Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen ¹  went as far as ²  Phoenicia, ³  Cyprus, ⁴  and Antioch, ⁵  speaking the message ⁶  to no one but Jews.

For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines ¹  of Artemis, ²  brought a great deal ³  of business ⁴  to the craftsmen.

“Their throats are open graves, ¹  they deceive with their tongues, the poison of asps is under their lips.” ² 

For if they become heirs by the law, faith is empty and the promise is nullified. ¹ 

And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects ¹  of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory –

Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions. ¹ 

So, brothers and sisters, ¹  I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh, ²  as infants in Christ.

For even though I am absent physically, ¹  I am present in spirit. And I have already judged the one who did this, just as though I were present. ² 

So if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? ¹ 

Now an intermediary is not for one party alone, but God is one. ¹ 

These things may be treated as an allegory, ¹  for these women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar.

But practicing the truth in love, ¹  we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head.

They are darkened in their understanding, ¹  being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.

Masters, treat your slaves with justice and fairness, because you know that you also have a master in heaven.

No one in military service gets entangled in matters of everyday life; otherwise he will not please ¹  the one who recruited him.

For every high priest is taken from among the people ¹  and appointed ²  to represent them before God, ³  to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

But ¹  showing its fault, ²  God ³  says to them, ⁴  “Look, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will complete a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers ¹  and the sexually immoral, and the murderers, and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood! ² 

Abram said to Sarai, “Since your ¹  servant is under your authority, ²  do to her whatever you think best.” ³  Then Sarai treated Hagar ⁴  harshly, ⁵  so she ran away from Sarai. ⁶ 

Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge ¹  of the whole earth do what is right?” ²