So Jesus added, ¹  “Because of this I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has allowed him to come.” ² 

(For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him previously, and ¹  they assumed Paul had brought him into the inner temple courts.) ² 

For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.

So then, the one who marries ¹  his own virgin does well, but the one who does not, does better. ² 

I do not say this to condemn you, for I told you before ¹  that you are in our hearts so that we die together and live together with you. ² 

Thus ¹  we urged ²  Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, ³  so also he should complete this act of kindness ⁴  for you.

You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside ¹  the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires,

Finally, my brothers and sisters, ¹  rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience.

‘I know your deeds: your love, faith, ¹  service, and steadfast endurance. ²  In fact, ³  your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones.

Previously the Horites ¹  lived in Seir but the descendants of Esau dispossessed and destroyed them and settled in their place, just as Israel did to the land it came to possess, the land the Lord gave them.) ² 

(Now this used to be the customary way to finalize a transaction involving redemption in Israel: ¹  A man would remove his sandal and give it to the other party. ²  This was a legally binding act ³  in Israel.)

To this very day they observe their earlier practices. They do not worship ¹  the Lord; they do not obey the rules, regulations, law, and commandments that the Lord gave ²  the descendants of Jacob, whom he renamed Israel.

But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to ¹  forty shekels of silver. Their associates were also domineering over the people. But I did not behave in this way, due to my fear of God.

All nations gather together, the peoples assemble. Who among them announced this? Who predicted earlier events for us? ¹  Let them produce their witnesses to testify they were right; let them listen and affirm, ‘It is true.’

Whoever pronounces a blessing in the earth ¹  will do so in the name of the faithful God; ²  whoever makes an oath in the earth will do so in the name of the faithful God. ³  For past problems will be forgotten; I will no longer think about them. ⁴ 

You will die a peaceful death. They will burn incense at your burial just as they did at the burial of your ancestors, the former kings who preceded you. ¹  They will mourn for you, saying, “Poor, poor master!” ²  Indeed, you have my own word on this. ³  I, the Lord, affirm it!’” ⁴ 

And he journeyed from place to place ¹  from the Negev as far as Bethel. ²  He returned ³  to the place where he had pitched his tent ⁴  at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai.

Look, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Why then would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?

He must rededicate ¹  to the Lord the days of his separation and bring a male lamb in its first year as a reparation offering, ²  but the former days will not be counted ³  because his separation ⁴  was defiled.