Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power.

He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn ¹  from among the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things. ² 

I wrote something to the church, ¹  but Diotrephes, ²  who loves to be first among them, does not acknowledge us. ³ 

Violence ¹  has grown into a staff that supports wickedness. Not one of them will be left ²  – not from their crowd, not from their wealth, not from their prominence. ³ 

You are destructive ¹  like water and will not excel, ²  for you got on your father’s bed, ³  then you defiled it – he got on my couch! ⁴ 

But ¹  the Pharisees ²  and the experts in the law ³  were complaining, ⁴  “This man welcomes ⁵  sinners and eats with them.”

And when the people ¹  saw it, they all complained, ²  “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” ³ 

For the fate of humans ¹  and the fate of animals are the same: As one dies, so dies the other; both have the same breath. There is no advantage for humans over animals, for both are fleeting.

The Preeminent One ¹  of Israel does not go back on his word ²  or change his mind, for he is not a human being who changes his mind.” ³ 

He has made his people victorious, ¹  and given all his loyal followers reason to praise – the Israelites, the people who are close to him. ²  Praise the Lord!

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur. ¹ 

When the Pharisees ¹  saw this they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ² 

And he ¹  said to him, “To you ²  I will grant this whole realm ³  – and the glory that goes along with it, ⁴  for it has been relinquished ⁵  to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish.

But ¹  the Pharisees ²  and their experts in the law ³  complained ⁴  to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” ⁵ 

And ¹  if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ²  sinners ³  do the same.

Immediately an angel of the Lord ¹  struck ²  Herod ³  down because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died. ⁴ 

For a man should not have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God. But the woman is the glory of the man.

Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking ¹  Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives. ²  He worked enthusiastically ³  for the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of ⁴  all his descendants. ⁵ 

For if anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him ¹  when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

For who concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not?