What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline ¹  or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away ¹  from the body and at home with the Lord.

so that I ¹  would prefer ²  strangling, ³  and ⁴  death ⁵  more ⁶  than life. ⁷ 

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  –

Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard so I can make a vegetable garden out of it, for it is adjacent to my palace. I will give you an even better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, ¹  I will pay you silver for it.” ² 

May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, and do not give Jerusalem priority over whatever gives me the most joy. ¹ 

Now if I am to go on living in the body, ¹  this will mean productive work ²  for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer: ³ 

He answered her, “While I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite, I said to him, ‘Sell me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not sell you my vineyard.’” ¹ 

Receive my instruction ¹  rather than ²  silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.

Your eyes will see strange things, ¹  and your mind will speak perverse things.

“‘Adulterous wife, who prefers strangers instead of her own husband!

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Take heed, do not turn to evil, for because of this you have been tested ¹  by affliction.

Your words are sweeter in my mouth than honey! ¹ 

For whenever someone says, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” are you not merely human? ¹ 

But if you do not experience discipline, ¹  something all sons ²  have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons.

I have many things to write to you, but I do not wish to write to you with ¹  pen and ink. ² 

But now, Jeremiah, today I will set you free ¹  from the chains on your wrists. If you would like to come to Babylon with me, come along and I will take care of you. ²  But if you prefer not to come to Babylon with me, you are not required to do so. ³  You are free to go anywhere in the land you want to go. ⁴  Go wherever you choose.” ⁵ 

If ¹  you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ ²  you would not have condemned the innocent.

In ¹  those days people ²  will seek death, but ³  will not be able to ⁴  find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them.