Now I understand that ¹  you have gone away ²  because you longed desperately ³  for your father’s house. Yet why did you steal my gods?” ⁴ 

Then he looked on the Kenites and uttered this oracle: “Your dwelling place seems strong, and your nest ¹  is set on a rocky cliff.

Indeed, he may live among you in any place he chooses, in whichever of your villages ¹  he prefers; you must not oppress him.

Abner advised ¹  the elders of Israel, “Previously you were wanting David to be your king. ² 

I am ¹  a laughingstock ²  to my friends, ³  I, who called on God and whom he answered ⁴  – a righteous and blameless ⁵  man is a laughingstock!

So I loathed ¹  life ²  because what happens ³  on earth ⁴  seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom ⁵  are futile – like chasing the wind.

This desolation will continue until new life is poured out on us from heaven. ¹  Then the desert will become an orchard and the orchard will be considered a forest. ² 

You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians because your sexual desires were insatiable; you prostituted yourself with them and yet you were still not satisfied.

Her conquerors cry out: ¹  “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” There is no end to the treasure; riches of every kind of precious thing.

Tyre built herself a fortification and piled up silver like dust and gold like the mud of the streets!

Am I not ¹  permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ ² 

Simon answered, ¹  “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” ²  Jesus ³  said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk, ¹  for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. ² 

But we would like to hear from you what you think, for regarding this sect we know ¹  that people ²  everywhere speak against ³  it.”

Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions. ¹ 

But in my opinion, she will be happier if she remains as she is – and I think that I too have the Spirit of God!

If anyone intends to quarrel about this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God.

If anyone considers himself a prophet or spiritual person, he should acknowledge that what I write to you is the Lord’s command.

Now I want to make clear for you, ¹  brothers and sisters, ²  the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand,

Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! ¹  If I love you more, am I to be loved less?