Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh – who are called “uncircumcision” by the so-called “circumcision” that is performed on the body ¹  by human hands –

For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise, he is more awesome than ¹  all gods.

He catches ¹  the wise in their own craftiness, ²  and the counsel of the cunning ³  is brought to a quick end. ⁴ 

For now ¹  you have become like these streams that are no help; ²  you see a terror, ³  and are afraid.

So how can you console me with your futile words? Nothing is left of your answers but deception!” ¹ 

He shatters the great without inquiry, ¹  and sets up others in their place.

For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise; he is more awesome than all gods. ¹ 

Surely ¹  I am more brutish ²  than any other human being, ³  and I do not have human understanding; ⁴ 

But ¹  indeed, ²  some are last ³  who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will thwart the cleverness of the intelligent.” ¹ 

I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me!

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus ¹  for the sake of you Gentiles –

I say this so that no one will deceive you through arguments ¹  that sound reasonable. ² 

But if you show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as violators. ¹ 

I considered these things carefully ¹  and then registered a complaint with the wealthy ²  and the officials. I said to them, “Each one of you is seizing the collateral ³  from your own countrymen!” ⁴  Because of them I called for ⁵  a great public assembly.

So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others ¹  to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

But to the rest of you in Thyatira, all who do not hold to this teaching ¹  (who have not learned the so-called “deep secrets ²  of Satan”), to you I say: I do not put any additional burden on you.

So they assembled ¹  all the leaders of the Philistines and asked, “What should we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They replied, “The ark of the God of Israel should be moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.

(Deborah, ¹  Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak below Bethel; thus it was named ²  Oak of Weeping.) ³ 

But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord ¹  that ²  I should obey him ³  by releasing ⁴  Israel? I do not know the Lord, ⁵  and I will not release Israel!”