Through these things ¹  the world existing at that time was destroyed when it was deluged with water.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, ¹  and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.

For they deliberately suppress this fact, ¹  that by the word of God ²  heavens existed long ago and an earth ³  was formed out of water and by means of water.

In him was life, ¹  and the life was the light of mankind. ² 

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created!” ¹ 

(as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”). ¹  He is our father ²  in the presence of God whom he believed – the God who ³  makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do. ⁴ 

This is the one about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, ¹  because he existed before me.’

I should have been as though I had never existed; ¹  I should have been carried right from the womb to the grave!

All things were created ¹  by him, and apart from him not one thing was created ²  that has been created. ³ 

He himself is before all things and all things are held together ¹  in him.

For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice.

Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

From eternity I was appointed, ¹  from the beginning, from before the world existed. ² 

yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we live, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we live. ¹ 

Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been; for God will seek to do again ¹  what has occurred ²  in the past. ³ 

For in him we live and move about ¹  and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ ² 

With regard then to eating food sacrificed to idols, we know that “an idol in this world is nothing,” and that “there is no God but one.” ¹ 

John ¹  testified ²  about him and shouted out, ³  “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, ⁴  because he existed before me.’”

For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, ¹  in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer ²  of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

The Lord said to me, “The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem have plotted rebellion against me! ¹