Then ¹  he came to his hometown ²  and began to teach the people ³  in their synagogue. ⁴  They ⁵  were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?

Now after Jesus ¹  entered the temple courts, ²  the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority ³  are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”

Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first.” ¹  Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, ²  tax collectors ³  and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God!

But he answered them, ¹  “You ²  give them something to eat.” And they said, “Should we go and buy bread for two hundred silver coins ³  and give it to them to eat?”

And wherever he would go – into villages, towns, or countryside – they would place the sick in the marketplaces, and would ask him if ¹  they could just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

When he learned of this, ¹  Jesus said to them, “Why are you arguing ²  about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Have your hearts been hardened?

Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will ¹  also forgive you your sins.” ² 

Then ¹  Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, ²  and the elders who had come out to get him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs like you would against an outlaw? ³ 

Jesus said to him, ¹  “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” ² 

Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time, can he?” ¹ 

Then the Jewish leaders ¹  said to one another, “Where is he ²  going to go that we cannot find him? ³  He is not going to go to the Jewish people dispersed ⁴  among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, is he? ⁵ 

Then some of the Pharisees began to say, ¹  “This man is not from God, because he does not observe ²  the Sabbath.” ³  But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform ⁴  such miraculous signs?” Thus there was a division ⁵  among them.

Then the crowd responded, ¹  “We have heard from the law that the Christ ²  will remain forever. ³  How ⁴  can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

But Peter sent them all outside, ¹  knelt down, ²  and prayed. Turning ³  to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴ 

After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, ¹  “If ²  you consider me to be a believer in the Lord, ³  come and stay in my house.” And she persuaded ⁴  us.

When Apollos ¹  wanted to cross over to Achaia, ²  the brothers encouraged ³  him ⁴  and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he ⁵  assisted greatly those who had believed by grace,

as both the high priest and the whole council of elders ¹  can testify about me. From them ²  I also received ³  letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way ⁴  to make arrests there and bring ⁵  the prisoners ⁶  to Jerusalem ⁷  to be punished.

Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, ¹  by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice – alive, holy, and pleasing to God ²  – which is your reasonable service.

Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I? ¹  Or do I make my plans ²  according to mere human standards ³  so that I would be saying ⁴  both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?

I urged Titus to visit you ¹  and I sent our ²  brother along with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? ³  Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit? Did we not behave in the same way? ⁴