Then I considered ¹  all the skillful work ²  that is done: Surely it is nothing more than ³  competition ⁴  between one person and another. ⁵  This also is profitless – like ⁶  chasing the wind.

For this is what the Lord has told me: “I will wait ¹  and watch from my place, like scorching heat produced by the sunlight, ²  like a cloud of mist ³  in the heat ⁴  of harvest.” ⁵ 

In just a very short time ¹  Lebanon will turn into an orchard, and the orchard will be considered a forest. ² 

This desolation will continue until new life is poured out on us from heaven. ¹  Then the desert will become an orchard and the orchard will be considered a forest. ² 

But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; ¹  even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. ² 

Lord, do not be too angry! Do not hold our sins against us continually! ¹  Take a good look at your people, at all of us! ² 

The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has fully carried out his intended purposes. ¹  In days to come ²  you people will come to understand this clearly. ³ 

The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has fully carried out his intended purposes. In days to come you will come to understand this. ¹ 

So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful. ¹  In fact, those who challenge ²  God escape!’”

Why ¹  do you see the speck ²  in your brother’s eye, but fail to see ³  the beam of wood ⁴  in your own?

You do not realize ¹  that it is more to your advantage to have one man ²  die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.” ³ 

The voice ¹  spoke to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not consider ²  ritually unclean!” ³ 

As I stared ¹  I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, ²  and wild birds. ³ 

But the voice replied a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not consider ¹  ritually unclean!’

When Peter ¹  realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, ²  where many people had gathered together and were praying.

I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean.

Not that we are adequate ¹  in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy ²  is from God,

But for now ¹  I have considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. For he is my brother, ²  coworker and fellow soldier, and your messenger ³  and minister ⁴  to me in my need. ⁵ 

This is evidence of God’s righteous judgment, to make you worthy ¹  of the kingdom of God, for which in fact you are suffering.

And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, ¹  just as also our dear brother Paul ²  wrote to you, ³  according to the wisdom given to him,