The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, ¹  until he comes to whom it belongs; ²  the nations will obey him. ³ 

He took the Book of the Covenant ¹  and read it aloud ²  to the people, and they said, “We are willing to do and obey ³  all that the Lord has spoken.”

Then ¹  he went down with them and came to Nazareth, ²  and was obedient ³  to them. But ⁴  his mother kept all these things ⁵  in her heart. ⁶ 

and every arrogant obstacle ¹  that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey ²  Christ.

But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you obeyed ¹  from the heart that pattern ²  of teaching you were entrusted to,

Slaves, ¹  obey your human masters ²  with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ,

You have purified ¹  your souls by obeying the truth ²  in order to show sincere mutual love. ³  So ⁴  love one another earnestly from a pure heart. ⁵ 

So David went up as Gad instructed him to do in the name of the Lord. ¹ 

Jotham grew powerful because he was determined to please the Lord his God. ¹ 

When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me. ¹  Foreigners are powerless ²  before me;

(May those who hate the Lord ¹  cower in fear ²  before him! May they be permanently humiliated!) ³ 

Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, ¹  so is a wise reprover to the ear of the one who listens. ² 

Slaves ¹  are to be subject to their own masters in everything, ²  to do what is wanted and not talk back,

Then Samuel said, “Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? ¹  Certainly, ²  obedience ³  is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than ⁴  the fat of rams.

In your distress when all these things happen to you in the latter days, ¹  if you return to the Lord your God and obey him ² 

Say to God: “How awesome are your deeds! Because of your great power your enemies cower in fear ¹  before you.

But they did not obey ¹  their leaders. Instead they prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped ²  them. They quickly turned aside from the path ³  their ancestors ⁴  had walked. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but they did not. ⁵ 

Who handed Jacob over to the robber? Who handed Israel over to the looters? ¹  Was it not the Lord, against whom we sinned? They refused to follow his commands; they disobeyed his law. ² 

“‘If you walk in my statutes and are sure to obey my commandments, ¹ 

I will execute judgments against Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”