For no one has ever hated his own body ¹  but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church,

and most of the brothers and sisters, ¹  having confidence in the Lord ²  because of my imprisonment, now more than ever ³  dare to speak the word ⁴  fearlessly.

He alone possesses immortality and lives in unapproachable light, whom no human has ever seen or is able to see. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen.

but of ¹  the Son he says, ²  “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, ³  and a righteous scepter ⁴  is the scepter of your kingdom.

But to which of the angels ¹  has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? ² 

Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to ¹  a different tribe, and no one from that tribe ²  has ever officiated at the altar.

Above all, you do well if you recognize ¹  this: ²  No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination, ³ 

and saying, ¹  “Where is his promised return? ²  For ever since ³  our ancestors ⁴  died, ⁵  all things have continued as they were ⁶  from the beginning of creation.”

and the one who lives! I ¹  was dead, but look, now I am alive – forever and ever – and I hold the keys of death and of Hades! ² 

And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, ¹  and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,

Then ¹  one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath ²  of God who lives forever and ever,

(The ripe fruit ¹  you greatly desired ²  has gone from you, and all your luxury ³  and splendor ⁴  have gone from you – they will never ever be found again!) ⁵ 

A ¹  spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams; ²  it throws him into convulsions ³  and causes him to foam at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him alone, torturing ⁴  him severely.

Who ever serves in the army at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not consume its milk?

We were encouraged ¹  not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement ²  you gave ³  him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, ⁴  your deep concern ⁵  for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever.

And we are sending ¹  with them our brother whom we have tested many times and found eager in many matters, but who now is much more eager than ever because of the great confidence he has in you.

We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, ¹  and rightly so, ²  because your faith flourishes more and more and the love of each one of you all for one another is ever greater.

For to which of the angels did God ¹  ever say, “You are my son! Today I have fathered you”? ²  And in another place ³  he says, ⁴  “I will be his father and he will be my son.” ⁵ 

the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground ¹  before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns ²  before his ³  throne, saying:

and swore by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, and the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, “There will be no more delay! ¹