Our ¹  ancestors ²  were unwilling to obey ³  him, but pushed him aside ⁴  and turned back to Egypt in their hearts,

All the people, ¹  from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’” ² 

saying, “Give me this power ¹  too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”

especially saddened ¹  by what ²  he had said, that they were not going to see him ³  again. Then they accompanied ⁴  him to the ship.

Some of the disciples from Caesarea ¹  came along with us too, and brought us to the house ²  of Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple from the earliest times, ³  with whom we were to stay.

With difficulty we sailed along the coast ¹  of Crete ²  and came to a place called Fair Havens that was near the town of Lasea. ³ 

And do you think, ¹  whoever you are, when you judge ²  those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, ³  that you will escape God’s judgment?

But now we have been released from the law, because we have died ¹  to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code. ² 

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, ¹  but you received the Spirit of adoption, ²  by whom ³  we cry, “Abba, Father.”

But who indeed are you – a mere human being ¹  – to talk back to God? ²  Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?” ³ 

The faith ¹  you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves.

Now I want to make clear for you, ¹  brothers and sisters, ²  the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand,

If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him – for indeed what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ,

And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals ¹  in the things they boast about.

(To my disgrace ¹  I must say that we were too weak for that!) ²  But whatever anyone else dares to boast about ³  (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing. ⁴ 

Why then was the law given? ¹  It was added ²  because of transgressions, ³  until the arrival of the descendant ⁴  to whom the promise had been made. It was administered ⁵  through angels by an intermediary. ⁶ 

In him ¹  we have redemption through his blood, ²  the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

In Christ ¹  we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, ²  since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will

and in all of this, ¹  by taking up the shield ²  of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Not that I have already attained this – that is, I have not already been perfected – but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. ¹