For this reason also the wisdom ¹  of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’

When ¹  he said this all his adversaries were humiliated, ²  but ³  the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things ⁴  he was doing. ⁵ 

When ¹  one of those at the meal with Jesus ²  heard this, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone ³  who will feast ⁴  in the kingdom of God!” ⁵ 

But ¹  the twelve ²  understood none of these things. This ³  saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp ⁴  what Jesus meant. ⁵ 

Then ¹  the experts in the law ²  and the Pharisees began to think ³  to themselves, ⁴  “Who is this man ⁵  who is uttering blasphemies? ⁶  Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

“This is what ¹  the Lord has done for me at the time ²  when he has been gracious to me, ³  to take away my disgrace ⁴  among people.” ⁵ 

After ¹  this, Jesus ²  went out and saw a tax collector ³  named Levi ⁴  sitting at the tax booth. ⁵  “Follow me,” ⁶  he said to him.

(Now ¹  all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, ²  acknowledged ³  God’s justice, because they had been baptized ⁴  with John’s baptism.

And in the same way he took ¹  the cup after they had eaten, ²  saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant ³  in my blood.

Day after day when I was with you in the temple courts, ¹  you did not arrest me. ²  But this is your hour, ³  and that of the power ⁴  of darkness!”

When Jesus noticed this, ¹  he said, “How hard ²  it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! ³ 

So ¹  he sent another slave. They beat this one too, treated him outrageously, and sent him away empty-handed. ² 

and then the third married her, and in this same way all seven died, leaving no children.

At this point ¹  their eyes were opened and they recognized ²  him. ³  Then ⁴  he vanished out of their sight.

But we had hoped ¹  that he was the one who was going to redeem ²  Israel. Not only this, but it is now the third day since these things happened.

and said to them, “Whoever welcomes ¹  this child ²  in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me, for the one who is least among you all is the one who is great.” ³ 

The ¹  angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands ²  in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring ³  you this good news.

When ¹  the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem ²  and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord ³  has made known to us.”

Then ¹  Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Listen carefully: ²  This child ³  is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising ⁴  of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. ⁵ 

Then ¹  he said to them, “Where is your faith?” ²  But they were afraid and amazed, ³  saying to one another, “Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the water, ⁴  and they obey him!”