Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said, “When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assume ¹  that Absalom rules in Hebron.”

He will surely ¹  give me shelter ²  in the day of danger; ³  he will hide me in his home; ⁴  he will place me ⁵  on an inaccessible rocky summit. ⁶ 

I will turn my face away from them and they will desecrate my treasured place. ¹  Vandals will enter it and desecrate it. ² 

He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he ¹  and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel replied to the king, “The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king.

Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory.

and to enlighten ¹  everyone about God’s secret plan ²  – a secret that has been hidden for ages ³  in God ⁴  who has created all things.

For the hidden power of lawlessness ¹  is already at work. However, the one who holds him back ²  will do so until he is taken out of the way,

Jacob also deceived ¹  Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was leaving. ² 

He ¹  is like a lion ²  that wants to tear its prey to bits, ³  like a young lion crouching ⁴  in hidden places.

Who can know all his errors? ¹  Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of. ² 

Look, ¹  you desire ²  integrity in the inner man; ³  you want me to possess wisdom. ⁴ 

for one who goes astray ¹  is an abomination ²  to the Lord, but he reveals ³  his intimate counsel ⁴  to the upright.

Now this matter arose ¹  because of the false brothers with false pretenses ²  who slipped in unnoticed to spy on ³  our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, to make us slaves. ⁴ 

one who casts spells, ¹  one who conjures up spirits, ²  a practitioner of the occult, ³  or a necromancer. ⁴ 

Better is open ¹  rebuke than hidden ²  love.

Then King Zedekiah had him brought to the palace. There he questioned him privately and asked him, ¹  “Is there any message from the Lord?” Jeremiah answered, “Yes, there is.” Then he announced, ²  “You will be handed over to the king of Babylon.” ³ 

Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah there at Mizpah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah before anyone knows about it. Otherwise he will kill you ¹  and all the Judeans who have rallied around you will be scattered. Then what remains of Judah will disappear.”

They ¹  planned to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

But Paul said to the police officers, ¹  “They had us beaten in public ²  without a proper trial ³  – even though we are Roman citizens ⁴  – and they threw us ⁵  in prison. And now they want to send us away ⁶  secretly? Absolutely not! They ⁷  themselves must come and escort us out!” ⁸