he said, “I will give you a hearing ¹  when your accusers arrive too.” Then ²  he ordered that Paul ³  be kept under guard in Herod’s palace. ⁴ 

For we know that the law is spiritual – but I am unspiritual, sold into slavery to sin. ¹ 

Now before faith ¹  came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners ²  until the coming faith would be revealed.

The ¹  whole imperial guard ²  and everyone else knows ³  that I am in prison ⁴  for the sake of Christ,

The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, because they think they can cause trouble for me in my imprisonment. ¹ 

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him).

May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my imprisonment. ¹ 

I would rather appeal ¹  to you on the basis of love – I, Paul, an old man ²  and even now a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus ³  –

¹ It happened ²  at midnight – the Lord attacked all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the prison, and all the firstborn of the cattle.

But these people are looted and plundered; all of them are trapped in pits ¹  and held captive ²  in prisons. They were carried away as loot with no one to rescue them; they were carried away as plunder, and no one says, “Bring that back!” ³ 

I took both copies of the deed of purchase ¹  and gave them to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah. I gave them to him in the presence ²  of my cousin ³  Hanamel, the witnesses who had signed the deed of purchase, and all the Judeans who were housed in the courtyard of the guardhouse.

For ¹  it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, ²  since both in my imprisonment ³  and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God’s grace ⁴  together with me.

In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you ¹  and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before ²  when you were cupbearer.

In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you ¹  and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.”

Then Pharaoh summoned ¹  Joseph. So they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; he shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came before Pharaoh.

But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know ¹  that you are honest men and not spies. ²  Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’” ³ 

¹ In the future, ²  when your son asks you ³  ‘What is this?’ ⁴  you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand ⁵  the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the land of slavery. ⁶ 

You must stone him to death ¹  because he tried to entice you away from the Lord your God, who delivered you from the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.

he ¹  sent a prophet ²  to the Israelites. He said to them, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I brought you up from Egypt ³  and took you out of that place of slavery. ⁴ 

Like a swallow or a thrush I chirp, I coo ¹  like a dove; my eyes grow tired from looking up to the sky. ²  O sovereign master, ³  I am oppressed; help me! ⁴