Listen carefully ¹  to the thunder of his voice, to the rumbling ²  that proceeds from his mouth.

The godly ¹  cry out and the Lord hears; he saves them from all their troubles. ² 

The Lord is near all who cry out to him, all who cry out to him sincerely. ¹ 

so that they may keep you ¹  from the adulterous ²  woman, from the loose woman ³  who flatters you ⁴  with her words. ⁵ 

The words of a gossip ¹  are like choice morsels; ²  they go down into the person’s innermost being. ³ 

When a scorner is punished, the naive ¹  becomes wise; when a wise person is instructed, ²  he gains knowledge.

The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into a person’s innermost being. ¹ 

The one who turns away his ear ¹  from hearing the law, even his prayer ²  is an abomination. ³ 

Who among you will pay attention to this? Who will listen attentively in the future? ¹ 

The Pharisees ¹  (who loved money) heard all this and ridiculed ²  him.

Then ¹  the rich man ²  said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead ³  goes to them, they will repent.’

When they heard these words, some of the crowd ¹  began to say, “This really ²  is the Prophet!” ³ 

“Our law doesn’t condemn ¹  a man unless it first hears from him and learns ²  what he is doing, does it?” ³ 

Many of them were saying, “He is possessed by a demon and has lost his mind! ¹  Why do you listen to him?”

But the centurion ¹  was more convinced ²  by the captain ³  and the ship’s owner than by what Paul said. ⁴ 

You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?”

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

“The Lord who rules over all also says, ‘Gather strength, you who are listening to these words today from the mouths of the prophets who were there at the founding of the house of the Lord who rules over all, ¹  so that the temple might be built.

Some time after these things God tested ¹  Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham ²  replied.

You will return and obey the Lord, keeping all his commandments I am giving ¹  you today.