Dear friends, although I have been eager to write to you ¹  about our common salvation, I now feel compelled ²  instead to write to encourage ³  you to contend earnestly ⁴  for the faith ⁵  that was once for all ⁶  entrusted to the saints. ⁷ 

He called that place Bethel, ¹  although the former name of the town was Luz.

But I will harden ¹  Pharaoh’s heart, and although I will multiply ²  my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt,

The heavens – indeed the highest heavens – belong to the Lord your God, as does the earth and everything in it.

Now yes, it is true that ¹  I am a guardian, ²  but there is another guardian who is a closer relative than I am.

Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.’” ¹ 

But now, look, Adonijah has become king! But you, ¹  my master the king, are not even aware of it! ² 

The people continued to offer sacrifices at the high places, but only to the Lord their God.

For evil does not come up from the dust, ¹  nor does trouble spring up from the ground,

Although ¹  I am innocent, ²  I could not answer him; ³  I could only plead ⁴  with my judge ⁵  for mercy.

I am blameless. ¹  I do not know myself. ²  I despise my life.

Although its roots may grow old ¹  in the ground and its stump begins to die ²  in the soil, ³ 

Although you were a powerful man, ¹  owning land, ²  an honored man ³  living on it, ⁴ 

Yes, ¹  they intend to do you harm; ²  they dream up a scheme, ³  but they do not succeed. ⁴ 

Even if my father and mother abandoned me, ¹  the Lord would take me in. ² 

Although ¹  he is scornful to arrogant scoffers, ²  yet ³  he shows favor to the humble. ⁴ 

Do not withhold discipline from a child; even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

A servant ¹  cannot be corrected ²  by words, for although ³  he understands, there is no answer. ⁴ 

For he came out of prison ¹  to become king, even though he had been born poor in what would become his ²  kingdom.

Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool; otherwise ¹  you might die before your time.