and say to them: “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose Israel I swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore to them, “I am the Lord your God.”

I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God.”

For I consider myself not at all inferior to those “super-apostles.”

I am not able to bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy for me!

They repay my love with accusations, but I continue to pray.

“My portion is the Lord,” I have said to myself, so I will put my hope in him.

But Peter helped him up, saying, “Stand up. I too am a mere mortal.”

So I made up my own mind not to pay you another painful visit.

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and then enter into the battle; but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and then entered into the battle.

I solemnly make this oath – what I say is true and reliable: ‘Surely every knee will bow to me, every tongue will solemnly affirm;

therefore, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I will deal with you according to your anger, and according to your envy, by which you acted spitefully against them. I will reveal myself to them when I judge you.

I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name ‘the Lord’ I was not known to them.

I will surely punish them for doing such things!” says the Lord. “I will surely bring retribution on such a nation as this!”

I will certainly punish them for doing such things!” says the Lord. “I will certainly bring retribution on such a nation as this!

In this vision I saw myself in Susa the citadel, which is located in the province of Elam. In the vision I saw myself at the Ulai Canal.

I ate no choice food; no meat or wine came to my lips, nor did I anoint myself with oil until the end of those three weeks.

With what should I enter the Lord’s presence? With what should I bow before the sovereign God? Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?

And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too.

I wish that everyone was as I am. But each has his own gift from God, one this way, another that.

– though mine too are significant. If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials, I have more: