Listen! Fugitives and refugees are coming from the land of Babylon. They are coming to Zion to declare there how the Lord our God is getting revenge, getting revenge for what they have done to his temple. ¹ 

Woe ¹  to those who wish for the day of the Lord! Why do you want the Lord’s day of judgment to come? It will bring darkness, not light.

The ¹  seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth ²  choke the word, ³  so it produces nothing.

Now when Jesus heard this he went away from there privately in a boat to an isolated place. But when the crowd heard about it, ¹  they followed him on foot from the towns. ² 

When the people ¹  there recognized him, they sent word into all the surrounding area, and they brought all their sick to him.

Now ¹  the herdsmen ran off and spread the news in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.

Jesus ordered them not to tell anything. But as much as he ordered them not to do this, they proclaimed it all the more. ¹ 

For whoever wants to save his life ¹  will lose it, ²  but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it.

While he was on his way down, ¹  his slaves ²  met him and told him that his son was going to live.

How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them ¹ ?

but as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” ¹ 

¹ Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that had been kept secret for long ages,

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – and not with clever speech, so that the cross of Christ would not become useless. ¹ 

For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason for boasting, because I am compelled to do this. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

to reveal his Son in ¹  me so that I could preach him ²  among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from ³  any human being, ⁴ 

On the contrary, when they saw ¹  that I was entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised ²  just as Peter was to the circumcised ³ 

namely, that through the gospel ¹  the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members ²  of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.

To me – less than the least of all the saints ¹  – this grace was given, ²  to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ

Your faith and love have arisen ¹  from the hope laid up ²  for you in heaven, which you have heard about in the message of truth, the gospel ³ 

but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts.