and he reasoned ¹  that God could even raise him from the dead, and in a sense ²  he received him back from there.

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 

And do you think, ¹  whoever you are, when you judge ²  those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, ³  that you will escape God’s judgment?

But to the one who does not work, but believes in the one who declares the ungodly righteous, ¹  his faith is credited as righteousness.

Is this blessedness ¹  then for ²  the circumcision ³  or also for ⁴  the uncircumcision? For we say, “faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” ⁵ 

but also for our sake, to whom it will be credited, those who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

This means ¹  it is not the children of the flesh ²  who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants.

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.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But when I became an adult, ¹  I set aside childish ways.

You are looking at outward appearances. ¹  If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on this again: Just as he himself belongs to Christ, so too do we.

Let such a person consider this: What we say ¹  by letters when we are absent, we also are in actions when we are present.

And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” ¹  and he was called God’s friend. ² 

For I tell you that this scripture must be ¹  fulfilled in me, ‘And he was counted with the transgressors.’ ²  For what is written about me is being fulfilled.” ³ 

And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, ¹  so that he would become ²  the father of all those who believe but have never been circumcised, ³  that they too could have righteousness credited to them.

In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us ¹  the message of reconciliation.

For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling ¹  the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard ²  me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me,

Finally, brothers and sisters, ¹  whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.

Through Silvanus, ¹  whom I know to be a faithful brother, ²  I have written to you briefly, in order to encourage you and testify ³  that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. ⁴ 

There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, ¹  but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis ²  will be regarded as nothing, ³  and she whom all the province of Asia ⁴  and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.” ⁵