I beg you, brothers and sisters, ¹  become like me, because I have become like you. You have done me no wrong!

He did this when he revealed ¹  to us the secret ²  of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth ³  in Christ, ⁴ 

so that he ¹  may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. ² 

And I pray this, that your love may abound even more and more in knowledge and every kind of insight

He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross!

being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of ¹  all patience and steadfastness, joyfully

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him).

so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.

See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.

Before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, I solemnly charge you to carry out these commands without prejudice or favoritism of any kind. ¹ 

They profess to know God but with their deeds they deny him, since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.

Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience.

For it is indeed fitting for us to have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, ¹  for God is pleased with such sacrifices.

If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth.

but the inner person ¹  of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.

Then Jeremiah got another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch son of Neriah. As Jeremiah dictated, Baruch wrote on this scroll everything that had been on the scroll that King Jehoiakim of Judah burned in the fire. They also added on this scroll several other messages of the same kind. ¹ 

Therefore when they all ¹  heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, ²  and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and language groups began bowing down and paying homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected.

Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being ¹  handed over ²  to the Jewish authorities. ³  But as it is, ⁴  my kingdom is not from here.”