While the people were listening to these things, Jesus ¹  proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, ²  and because they thought ³  that the kingdom of God ⁴  was going to ⁵  appear immediately.

How can you believe, if you accept praise ¹  from one another and don’t seek the praise ²  that comes from the only God? ³ 

Now when the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus ¹  performed, they began to say to one another, “This is certainly the Prophet ²  who is to come into the world.” ³ 

and they said, “Isn’t this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

Then many of his disciples, when they heard these things, ¹  said, “This is a difficult ²  saying! ³  Who can understand it?” ⁴ 

The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil.

Thomas said, ¹  “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

He thought his own people ¹  would understand that God was delivering them ²  through him, ³  but they did not understand. ⁴ 

that is, that we may be mutually comforted by one another’s faith, ¹  both yours and mine.

But I see a different law in my members waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, ¹  but you received the Spirit of adoption, ²  by whom ³  we cry, “Abba, Father.”

just as it is written, “Look, I am laying in Zion a stone that will cause people to stumble and a rock that will make them fall, ¹  yet the one who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ² 

And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely ¹  is the arrival ²  of those who proclaim the good news.” ³ 

so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation ¹  of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If we sowed spiritual blessings among you, is it too much to reap material things from you?

For since I am free from all I can make myself a slave to all, in order to gain even more people. ¹ 

And our hope for you is steadfast because we know that as you share in ¹  our sufferings, so also you will share in ²  our comfort.

Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us, ¹  so that we would not trust in ourselves ²  but in God who raises the dead.

He ¹  delivered us from so great a risk of death, and he will deliver us. We have set our hope on him ²  that ³  he will deliver us yet again,

I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm. ¹