Simeon ¹  has explained ²  how God first concerned himself ³  to select ⁴  from among the Gentiles ⁵  a people for his name.

When the centurion ¹  heard this, ²  he went to the commanding officer ³  and reported it, ⁴  saying, “What are you about to do? ⁵  For this man is a Roman citizen.” ⁶ 

They replied, ¹  “We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers come from there ²  and reported or said anything bad about you.

For all who have sinned apart from the law ¹  will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

on the day when God will judge ¹  the secrets of human hearts, ²  according to my gospel ³  through Christ Jesus.

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.

For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in order to bring about the obedience ¹  of the Gentiles, by word and deed,

Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus the city treasurer and our brother Quartus greet you. ¹ 

For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted because of this. The one who judges me is the Lord.

For all these things are for your sake, so that the grace that is including ¹  more and more people may cause thanksgiving to increase ²  to the glory of God.

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.

I have great confidence in you; I take great pride ¹  on your behalf. I am filled with encouragement; ²  I am overflowing with joy in the midst of ³  all our suffering.

Therefore I am content with ¹  weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties ²  for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

The ¹  whole imperial guard ²  and everyone else knows ³  that I am in prison ⁴  for the sake of Christ,

so that what you can be proud of may increase ¹  because of me in Christ Jesus, when I come back to you. ² 

For it has been granted to you ¹  not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him,

For how can we thank God enough for you, ¹  for all the joy we feel ²  because of you before our God?

Instead someone testified somewhere: “What is man that you think of him ¹  or the son of man that you care for him?

Without father, without mother, without genealogy, he has neither beginning of days nor end of life but is like the son of God, and he remains a priest for all time.

For we know the one who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” ¹  and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” ²