For I consider myself not at all inferior to those “super-apostles.” ¹ 

For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.

For the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. ¹ 

They said to them, “We cannot give ¹  our sister to a man who is not circumcised, for it would be a disgrace ²  to us.

but all the leaders told the whole community, “We swore an oath to them in the name of ¹  the Lord God of Israel. So now we can’t hurt ²  them!

When the people ¹  of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel should not remain with us, for he has attacked ²  both us and our god Dagon!”

You should not turn aside after empty things that can’t profit and can’t deliver, since they are empty. ¹ 

But he replied, “I can’t go back with you ¹  or eat and drink ²  with you in this place.

So now ¹  my heart ²  will sing to you and not be silent; O Lord my God, I will always ³  give thanks to you.

and in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, because the sky is red and darkening.’ ¹  You know how to judge correctly the appearance of the sky, ²  but you cannot evaluate the signs of the times.

He said to them, “Are you so foolish? Don’t you understand that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him?

“For ¹  no good tree bears bad ²  fruit, nor again ³  does a bad tree bear good fruit,

You hypocrites! ¹  You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how ²  to interpret the present time?

The wind ¹  blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” ² 

So the Jewish leaders ¹  said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and you are not permitted to carry your mat.” ² 

Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water! What is to stop me ¹  from being baptized?” ² 

The one who is spiritual discerns ¹  all things, yet he himself is understood ²  by no one.

But if they do not have self-control, let them get married. For it is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire. ¹ 

Now food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do.

This was a symbol for the time then present, when gifts and sacrifices were offered that could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper.