The Lover to His Beloved: (7:2) How beautiful are your sandaled ¹  feet, O nobleman’s daughter! ²  The curves ³  of your thighs ⁴  are like jewels, the work of the hands of a master craftsman.

The people will treat each other harshly; men will oppose each other; neighbors will fight. ¹  Youths will proudly defy the elderly and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected. ² 

Therefore my ¹  people will be deported ²  because of their lack of understanding. Their ³  leaders will have nothing to eat, ⁴  their ⁵  masses will have nothing to drink. ⁶ 

The king of Babylon had Zedekiah’s sons put to death while Zedekiah was forced to watch. He also had all the nobles of Judah put to death there at Riblah.

ב (Bet) The precious sons of Zion were worth their weight in gold – Alas! – but now they are treated like ¹  broken clay pots, made by a potter. ² 

ז (Zayin) Her consecrated ones ¹  were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies more ruddy than corals, their hair ²  like lapis lazuli. ³ 

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.

In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.

When ¹  Jesus learned of this, he said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She ²  has done a good service for me.

But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a good service for me.

Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council, ¹  who was himself looking forward to ²  the kingdom of God, ³  went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁴ 

So ¹  it seemed good to me as well, ²  because I have followed ³  all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account ⁴  for you, most excellent Theophilus,

Therefore he said, “A nobleman ¹  went to a distant country to receive ²  for himself a kingdom and then return. ³ 

Nevertheless, even among the rulers ¹  many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees ²  they would not confess Jesus to be the Christ, ³  so that they would not be put out of ⁴  the synagogue. ⁵ 

Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay ¹  one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? ² 

Older women likewise are to exhibit behavior fitting for those who are holy, not slandering, not slaves to excessive drinking, but teaching what is good.

Thus he became ¹  so far better than the angels as ²  he has inherited a name superior to theirs.

But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil.

Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to conduct ourselves rightly in every respect.

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings. ¹