So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, and ¹  I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” ² 

Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, ¹  bear with my message of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you briefly.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, ¹  if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith ²  save him? ³ 

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” ¹  Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by ²  my works.

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, ¹  because you know that we will be judged more strictly. ² 

Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, ¹  or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water.

I am also aware ¹  that you have persisted steadfastly, ²  endured much for the sake of my name, and have not grown weary.

Therefore, ¹  repent! If not, I will come against you quickly and make war against those people ²  with the sword of my mouth.

And to the one who conquers ¹  and who continues in ²  my deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations ³  –

Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about ¹  to die, because I have not found your deeds complete ²  in the sight ³  of my God.

(Look! I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to pay ¹  each one according to what he has done!

Then, ¹  turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, ²  but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down ¹  of my own free will. ²  I have the authority ³  to lay it down, and I have the authority ⁴  to take it back again. This commandment ⁵  I received from my Father.”

So the soldiers said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but throw dice ¹  to see who will get it.” ²  This took place ³  to fulfill the scripture that says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they threw dice.” ⁴  So the soldiers did these things.

The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, ¹  “Unless I see the wounds ²  from the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the wounds from the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe it!” ³ 

For ¹  it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, ²  since both in my imprisonment ³  and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God’s grace ⁴  together with me.

“For this is the covenant that I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put ¹  my laws in their minds ²  and I will inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God and they will be my people. ³ 

‘I know ¹  where you live – where Satan’s throne is. Yet ²  you continue to cling ³  to my name and you have not denied your ⁴  faith in me, ⁵  even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, ⁶  who was killed in your city ⁷  where Satan lives.

‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” ¹ 

For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. ¹  I say to this one, ‘Go’ and he goes, ²  and to another ‘Come’ and he comes, and to my slave ³  ‘Do this’ and he does it.” ⁴