Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing ¹  deserving death. ² 

But the Lord said to him, ‘Take the sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. ¹ 

Though ¹  they found ²  no basis ³  for a death sentence, ⁴  they asked Pilate to have him executed.

This saying ¹  is trustworthy: ²  If we died with him, we will also live with him.

I have competed well; ¹  I have finished the race; I have kept the faith!

Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to? ¹ 

But if you suffer as a Christian, ¹  do not be ashamed, but glorify ²  God that you bear such a name. ³ 

Otherwise the blood avenger will chase after the killer in the heat of his anger, eventually overtake him, ¹  and kill him, ²  though this is not a capital case ³  since he did not hate him at the time of the accident.

This failure on your part isn’t good! ¹  As surely as the Lord lives, you people who have not protected your lord, the Lord’s chosen one, are as good as dead! ²  Now look where the king’s spear and the jug of water that was by his head are!”

The king then told Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your property ¹  in Anathoth. You deserve to die, ²  but today I will not kill you because you did carry the ark of the sovereign Lord before my father David and you suffered with my father through all his difficult times.” ³ 

If the king is so inclined, ¹  let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media that cannot be repealed, ²  that Vashti ³  may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king convey her royalty to another ⁴  who is more deserving than she. ⁵ 

Because of this, the Lord said, ¹  “You must repent of such words and thoughts! If you do, I will restore you to the privilege of serving me. ²  If you say what is worthwhile instead of what is worthless, I will again allow you to be my spokesman. ³  They must become as you have been. You must not become like them. ⁴ 

How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for ¹  the Son of God, and profanes ²  the blood of the covenant that made him holy, ³  and insults the Spirit of grace?

He is the one you should praise; ¹  he is your God, the one who has done these great and awesome things for you that you have seen.

pick the best and most capable ¹  of your master’s sons, place him on his father’s throne, and defend ²  your master’s dynasty.”

“But now they mock me, those who are younger ¹  than I, whose fathers I disdained too much ²  to put with my sheep dogs. ³ 

This is what the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, says: “Go visit this administrator, Shebna, who supervises the palace, ¹  and tell him: ² 

To them belong the patriarchs, ¹  and from them, ²  by human descent, ³  came the Christ, ⁴  who is God over all, blessed forever! ⁵  Amen.

They court you eagerly, ¹  but for no good purpose; ²  they want to exclude you, so that you would seek them eagerly. ³ 

Marriage must be honored among all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge sexually immoral people and adulterers.