They sent to him their disciples along with the Herodians, ¹  saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful, and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ²  You do not court anyone’s favor because you show no partiality. ³ 

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ¹  you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! ²  How often I have longed ³  to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but ⁴  you would have none of it! ⁵ 

When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality ¹  but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ²  Is it right ³  to pay taxes ⁴  to Caesar ⁵  or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed ¹  me to proclaim good news ²  to the poor. ³  He has sent me ⁴  to proclaim release ⁵  to the captives and the regaining of sight ⁶  to the blind, to set free ⁷  those who are oppressed, ⁸ 

While ¹  Jesus ²  was in one of the towns, ³  a man came ⁴  to him who was covered with ⁵  leprosy. ⁶  When ⁷  he saw Jesus, he bowed down with his face to the ground ⁸  and begged him, ⁹  “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

He ¹  said, “You have been given ²  the opportunity to know ³  the secrets ⁴  of the kingdom of God, ⁵  but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand. ⁶ 

Now the day began to draw to a close, ¹  so ²  the twelve came and said to Jesus, ³  “Send the crowd away, so they can go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging ⁴  and food, because we are in an isolated place.” ⁵ 

As you are going with your accuser before the magistrate, ¹  make an effort to settle with him on the way, so that he will not drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, ²  and the officer throw you into prison.

But the president of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ¹  should be done! ²  So come ³  and be healed on those days, and not on the Sabbath day.”

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ¹  you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! ²  How often I have longed ³  to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but ⁴  you would have none of it! ⁵ 

But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host ¹  approaches he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up here to a better place.’ ²  Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you.

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 

Jesus could see ¹  that they wanted to ask him about these things, ²  so ³  he said to them, “Are you asking ⁴  each other about this – that I said, ‘In a little while you ⁵  will not see me; again after a little while, you ⁶  will see me’?

Then Pilate said, ¹  “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world – to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to ²  my voice.”

I tell you the solemn truth, ¹  when you were young, you tied your clothes around you ²  and went wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will tie you up ³  and bring you where you do not want to go.”

But Paul said to the police officers, ¹  “They had us beaten in public ²  without a proper trial ³  – even though we are Roman citizens ⁴  – and they threw us ⁵  in prison. And now they want to send us away ⁶  secretly? Absolutely not! They ⁷  themselves must come and escort us out!” ⁸ 

And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded ¹  and turned away ²  a large crowd, ³  not only in Ephesus ⁴  but in practically all of the province of Asia, ⁵  by saying ⁶  that gods made by hands are not gods at all. ⁷ 

So now you and the council ¹  request the commanding officer ²  to bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine ³  his case ⁴  by conducting a more thorough inquiry. ⁵  We are ready to kill him ⁶  before he comes near this place.” ⁷ 

Then Festus ¹  said, “King Agrippa, ²  and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace ³  petitioned ⁴  me both in Jerusalem ⁵  and here, ⁶  shouting loudly ⁷  that he ought not to live any longer.

For the heart of this people has become dull, ¹  and their ears are hard of hearing, ²  and they have closed their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, ³  and I would heal them.”’ ⁴