so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ,

since it was because of the work of Christ that he almost died. He risked his life so that he could make up for your inability to serve me. ¹ 

For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

Slaves, ¹  obey your earthly ²  masters in every respect, not only when they are watching – like those who are strictly people-pleasers – but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.

but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts.

For we never appeared ¹  with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed – God is our witness –

nor to seek glory from people, either from you or from others,

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He had received the promises, ¹  yet he was ready to offer up ²  his only son.

And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, ¹  and he himself tempts no one.

They probed ¹  into what person or time ²  the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ ³  and his subsequent glory. ⁴ 

So as you come to him, ¹  a living stone rejected by men but ²  chosen and priceless ³  in God’s sight,

yet even ¹  angels, who are much more powerful, ²  do not bring a slanderous ³  judgment against them before the Lord. ⁴ 

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, ¹  but test ²  the spirits ³  to determine ⁴  if they are from God, because many false prophets ⁵  have gone out into the world.

Then ¹  the serpent spouted water like a river out of his mouth after the woman in an attempt to ²  sweep her away by a flood,

The ¹  sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death ²  and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds.

Look! You are driving me off the land ¹  today, and I must hide from your presence. ²  I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth; whoever finds me will kill me.”

But the Lord said to him, “All right then, ¹  if anyone kills Cain, Cain will be avenged seven times as much.” ²  Then the Lord put a special mark ³  on Cain so that no one who found him would strike him down. ⁴ 

So the people contended ¹  with Moses, and they said, “Give us water to drink!” ²  Moses said to them, “Why do you contend ³  with me? Why do you test ⁴  the Lord?”

But if the ox had the habit of goring, and its owner was warned, ¹  and he did not take the necessary precautions, ²  and then it killed a man or a woman, the ox must be stoned and the man must be put to death.