As for the seed that<n id="1" /> fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but<n id="2" /> as they go on their way they are choked<n id="3" /> by the worries and riches and pleasures of life,<n id="4" /> and their fruit does not mature.<n id="5" />

When<n id="1" /> he said this all his adversaries were humiliated,<n id="2" /> but<n id="3" /> the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things<n id="4" /> he was doing.<n id="5" />p>

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,<n id="1" /> you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you!<n id="2" /> How often I have longed<n id="3" /> to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but<n id="4" /> you would have none of it!<n id="5" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now at one point<n id="1" /> the Pharisees<n id="2" /> asked Jesus<n id="3" /> when the kingdom of God<n id="4" /> was coming, so he answered, &#8220;The kingdom of God is not coming with signs<n id="5" /> to be observed,

They<n id="1" /> will fall by the edge<n id="2" /> of the sword and be led away as captives<n id="3" /> among all nations. Jerusalem<n id="4" /> will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.<n id="5" />p>

When<n id="1" /> Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform<n id="2" /> some miraculous sign.<n id="3" />

Nathanael asked him, &#8220;How do you know me?&#8221; Jesus replied,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree,<n id="2" /> I saw you.&#8221;

The person who has my commandments and obeys<n id="1" /> them is the one who loves me.<n id="2" /> The one<n id="3" /> who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal<n id="4" /> myself to him.&#8221;p>

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people<n id="1" /> by which we must<n id="2" /> be saved.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">Now while Peter was puzzling over<n id="1" /> what the vision he had seen could signify, the men sent by Cornelius had learned where Simon&#8217;s house was<n id="2" /> and approached<n id="3" /> the gate.

Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come.<n id="1" /> So now we are all here in the presence of God<n id="2" /> to listen<n id="3" /> to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

with respect to Jesus from Nazareth,<n id="1" /> that<n id="2" /> God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He<n id="3" /> went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,<n id="4" /> because God was with him.<n id="5" />

not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen,<n id="1" /> who ate and drank<n id="2" /> with him after he rose from the dead.

So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia<n id="1" /> and Samaria, they were relating at length<n id="2" /> the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy<n id="3" /> to all the brothers.

A<n id="1" /> woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth<n id="2" /> from the city of Thyatira,<n id="3" /> a God-fearing woman, listened to us.<n id="4" /> The Lord opened her heart to respond<n id="5" /> to what Paul was saying.

But when the Jews from Thessalonica<n id="1" /> heard that Paul had also proclaimed the word of God<n id="2" /> in Berea,<n id="3" /> they came there too, inciting<n id="4" /> and disturbing<n id="5" /> the crowds.

<t /><p class="bodytext">The next day, because the commanding officer<n id="1" /> wanted to know the true reason<n id="2" /> Paul<n id="3" /> was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council<n id="4" /> to assemble. He then brought<n id="5" /> Paul down and had him stand before them.p>

When the argument became<n id="1" /> so great the commanding officer<n id="2" /> feared that they would tear Paul to pieces,<n id="3" /> he ordered the detachment<n id="4" /> to go down, take him away from them by force,<n id="5" /> and bring him into the barracks.<n id="6" />p>

While<n id="1" /> they were staying there many days, Festus<n id="2" /> explained Paul&#8217;s case to the king to get his opinion,<n id="3" /> saying, &#8220;There is a man left here as a prisoner by Felix.

who comforts us in all our troubles<n id="1" /> so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble<n id="2" /> with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.