What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin,

But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ¹  ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” ²  (that is, to bring Christ down)

When I came ¹  to you, brothers and sisters, ²  I did not come with superior eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed the testimony ³  of God.

“All things are lawful for me” ¹  – but not everything is beneficial. “All things are lawful for me” – but I will not be controlled by anything.

And I say this, brothers and sisters: ¹  The time is short. So then those who have wives should be as those who have none,

“Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is lawful,” ¹  but not everything builds others up. ² 

The overseer ¹  then must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, ²  temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher,

and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss, ¹  because he has nothing evil to say about us.

It trains us ¹  to reject godless ways ²  and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,” ¹ 

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth.

All the skilled among those who were doing the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet; they were made with cherubim that were the work of an artistic designer.

Moreover, the fat of an animal that has died of natural causes ¹  and the fat of an animal torn by beasts may be used for any other purpose, ²  but you must certainly never eat it.

you must select without fail ¹  a king whom the Lord your God chooses. From among your fellow citizens ²  you must appoint a king – you may not designate a foreigner who is not one of your fellow Israelites. ³ 

Gather the people – men, women, and children, as well as the resident foreigners in your villages – so they may hear and thus learn about and fear the Lord your God and carefully obey all the words of this law.

Make sure you are ¹  very strong and brave! Carefully obey ²  all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! ³  Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful ⁴  in all you do. ⁵ 

But be careful when you are setting apart the riches for the Lord. If you take any of it, you will make the Israelite camp subject to annihilation and cause a disaster. ¹ 

the Philistines called the priests and the omen readers, saying, “What should we do with the ark of the Lord? Advise us as to how we should send it back to its place.”

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 

Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying in En Rogel. A female servant would go and inform them, and they would then go and inform King David. It was not advisable for them to be seen going into the city.