For we tell you this by the word of the Lord, ¹  that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep.

From earliest times, the prophets who preceded you and me invariably ¹  prophesied war, disaster, ²  and plagues against many countries and great kingdoms.

He did evil in the sight of ¹  the Lord, but not to the same degree as the Israelite kings who preceded him.

You will die a peaceful death. They will burn incense at your burial just as they did at the burial of your ancestors, the former kings who preceded you. ¹  They will mourn for you, saying, “Poor, poor master!” ²  Indeed, you have my own word on this. ³  I, the Lord, affirm it!’” ⁴ 

The sins of some people are obvious, going before them into judgment, but for others, they show up later. ¹ 

But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to ¹  forty shekels of silver. Their associates were also domineering over the people. But I did not behave in this way, due to my fear of God.

But my loyal love will not be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.

(Who has confronted ¹  me that I should repay? ²  Everything under heaven belongs to me!) ³ 

You squeeze me in from behind and in front; you place your hand on me.

The fear of the Lord provides wise instruction, ¹  and before honor comes humility. ² 

Before destruction the heart ¹  of a person is proud, but humility comes ²  before honor. ³ 

Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another.

So do not make the land vomit you out because you defile it ¹  just as it has vomited out the nations ²  that were before you.

I will become his father and he will become my son. I will never withhold my loyal love from him, as I withheld it from the one who ruled before you. ¹ 

Our God approaches and is not silent; ¹  consuming fire goes ahead of him and all around him a storm rages. ² 

To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living; ¹  all who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight. ²  He will receive praise forever. ³ 

So ¹  I was far wealthier ²  than all my predecessors in Jerusalem, yet I maintained my objectivity: ³ 

While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared, ¹  and the man named Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He walked up ²  to Jesus to kiss him. ³ 

For it says ¹  in scripture, “Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and priceless cornerstone, ²  and whoever believes ³  in him ⁴  will never ⁵  be put to shame.” ⁶ 

but in order that they will live ¹  and not die when they approach the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons will go in and appoint ²  each man ³  to his service and his responsibility.