“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” ¹ 

This is the first and greatest ¹  commandment.

He must become more important while I become less important.” ¹ 

Better is a person of humble standing ¹  who nevertheless has a servant, ²  than one who pretends to be somebody important ³  yet has no food.

Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Now ¹  one of the experts in the law ²  came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus ³  answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

A person’s gift ¹  makes room for him, and leads him ²  before important people.

But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength ¹  and to love your neighbor as yourself ²  is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

But from those who were influential ¹  (whatever they were makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism between people ² ) – those influential leaders ³  added ⁴  nothing to my message. ⁵ 

So neither the one who plants counts for anything, ¹  nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth.

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Instead, keeping God’s commandments is what counts.

But you should be eager for the greater gifts. And now I will show you a way that is beyond comparison. ¹ 

For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

“Woe to you, experts in the law ¹  and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth ²  of mint, dill, and cumin, ³  yet you neglect what is more important in the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You ⁴  should have done these things without neglecting the others.

Paul answered, ¹  “I am a Jew ²  from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city. ³  Please ⁴  allow me to speak to the people.”

The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for it had the most prominent of the high places. ¹  Solomon would offer up ²  a thousand burnt sacrifices on the altar there.

He burned down the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem, including every large house. ¹ 

“That is because, from the least important to the most important of them, all of them are greedy for dishonest gain. Prophets and priests alike, all of them practice deceit.