If an iron axhead ¹  is blunt and a workman ²  does not sharpen ³  its edge, ⁴  he must exert a great deal of effort; ⁵  so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

“Exert every effort ¹  to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.

Jesus replied, ¹  “This is the deed ²  God requires ³  – to believe in the one whom he ⁴  sent.”

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.” ¹ 

Indeed according to the law almost everything was purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

This requires ¹  the steadfast endurance ²  of the saints – those who obey ³  God’s commandments and hold to ⁴  their faith in Jesus. ⁵ 

(This requires ¹  a mind that has wisdom.) The seven heads are seven mountains ²  the woman sits on. They are also seven kings:

“I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of ¹  Trans-Euphrates, that you precisely execute all that Ezra the priestly scribe of the law of the God of heaven may request of you –

Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with ¹  your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise ²  up a descendant for your brother.” ³ 

If, however, the people of the land shut their eyes ¹  to that man ²  when he gives some of his children to Molech so that they do not put him to death,

So the king of Assyria ordered, “Take back one of the priests whom you ¹  deported from there. He must settle there and teach them the requirements of the God of the land.” ² 

Everything that the God of heaven has required should be precisely done for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath ¹  against the empire of the king and his sons?

For this is what the master, the Lord, the Holy One of Israel says: “If you repented and patiently waited for me, you would be delivered; ¹  if you calmly trusted in me you would find strength, ²  but you are unwilling.

I thought, “Surely it is only the ignorant poor who act this way. ¹  They act like fools because they do not know what the Lord demands. ²  They do not know what their God requires of them. ³ 

Even the stork knows when it is time to move on. ¹  The turtledove, swallow, and crane ²  recognize ³  the normal times for their migration. But my people pay no attention to ⁴  what I, the Lord, require of them. ⁵ 

When I turn the land of Egypt into desolation and the land is destitute of everything that fills it, when I strike all those who live in it, then they will know that I am the Lord.’

People ¹  will stagger from sea to sea, ²  and from the north around to the east. They will wander about looking for a revelation from ³  the Lord, but they will not find any. ⁴ 

He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: ¹  He wants you to ²  promote ³  justice, to be faithful, ⁴  and to live obediently before ⁵  your God.

but I am doing just what the Father commanded me, so that the world may know ¹  that I love the Father. ²  Get up, let us go from here.” ³