So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord and did not obey the Lord’s instructions; he even tried to conjure up underworld spirits. ¹ 

On the seventh day, as King Ahasuerus was feeling the effects of the wine, ¹  he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who attended him, ² 

But may all who take shelter ¹  in you be happy! ²  May they continually ³  shout for joy! ⁴  Shelter them ⁵  so that those who are loyal to you ⁶  may rejoice! ⁷ 

Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Exalt the one who rides on the clouds! ¹  For the Lord is his name! ²  Rejoice before him!

The Egyptians are mere humans, not God; their horses are made of flesh, not spirit. The Lord will strike with ¹  his hand; the one who helps will stumble and the one being helped will fall. Together they will perish. ² 

Wild animals and wild dogs will congregate there; ¹  wild goats will bleat to one another. ²  Yes, nocturnal animals ³  will rest there and make for themselves a nest. ⁴ 

Both of these will come upon you suddenly, in one day! You will lose your children and be widowed. ¹  You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies, ²  despite ³  your many incantations and your numerous amulets. ⁴ 

For I will not be hostile ¹  forever or perpetually angry, for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, ²  the life-giving breath I created.

The Babylonian tyrant ¹  pulls them all up with a fishhook; he hauls them in with his throw net. ²  When he catches ³  them in his dragnet, he is very happy. ⁴ 

So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People ¹  brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, ²  paralytics, and those possessed by demons, ³  and he healed them.

On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do ¹  many powerful deeds?’

When he came to the other side, to the region of the Gadarenes, ¹  two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were extremely violent, so that no one was able to pass by that way.

They came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man sitting there, clothed and in his right mind – the one who had the “Legion” – and they were afraid.

Demons also came out ¹  of many, crying out, ²  “You are the Son of God!” ³  But he rebuked ⁴  them, and would not allow them to speak, ⁵  because they knew that he was the Christ. ⁶ 

As ¹  Jesus ²  stepped ashore, ³  a certain man from the town ⁴  met him who was possessed by demons. ⁵  For a long time this man ⁶  had worn no clothes and had not lived in a house, but among ⁷  the tombs.

But ¹  he said to them, “Go ²  and tell that fox, ³  ‘Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day ⁴  I will complete my work. ⁵ 

with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, ¹  that ²  God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He ³  went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, ⁴  because God was with him. ⁵ 

The unbeliever ¹  does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Finally, brothers and sisters, ¹  rejoice, set things right, be encouraged, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

But now that you have come to know God (or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless ¹  basic forces? ²  Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? ³