Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! ¹  Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.

For the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep ¹  his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit.

But I hope to see you right away, and we will speak face to face. ¹  (1:15) Peace be with you. ²  The friends here ³  greet you. Greet the friends ⁴  there ⁵  by name.

These people are grumblers and ¹  fault-finders who go ²  wherever their desires lead them, ³  and they give bombastic speeches, ⁴  enchanting folks ⁵  for their own gain. ⁶ 

Then ¹  he shouted in a loud voice like a lion roaring, and when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded their voices.

The beast ¹  was given a mouth speaking proud words ²  and blasphemies, and he was permitted ³  to exercise ruling authority ⁴  for forty-two months.

Then ¹  I saw another beast ²  coming up from the earth. He ³  had two horns like a lamb, ⁴  but ⁵  was speaking like a dragon.

The angel ¹  who spoke to me had a golden measuring rod with which to measure the city and its foundation stones and wall.

You people ¹  are from ²  your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. ³  He ⁴  was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, ⁵  because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, ⁶  he speaks according to his own nature, ⁷  because he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁸ 

As he was saying these things, a ruler came, bowed low before him, and said, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live.”

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with ¹  three measures ²  of flour until all the dough had risen.” ³ 

While he was still speaking, a ¹  bright cloud ²  overshadowed ³  them, and a voice from the cloud said, ⁴  “This is my one dear Son, ⁵  in whom I take great delight. Listen to him!” ⁶ 

While he was still speaking, Judas, ¹  one of the twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people.

So ¹  he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. ²  But ³  he would not permit the demons to speak, ⁴  because they knew him. ⁵ 

Then ¹  he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. ²  He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then ³  he leased it to tenant farmers ⁴  and went on a journey.

Right away, while Jesus ¹  was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. ²  With him came a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and experts in the law ³  and elders.

The ¹  angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands ²  in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring ³  you this good news.

And now, ¹  because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, ²  you will be silent, unable to speak, ³  until the day these things take place.”

When ¹  he came out, he was not able to speak to them. They ²  realized that he had seen a vision ³  in the holy place, ⁴  because ⁵  he was making signs to them and remained unable to speak. ⁶ 

Demons also came out ¹  of many, crying out, ²  “You are the Son of God!” ³  But he rebuked ⁴  them, and would not allow them to speak, ⁵  because they knew that he was the Christ. ⁶