After God spoke long ago ¹  in various portions ²  and in various ways ³  to our ancestors ⁴  through the prophets,

Then ¹  the disciples came to him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,

So ¹  with many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear.

And blessed ¹  is she who believed that ²  what was spoken to her by ³  the Lord would be fulfilled.” ⁴ 

as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago, ¹ 

and all who heard it were astonished ¹  at what the shepherds said.

Yet ¹  his parents ²  did not understand ³  the remark ⁴  he made ⁵  to them.

When John’s ¹  two disciples heard him say this, ²  they followed Jesus. ³ 

Jesus said to her, “I, the one speaking to you, am he.”

However, no one spoke openly about him for fear of the Jewish leaders. ¹ 

Isaiah said these things because he saw Christ’s ¹  glory, and spoke about him.

You are clean already ¹  because of the word that I have spoken to you.

Instead your hearts are filled with sadness ¹  because I have said these things to you.

for it is impossible ¹  for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”

Yet ¹  they were not able to resist ²  the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

He was speaking and debating ¹  with the Greek-speaking Jews, ²  but they were trying to kill him.

for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising ¹  God. Then Peter said,

and when they had spoken the word ¹  in Perga, ²  they went down to Attalia. ³ 

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