Which of the prophets did your ancestors ¹  not persecute? ²  They ³  killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, ⁴  whose betrayers and murderers you have now become! ⁵ 

Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen ¹  went as far as ²  Phoenicia, ³  Cyprus, ⁴  and Antioch, ⁵  speaking the message ⁶  to no one but Jews.

But when the Jews from Thessalonica ¹  heard that Paul had also proclaimed the word of God ²  in Berea, ³  they came there too, inciting ⁴  and disturbing ⁵  the crowds.

This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, ¹  both Jews and Greeks; fear came over ²  them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. ³ 

They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living ¹  among the Gentiles to abandon ²  Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children ³  or live ⁴  according to our customs.

The following night the Lord ¹  stood near ²  Paul ³  and said, “Have courage, ⁴  for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, ⁵  so you must also testify in Rome.” ⁶ 

When I was informed ¹  there would be a plot ²  against this man, I sent him to you at once, also ordering his accusers to state their charges ³  against him before you.

For they were pleased to do this, and indeed they are indebted to the Jerusalem saints. ¹  For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to minister to them in material things.

To those free from the law I became like one free from the law (though I am not free from God’s law but under the law of Christ) to gain those free from the law.

But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession ¹  in Christ ²  and who makes known ³  through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place.

In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us ¹  the message of reconciliation.

We were encouraged ¹  not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement ²  you gave ³  him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, ⁴  your deep concern ⁵  for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever.

For if someone comes and proclaims ¹  another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed, ²  or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received, ³  or a different gospel than the one you accepted, ⁴  you put up with it well enough! ⁵ 

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, ¹  and for those in Laodicea, and for those who have not met me face to face. ² 

For from you the message of the Lord ¹  has echoed forth not just in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place reports of your faith in God have spread, ²  so that we do not need to say anything.

For people everywhere ¹  report how you welcomed us ²  and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

because they hinder us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they constantly fill up their measure of sins, ¹  but wrath ²  has come upon them completely. ³ 

So ¹  when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter somehow tempted you and our toil had proven useless.

And we all agree, ¹  our religion contains amazing revelation: ²  He ³  was revealed in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, ⁴  seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands. Then, ¹  even if some are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without a word by the way you live, ²