I will do this in order to capture the hearts of the house of Israel, who have alienated themselves from me on account of all their idols.’

So I issued an order ¹  for all the wise men of Babylon to be brought ²  before me so that they could make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

So ¹  it seemed good to me as well, ²  because I have followed ³  all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account ⁴  for you, most excellent Theophilus,

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, ¹  but that the world should be saved through him.

After he spent ¹  some time there, Paul left and went through the region of Galatia ²  and Phrygia, ³  strengthening all the disciples.

For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised ¹  on behalf of God’s truth to confirm the promises made to the fathers, ² 

but in the church I want to speak five words with my mind to instruct others, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others. ¹ 

who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age according to the will of our God and Father,

but now he has reconciled you ¹  by his physical body through death to present you holy, without blemish, and blameless before him –

It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate. ¹ 

However, ¹  without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your good deed would not be out of compulsion, but from your own willingness.

They served only for matters of food and drink ¹  and various washings; they are external regulations ²  imposed until the new order came. ³ 

By faith we understand that the worlds ¹  were set in order at God’s command, ²  so that the visible has its origin in the invisible. ³ 

Then the sons of Aaron, the priests, must arrange the parts with the head and the suet ¹  on the wood that is in the fire on the altar. ² 

Next, the one presenting the offering ¹  must cut it into parts, with its head and its suet, and the priest must arrange them on the wood which is in the fire, on the altar.

Your servant Joab did this so as to change this situation. But my lord has wisdom like that of the angel of God, and knows everything that is happening in the land.” ¹ 

The king gave this order to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake deal gently with the young man Absalom.” Now the entire army was listening when the king gave all the leaders this order concerning Absalom.

Ahab asked, “By whom will this be accomplished?” ¹  He answered, “This is what the Lord says, ‘By the servants of the district governors.’” Ahab ²  asked, “Who will launch the attack?” He answered, “You will.”

This was the order in which they carried out their assigned responsibilities when they entered the Lord’s temple, according to the regulations given them by their ancestor ¹  Aaron, just as the Lord God of Israel had instructed him. ²