Then ¹  he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks ²  and broke them. He gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.

When a woman gives birth, she has distress ¹  because her time ²  has come, but when her child is born, she no longer remembers the suffering because of her joy that a human being ³  has been born into the world. ⁴ 

and they summoned the apostles and had them beaten. ¹  Then ²  they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them.

This is the man who was in the congregation ¹  in the wilderness ²  with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors, ³  and he ⁴  received living oracles ⁵  to give to you. ⁶ 

By all these things, ¹  I have shown you that by working in this way we must help ²  the weak, ³  and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” ⁴ 

They ¹  show that the work of the law is written ²  in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend ³  them, ⁴ 

But as you excel ¹  in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you ²  – make sure that you excel ³  in this act of kindness ⁴  too.

So here is my opinion on this matter: It is to your advantage, since you ¹  made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give,

Through the evidence ¹  of this service ²  they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing ³  with them and with everyone.

Masters, ¹  treat your slaves ²  the same way, ³  giving up the use of threats, ⁴  because you know that both you and they have the same master in heaven, ⁵  and there is no favoritism with him.

that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to ¹  the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

By faith Abel offered God a greater sacrifice than Cain, and through his faith ¹  he was commended as righteous, because God commended him for his offerings. And through his faith ²  he still speaks, though he is dead.

All generous giving and every perfect gift ¹  is from above, coming down ²  from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. ³ 

and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs, ¹  what good is it?

Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless ¹  others ²  because you were called to inherit a blessing.

The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, ¹  as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish ²  for any ³  to perish but for all to come to repentance. ⁴ 

These men are ¹  dangerous reefs ²  at your love feasts, ³  feasting without reverence, ⁴  feeding only themselves. ⁵  They are ⁶  waterless ⁷  clouds, carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit ⁸  – twice dead, ⁹  uprooted;

For God has put into their minds ¹  to carry out his purpose ²  by making ³  a decision ⁴  to give their royal power ⁵  to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. ⁶ 

Now ¹  a river flows ²  from Eden ³  to water the orchard, and from there it divides ⁴  into four headstreams. ⁵ 

He created them male and female; when they were created, he blessed them and named them “humankind.” ¹