No one thinks to himself, nor do they comprehend or understand and say to themselves: ‘I burned half of it in the fire – yes, I baked bread over the coals; I roasted meat and ate it. With the rest of it should I make a disgusting idol? Should I bow down to dry wood?’ ¹ 

I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds, ¹  but they will not help you.

When he had contemplated this, an ¹  angel of the Lord ²  appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

The one who has ears had better listen! ¹ 

The one who has ears had better listen!” ¹ 

But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

And he said, “Whoever has ears to hear had better listen!” ¹ 

But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Therefore see to it ¹  that the light in you ²  is not darkness.

I am speaking to thoughtful people. Consider what I say.

The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, for I consider you godly among this generation. ¹ 

You must sanctify him because he presents the food of your God. He must be holy to you because I, the Lord who sanctifies you all, ¹  am holy.

and the avenger of blood finds him outside the borders of the town of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the slayer, he will not be guilty of blood,

How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools ¹  in Israel! Just ²  speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”

In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. ¹  Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel. ² 

If a decision is not made, ¹  when my master the king is buried with his ancestors, ²  my son Solomon and I ³  will be considered state criminals.” ⁴ 

I got up in the morning to nurse my son, and there he was, ¹  dead! But when I examined him carefully in the morning, I realized it was not my baby.” ² 

I will be happy and rejoice in your faithfulness, because you notice my pain and you are aware of how distressed I am. ¹ 

Our ancestors in Egypt failed to appreciate your miraculous deeds, they failed to remember your many acts of loyal love, and they rebelled at the sea, by the Red Sea. ¹ 

There is one who pretends to be rich ¹  and yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor ²  and yet possesses great wealth. ³