Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he captured ¹  captives; he gave gifts to men.” ² 

Now what is the meaning of “he ascended,” except that he also descended ¹  to the lower regions, ²  namely, the earth? ³ 

until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God – a mature person, attaining to ¹  the measure of Christ’s full stature. ² 

As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, ¹  partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, ² 

Then ¹  the winepress was stomped ²  outside the city, and blood poured out of the winepress up to the height of horses’ bridles ³  for a distance of almost two hundred miles. ⁴ 

Then build an altar for the Lord your God on the top of this stronghold according to the proper pattern. ¹  Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt sacrifice on the wood from the Asherah pole that you cut down.”

Inside the stand was a round opening that was a foot-and-a-half deep; it had a support that was two and one-quarter feet long. ¹  On the edge of the opening were carvings in square frames. ² 

Whom have you taunted and hurled insults at? At whom have you shouted, ¹  and looked so arrogantly? ²  At the Holy One of Israel! ³ 

You ascend on high, ¹  you have taken many captives. ²  You receive tribute ³  from ⁴  men, including even sinful rebels. Indeed the Lord God lives there! ⁵ 

Whom have you taunted and hurled insults at? At whom have you shouted and looked so arrogantly? ¹  At the Holy One of Israel! ² 

Like a swallow or a thrush I chirp, I coo ¹  like a dove; my eyes grow tired from looking up to the sky. ²  O sovereign master, ³  I am oppressed; help me! ⁴ 

“‘For the Lord says concerning the palace of the king of Judah, “This place looks like a veritable forest of Gilead to me. It is like the wooded heights of Lebanon in my eyes. But I swear that I will make it like a wilderness whose towns have all been deserted. ¹ 

א (Alef) Alas! ¹  The Lord ²  has covered Daughter Zion ³  with his anger. ⁴  He has thrown down the splendor of Israel from heaven to earth; he did not protect ⁵  his temple ⁶  when he displayed his anger. ⁷ 

From the base of the ground to the lower edge is 3½ feet, ¹  and the width 1¾ feet; ²  and from the smaller ledge to the larger edge, 7 feet, ³  and the width 1¾ feet;

So then, exalted ¹  to the right hand ²  of God, and having received ³  the promise of the Holy Spirit ⁴  from the Father, he has poured out ⁵  what you both see and hear.

Then they presented the Israelites with a discouraging ¹  report of the land they had investigated, saying, “The land that we passed through ²  to investigate is a land that devours ³  its inhabitants. ⁴  All the people we saw there ⁵  are of great stature.

He even killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet ¹  tall. The Egyptian had a spear as big as the crossbeam of a weaver’s loom; Benaiah attacked ²  him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.

“Then, Jeremiah, ¹  make the following prophecy ²  against them: ‘Like a lion about to attack, ³  the Lord will roar from the heights of heaven; from his holy dwelling on high he will roar loudly. He will roar mightily against his land. ⁴  He will shout in triumph like those stomping juice from the grapes ⁵  against all those who live on the earth.

The Lord says, ¹  “Beware! I am opposed to you, Babylon! ²  You are like a destructive mountain that destroys all the earth. I will unleash my power against you; ³  I will roll you off the cliffs and make you like a burned-out mountain. ⁴