older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters – with complete purity.

His acts are characterized by ¹  faithfulness and justice; all his precepts are reliable. ² 

They are forever firm, and should be faithfully and properly carried out. ¹ 

How beautiful you are! How lovely, O love, ¹  with your delights! ² 

I say this as a concession, not as a command.

I assure you ¹  that, before God, I am not lying about what I am writing to you! ² 

Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, ¹  because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience ²  and our bodies washed in pure water.

Our Lord is great and has awesome power; ¹  there is no limit to his wisdom. ² 

Surely the king’s authority ¹  is absolute; ²  no one can say ³  to him, “What are you doing?”

So ¹  the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, ²  Mary, for you have found favor ³  with God!

I tell you the solemn truth, ¹  if anyone obeys ²  my teaching, ³  he will never see death.” ⁴ 

On the contrary, those members that seem to be weaker are essential,

since ¹  we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints.

So Moses extended his hand toward heaven, and there was absolute darkness ¹  throughout the land of Egypt for three days. ² 

You lead me in ¹  the path of life; ²  I experience absolute joy in your presence; ³  you always give me sheer delight. ⁴ 

Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, ¹  Satan! For it is written: ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” ² 

They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, “Who then is this? ¹  Even the wind and sea obey him!” ² 

Jesus ¹  answered him, ²  “It is written, ‘You are to worship ³  the Lord ⁴  your God and serve only him.’” ⁵ 

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.