Then he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters ¹  at one time, most of whom are still alive, ²  though some have fallen asleep. ³ 

For we do not write you anything other than what ¹  you can read and also understand. But I hope that you will understand completely ² 

For how ¹  were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice!

To me – less than the least of all the saints ¹  – this grace was given, ²  to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ

and most of the brothers and sisters, ¹  having confidence in the Lord ²  because of my imprisonment, now more than ever ³  dare to speak the word ⁴  fearlessly.

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition ¹  or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.

nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. ¹  Such things promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan ²  that operates by faith.

But if someone does not provide for his own, ¹  especially his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

So it was necessary for the sketches ¹  of the things in heaven to be purified with these sacrifices, ²  but the heavenly things themselves required ³  better sacrifices than these.

He regarded abuse suffered for Christ ¹  to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on ²  the reward.

and to Jesus, the mediator ¹  of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does. ² 

You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, ¹  because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

‘I know your deeds: your love, faith, ¹  service, and steadfast endurance. ²  In fact, ³  your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones.

Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so ¹  the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!”

For if someone comes and proclaims ¹  another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed, ²  or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received, ³  or a different gospel than the one you accepted, ⁴  you put up with it well enough! ⁵ 

“I baptize you with water, for repentance, but the one coming after me is more powerful than I am – I am not worthy ¹  to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ² 

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into hell. ¹ 

If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into hell.

Look at the birds in the sky: ¹  They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds ²  them. Aren’t you more valuable ³  than they are?

The people ¹  of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them ²  – and now, ³  something greater than Jonah is here!