My conversation and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

But as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer everyone.

for which I suffer hardship to the point of imprisonment ¹  as a criminal, but God’s message ²  is not imprisoned! ³ 

and their message will spread its infection ¹  like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are in this group. ² 

to be self-controlled, ¹  pure, fulfilling their duties at home, ²  kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the message ³  of God may not be discredited. ⁴ 

For if the message spoken through angels ¹  proved to be so firm that every violation ²  or disobedience received its just penalty,

On this topic we have much to say ¹  and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish ²  in hearing.

He is dressed in clothing dipped ¹  in blood, and he is called ²  the Word of God.

So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story is told among the Jews to this day. ¹ 

But the news about him spread even more, ¹  and large crowds were gathering together to hear him ²  and to be healed of their illnesses.

Now ¹  the Word became flesh ²  and took up residence ³  among us. We ⁴  saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, ⁵  full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.

Then many of his disciples, when they heard these things, ¹  said, “This is a difficult ²  saying! ³  Who can understand it?” ⁴ 

I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. ¹  But you want ²  to kill me, because my teaching ³  makes no progress among you. ⁴ 

If those people to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’ (and the scripture cannot be broken), ¹ 

so that the word ¹  of Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled. He said, ²  “Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord ³  been revealed?” ⁴ 

A report ¹  about them came to the attention ²  of the church in Jerusalem, ³  and they sent Barnabas ⁴  to Antioch. ⁵ 

Brothers, ¹  descendants ²  of Abraham’s family, ³  and those Gentiles among you who fear God, ⁴  the message ⁵  of this salvation has been sent to us.

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Now when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will happen, “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” ¹