By his sovereign plan he gave us birth ¹  through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors ¹  do the same, don’t they?

So after they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus ¹  Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ?” ² 

The ¹  governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!”

He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, ¹  “You are the Christ.” ² 

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.”

The soldiers ¹  forced ²  a passerby to carry his cross, ³  Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country ⁴  (he was the father of Alexander and Rufus).

Then ¹  he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter ²  answered, ³  “The Christ ⁴  of God.”

John answered, ¹  “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop ²  him because he is not a disciple ³  along with us.”

Now as they went on their way, Jesus ¹  entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. ² 

As ¹  they led him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene, ²  who was coming in from the country. ³  They placed the cross on his back and made him carry it behind Jesus. ⁴ 

You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you? ¹  And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?”

Jesus told them this parable, ¹  but they ²  did not understand ³  what he was saying to them.

I tell you the solemn truth, ¹  whoever accepts ²  the one I send accepts me, and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” ³ 

Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic ¹  and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.

If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint ¹  against someone, the courts are open ²  and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there. ³ 

They did not find me arguing ¹  with anyone or stirring up a crowd ²  in the temple courts ³  or in the synagogues ⁴  or throughout the city, ⁵ 

Rather they had several points of disagreement ¹  with him about their own religion ²  and about a man named Jesus ³  who was dead, whom Paul claimed ⁴  to be alive.

With difficulty we sailed along the coast ¹  of Crete ²  and came to a place called Fair Havens that was near the town of Lasea. ³ 

When the fourteenth night had come, while we were being driven ¹  across the Adriatic Sea, ²  about midnight the sailors suspected they were approaching some land. ³