and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

Those who were closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. These men were the seven officials of Persia and Media who saw the king on a regular basis ¹  and had the most prominent offices ²  in the kingdom.

A perverse person ¹  spreads dissension, and a gossip separates the closest friends. ² 

Pay attention and listen to my message! ¹  Be attentive and listen to what I have to say! ² 

Suppose your own full brother, ¹  your son, your daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend should seduce you secretly and encourage you to go and serve other gods ²  that neither you nor your ancestors ³  have previously known, ⁴ 

except for his close relative who is near to him: ¹  his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother,

So the guardian said to Boaz, “You may acquire it,” and he removed his sandal. ¹ 

If I cry ¹  to corruption, ²  ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My Mother,’ or ‘My sister,’

All my closest friends ¹  detest me; and those whom ²  I love have turned against me. ³ 

You cause my friends and neighbors to keep their distance; ¹  those who know me leave me alone in the darkness. ² 

You are near, O Lord, and all your commands are reliable. ¹ 

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved ¹  leaned back against Jesus’ chest and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be rewarded by the Lord because he ¹  has shown loyalty to the living on behalf of the dead!” ²  Then Naomi said to her, “This man is a close relative of ours; he is our guardian.” ³ 

Then Boaz said to the guardian, ¹  “Naomi, who has returned from the region of Moab, is selling ²  the portion of land that belongs to our relative Elimelech.

So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men died together that day.

You cause those who know me to keep their distance; you make me an appalling sight to them. I am trapped and cannot get free. ¹ 

You will be betrayed even by parents, ¹  brothers, relatives, ²  and friends, and they will have some of you put to death.

No one has ever seen God. The only one, ¹  himself God, who is in closest fellowship with ²  the Father, has made God ³  known. ⁴ 

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 

If any household is too small ¹  for a lamb, ²  the man ³  and his next-door neighbor ⁴  are to take ⁵  a lamb according to the number of people – you will make your count for the lamb according to how much each one can eat. ⁶