Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified.

I had no relief in my spirit, ¹  because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-bye to them ²  and set out ³  for Macedonia.

So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away ¹  – look, what is new ²  has come! ³ 

For freedom ¹  Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke ²  of slavery.

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; ¹  only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, ²  but through love serve one another. ³ 

Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by hearing news about you.

And even though you were dead in your ¹  transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nevertheless ²  made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions.

Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, ¹  be on your guard that you do not get led astray by the error of these unprincipled men ²  and fall from your firm grasp on the truth. ³ 

Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about ¹  to die, because I have not found your deeds complete ²  in the sight ³  of my God.

So David said, “Good! I will make an agreement with you. I ask only one thing from you. You will not see my face unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to visit me.” ¹ 

But he ¹  responded to Daniel, “I fear my master the king. He is the one who has decided ²  your food and drink. What would happen if he saw that you looked malnourished in comparison to the other young men your age? ³  If that happened, ⁴  you would endanger my life ⁵  with the king!”

So Leah became pregnant ¹  and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, ²  for she said, “The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition. ³  Surely my husband will love me now.”

So Laban asked, ¹  “What should I give you?” “You don’t need to give me a thing,” ²  Jacob replied, ³  “but if you agree to this one condition, ⁴  I will continue to care for ⁵  your flocks and protect them:

Rachel ¹  said to her father, “Don’t be angry, ²  my lord. I cannot stand up ³  in your presence because I am having my period.” ⁴  So he searched thoroughly, ⁵  but did not find the idols.

“The priest must then perform the sin offering ¹  and make atonement for the one being cleansed from his impurity. After that he ²  is to slaughter the burnt offering,

and the priest is to make one a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. ¹  So the priest ²  is to make atonement for her before the Lord from her discharge of impurity.

“‘Thus you ¹  are to set the Israelites apart from their impurity so that they ²  do not die in their impurity by defiling my tabernacle which is in their midst.

O Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as a remnant this day. Indeed, we stand before you in our guilt. However, because of this guilt ¹  no one can really stand before you.”

Because of all my enemies, people disdain me; ¹  my neighbors are appalled by my suffering ²  – those who know me are horrified by my condition; ³  those who see me in the street run away from me.

I also thought to myself, “It is ¹  for the sake of people, ²  so God can clearly ³  show ⁴  them that they are like animals.