) ¹  but Satan thwarted us.