Look, I waited for you to speak; ¹  I listened closely to your wise thoughts, ² while you were searching for words.

– though mine too are significant. ¹  If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials, ²  I have more:

“Present your argument,” says the Lord. “Produce your evidence,” ¹  says Jacob’s king. ² 

Then I will tell others about your justice, ¹  and praise you all day long. ² 

Every day I will praise you! I will praise your name continually! ¹ 

To discern ¹  the meaning of ²  a proverb and a parable, ³  the sayings of the wise ⁴  and their ⁵  riddles. ⁶ 

For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts ¹  and were trying to kill me.

Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities ¹  but also because of your conscience. ² 

For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities ¹  are God’s servants devoted to governing. ² 

Am I saying these things only on the basis of common sense, ¹  or does the law not say this as well?

For he does not think ¹  much about the fleeting ²  days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied ³  with the joy he derives from his activity. ⁴ 

(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they perform a ritual washing, ¹  holding fast to the tradition of the elders.

One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike. ¹  Each must be fully convinced in his own mind.

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

Therefore show ¹  them openly before the churches the proof of your love and of our pride in you. ² 

“Let them produce evidence! Let them tell us what will happen! Tell us about your earlier predictive oracles, ¹  so we may examine them ²  and see how they were fulfilled. ³  Or decree for us some future events!

But one after another they all ¹  began to make excuses. ²  The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, ³  and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.’ ⁴ 

If from a human point of view I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, ¹  what did it benefit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. ² 

So they cried out to the Lord, “Oh, please, Lord, don’t let us die on account of this man! Don’t hold us guilty of shedding innocent blood. ¹  After all, you, Lord, have done just as you pleased.” ² 

For there are some eunuchs who were that way from birth, ¹  and some who were made eunuchs ²  by others, ³  and some who became eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this should accept it.”