This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet: ¹  “I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.” ² 

So ¹  he called them and spoke to them in parables: ²  “How can Satan cast out Satan?

He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately he explained everything to his own disciples.

Herod said, “I had John ¹  beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” So Herod wanted to learn about Jesus. ² 

Then ¹  Jesus ²  told this parable: “A man had a fig tree ³  planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.

Then ¹  when Jesus ²  noticed how the guests ³  chose the places of honor, ⁴  he told them a parable. He said to them,

But even Moses revealed that the dead are raised ¹  in the passage about the bush, ²  where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. ³ 

nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. ¹  Such things promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan ²  that operates by faith.

And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets.

They were stoned, sawed apart, ¹  murdered with the sword; they went about in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated

This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, ¹  was taking care of ²  the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster ³  working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. ⁴  Joseph brought back a bad report about them ⁵  to their father.

This is the account ¹  of the heavens and the earth ²  when they were created – when the Lord God ³  made the earth and heavens. ⁴ 

This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot.

Then he uttered this oracle: “O, who will survive when God does this! ¹ 

explain ¹  to your children, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan River ²  on dry ground.’

This ought not to be, ¹  my sons! For the report that I hear circulating among the Lord’s people is not good.

Then Saul built an altar for the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar for the Lord.

Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry. ¹ 

Go to the king and speak to him in the following fashion.” Then Joab told her what to say. ¹ 

and his accomplishments, from start to finish, are recorded ¹  in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel and Judah.