but since it concerns points of disagreement ¹  about words and names and your own law, settle ²  it yourselves. I will not be ³  a judge of these things!”

other than ¹  this one thing ²  I shouted out while I stood before ³  them: ‘I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.’” ⁴ 

But Paul replied, ¹  “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, ²  but am speaking ³  true and rational ⁴  words.

For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely ¹  to him, ²  because I cannot believe ³  that any of these things has escaped his notice, ⁴  for this was not done in a corner. ⁵ 

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – and not with clever speech, so that the cross of Christ would not become useless. ¹ 

God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.

but in the church I want to speak five words with my mind to instruct others, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don’t need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we? ¹ 

I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. ¹  But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

So ¹  we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes. ² 

For we never appeared ¹  with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed – God is our witness –

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth.

And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their ¹  condemnation pronounced long ago ²  is not sitting idly by; ³  their ⁴  destruction is not asleep.

These people are grumblers and ¹  fault-finders who go ²  wherever their desires lead them, ³  and they give bombastic speeches, ⁴  enchanting folks ⁵  for their own gain. ⁶ 

From ¹  the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring ²  and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, ³  were burning in front of the throne

Then ¹  I looked and heard the voice of many angels in a circle around the throne, as well as the living creatures and the elders. Their ²  number was ten thousand times ten thousand ³  – thousands times thousands –

I looked on when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a thunderous voice, ¹  “Come!” ² 

Then ¹  the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth, and there were crashes of thunder, roaring, ²  flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

Then ¹  I saw another beast ²  coming up from the earth. He ³  had two horns like a lamb, ⁴  but ⁵  was speaking like a dragon.