because they hinder us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they constantly fill up their measure of sins,<n id="1" /> but wrath<n id="2" /> has come upon them completely.<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">After God spoke long ago<n id="1" /> in various portions<n id="2" /> and in various ways<n id="3" /> to our ancestors<n id="4" /> through the prophets,

Again he says,<n id="1" /> &#8220;I will be confident in him,&#8221; and again, &#8220;<i><b>Here I amb>,i><n id="2" /> <b><i>withi>b><n id="3" /> <b><i>the children God has given mei>b>.&#8221;<n id="4" />

Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint<n id="1" /> him with oil in the name of the Lord.

For it says<n id="1" /> in scripture, &#8220;<i><b>Lookb>, <b>I lay in Zion a stoneb>, <b>a chosen and priceless cornerstoneb>,i><n id="2" /> <b><i>and whoever believesi>b><n id="3" /> <b><i>in himi>b><n id="4" /> <b><i>will neveri>b><n id="5" /> <i><b>be put to shameb>.i>&#8221;<n id="6" />

Above all, understand this:<n id="1" /> In the last days blatant scoffers<n id="2" /> will come, being propelled by their own evil urges<n id="3" />

They have as king over them the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is <i>Abaddoni>, and in Greek, <i>Apollyoni>.<n id="1" />p>

(This requires<n id="1" /> a mind that has wisdom.) The seven heads are seven mountains<n id="2" /> the woman sits on. They are also seven kings:

<p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn for her because no one buys their cargo<n id="2" /> any longer &#8211;

<p class="poetry">(Rejoice over her, O heaven,p> <p class="poetry">and you saints and apostles and prophets,p> <p class="poetry">for God has pronounced judgment<n id="1" /> against her on your behalf!)<n id="2" />p>

The<n id="1" /> wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.p>

After<n id="1" /> Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the<n id="2" /> heavens<n id="3" /> opened<n id="4" /> and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove<n id="5" /> and coming on him.

<t /><p class="bodytext">As he was saying these things, a ruler came, bowed low before him, and said, &#8220;My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live.&#8221;

And if the house is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.<n id="1" />

<p class="otpoetry">&#8220;<b><i>Here isi>b><n id="1" /> <b><i>my servant whom I have chosen,i>b>p> <p class="otpoetry"><i><b>the one I love, in whom I take great delightb>.i><n id="2" />p> <p class="otpoetry"><i><b>I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nationsb>.i>p>

But as the man<n id="1" /> went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus<n id="2" /> was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still<n id="3" /> they kept coming<n id="4" /> to him from everywhere.p>

After noticing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruit<n id="1" /> on it. When he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now<n id="1" /> there was a man in Jerusalem<n id="2" /> named Simeon who was righteous<n id="3" /> and devout, looking for the restoration<n id="4" /> of Israel, and the Holy Spirit<n id="5" /> was upon him.

and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove.<n id="1" /> And a voice came from heaven, &#8220;You are my one dear Son;<n id="2" /> in you I take great delight.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in Elijah&#8217;s days,<n id="1" /> when the sky<n id="2" /> was shut up three and a half years, and<n id="3" /> there was a great famine over all the land.