It would be better for him to have a millstone ¹  tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea ²  than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. ³ 

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 

A ¹  spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams; ²  it throws him into convulsions ³  and causes him to foam at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him alone, torturing ⁴  him severely.

Jesus ¹  said to his disciples, “Stumbling blocks are sure to come, but woe ²  to the one through whom they come!

He has helped his servant Israel, remembering ¹  his mercy, ² 

and a woman was there ¹  who had been disabled by a spirit ²  for eighteen years. She ³  was bent over and could not straighten herself up completely. ⁴ 

He ¹  will turn ²  many of the people ³  of Israel to the Lord their God.

But they persisted ¹  in saying, “He incites ²  the people by teaching throughout all Judea. It started in Galilee and ended up here!” ³ 

Furthermore, some women of our group amazed us. ¹  They ²  were at the tomb early this morning,

Won’t ¹  God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out ²  to him day and night? ³  Will he delay ⁴  long to help them?

I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. ¹  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith ²  on earth?”

You will be betrayed even by parents, ¹  brothers, relatives, ²  and friends, and they will have some of you put to death.

People will be fainting from fear ¹  and from the expectation of what is coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ² 

He released the man they asked for, who had been thrown in prison for insurrection and murder. But he handed Jesus over ¹  to their will. ² 

When ¹  the woman saw that she could not escape notice, ²  she came trembling and fell down before him. In ³  the presence of all the people, she explained why ⁴  she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed.

A third time he said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I have found him guilty ¹  of no crime deserving death. ²  I will therefore flog ³  him and release him.”

As you are going with your accuser before the magistrate, ¹  make an effort to settle with him on the way, so that he will not drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, ²  and the officer throw you into prison.