“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind, ¹  and you will devise an evil plan.

were the chambers ¹  which were toward the south. There was an opening at the head of the passage, the passage in front of the corresponding wall toward the east when one enters.

You will also take the bull for the sin offering, and it will be burned in the appointed place in the temple, outside the sanctuary.

Of this area a square 875 feet ¹  by 875 feet will be designated for the sanctuary, with 87½ feet ²  set aside for its open space round about.

The company of priests is like a gang of robbers, lying in ambush to pounce on a victim. They commit murder on the road to Shechem; they have done heinous crimes!

A sword will flash in their cities, it will destroy the bars of their city gates, and will devour them in their fortresses.

Those who devise sinful plans are as good as dead, ¹  those who dream about doing evil as they lie in bed. ²  As soon as morning dawns they carry out their plans, ³  because they have the power to do so.

Whatever ¹  you plot ²  against the Lord, he will completely destroy! ³  Distress ⁴  will not arise ⁵  a second time.

Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these!

For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

And he said to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ ¹  but you are turning it into a den ²  of robbers!” ³ 

For it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and then goes out into the sewer.” ¹  (This means all foods are clean.) ² 

Then he began to teach ¹  them and said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? ²  But you have turned it into a den ³  of robbers!” ⁴ 

If David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” ¹  And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.

He has demonstrated power ¹  with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance ²  of their hearts.

Consider how the flowers ¹  grow; they do not work ²  or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these!

When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat ¹  in the place called “The Stone Pavement” ²  (Gabbatha in ³  Aramaic). ⁴ 

beginning from his baptism by John until the day he ¹  was taken up from us – one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us.”

This was the one who exploited ¹  our people ²  and was cruel to our ancestors, ³  forcing them to abandon ⁴  their infants so they would die. ⁵ 

but Saul learned of their plot against him. ¹  They were also watching ²  the city gates ³  day and night so that they could kill him.