Because Joseph, her husband to be, ¹  was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her ²  privately.

Let your word be ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no.’ More than this is from the evil one. ¹ 

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. ¹  But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.’

And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing. ¹  But if anyone swears by the gift on it he is bound by the oath.’

At that moment, ¹  she came up to them ²  and began to give thanks to God and to speak ³  about the child ⁴  to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. ⁵ 

Then they summoned ¹  the man who used to be blind ²  a second time and said to him, “Promise before God to tell the truth. ³  We know that this man ⁴  is a sinner.”

Jesus responded, ¹  “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you would see the glory of God?”

You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, ¹  saying to Abraham, ‘And in your descendants ²  all the nations ³  of the earth will be blessed.’ ⁴ 

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled ¹  your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of ²  the land?

But now ¹  apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) ²  has been disclosed –

It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, ¹ 

Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, ¹  our ancestor Isaac –

In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers.

For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.

God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship with his son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment. ¹ 

Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose ¹  is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. ² 

Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth ¹  we are absent from the Lord –

who is the down payment ¹  of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, ²  to the praise of his glory.

– since the eyes of your ¹  heart have been enlightened ²  – so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, ³  what is the wealth of his glorious ⁴  inheritance in the saints,