At the end of the ten days their appearance was better and their bodies were healthier ¹  than all the young men who had been eating the royal delicacies.

Then the king departed to his palace. But he spent the night without eating, and no diversions ¹  were brought to him. He was unable to sleep. ² 

The Lord responded: ¹  “Write down this message! ²  Record it legibly on tablets, so the one who announces ³  it may read it easily. ⁴ 

People ¹  do not light a lamp and put it under a basket ²  but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.

Although it grieved the king deeply, ¹  he did not want to reject her request because of his oath and his guests.

He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

(Now about five thousand men ¹  were there.) ²  Then ³  he said to his disciples, “Have ⁴  them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”

“No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden place ¹  or under a basket, ²  but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light.

When he went out from there, the experts in the law ¹  and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly, ²  and to ask him hostile questions ³  about many things,

Then ¹  Jesus ²  said to his ³  disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry ⁴  about your ⁵  life, what you will eat, or about your ⁶  body, what you will wear.

At ¹  the time for the banquet ²  he sent his slave ³  to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’

“Beware ¹  of the experts in the law. ²  They ³  like walking around in long robes, and they love elaborate greetings ⁴  in the marketplaces and the best seats ⁵  in the synagogues ⁶  and the places of honor at banquets.

One person believes in eating everything, but the weak person eats only vegetables.

Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread that we break a sharing in the body of Christ?

I will grant the one ¹  who conquers ²  permission ³  to sit with me on my throne, just as I too conquered ⁴  and sat down with my Father on his throne.

It encompassed ¹  all the cities of the plain and the whole realm of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon. Moses defeated him and the Midianite leaders Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba (they were subjects of Sihon and lived in his territory). ² 

Everyone who remains in your house will come to bow before him for a little money ¹  and for a scrap of bread. Each will say, ‘Assign me to a priestly task so I can eat a scrap of bread.’”

He said, “You know that the kingdom ¹  was mine and all Israel considered me king. ²  But then the kingdom was given to my brother, for the Lord decided it should be his. ³ 

Hezekiah expressed his appreciation to all the Levites, ¹  who demonstrated great skill in serving the Lord. ²  They feasted for the seven days of the festival, ³  and were making peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord God of their ancestors.

The Lord who commands armies is about to beat them ¹  with a whip, similar to the way he struck down Midian at the rock of Oreb. ²  He will use his staff against the sea, lifting it up as he did in Egypt. ³