They turn to Baal; ¹  they are like an unreliable bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because their prayers to Baal ²  have made me angry. So people will disdain them in the land of Egypt. ³ 

The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead. ¹  He does this so he can build his nest way up high and escape the clutches of disaster. ² 

They said to him, “He will utterly destroy those evil men! Then he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his portion at the harvest.”

But his master answered, ¹  ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter?

If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better to enter life lame than to have ¹  two feet and be thrown into hell. ² 

If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! ¹  It is better to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have ²  two eyes and be thrown into hell,

It would be better for him to have a millstone ¹  tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea ²  than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. ³ 

All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.” ¹ 

but in the church I want to speak five words with my mind to instruct others, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Make room for us in your hearts; ¹  we have wronged no one, we have ruined no one, ²  we have exploited no one. ³ 

I ¹  was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation, ²  and was ³  extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. ⁴ 

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight – the only thing that matters is faith working through love. ¹ 

So then, ¹  whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith. ² 

So I say this, and insist ¹  in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility ²  of their thinking. ³ 

For we never appeared ¹  with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed – God is our witness –

Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that everyone will see your progress. ¹ 

So if someone cleanses himself of such behavior, ¹  he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

For the overseer ¹  must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work, ²  not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain.

Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, ¹  bear with my message of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you briefly.

And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their ¹  condemnation pronounced long ago ²  is not sitting idly by; ³  their ⁴  destruction is not asleep.