^41 (A)Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; ^(B)the spirit is ^[a]willing, but the flesh is weak.”

³¹ “Simon, Simon, behold, ^(A)Satan has ^[a]demanded to ^(B)sift you men like wheat; ³² but I ^(C)have prayed for ^[b]you, that ^[c]your faith will not fail; and ^[d]you, when you have ^[e]turned back, ^(D)strengthen your brothers.”

⁷ However, not all people ^(A)have this knowledge; but ^(B)some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸ Now ^(C)food will not bring us ^[a]close to God; we are neither ^[b]the worse if we do not eat, nor ^[c]the better if we do eat. ⁹ But ^(D)take care that this ^[d]freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the ^(E)weak. ¹⁰ For if someone sees you, the one who has ^(F)knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will his conscience, if he is weak, not be strengthened to eat ^(G)things sacrificed to idols? ¹¹ For through ^(H)your knowledge the one who is weak ^(I)is ruined, the brother or sister for whose sake Christ died. ^12 (J)And so, by sinning against the brothers and sisters and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin ^(K)against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, ^(L)if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to sin.

^7 (A)You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with ^[a](B)someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

²⁵ And ^(A)Barnabas and ^(B)Saul returned ^(C)when they had fulfilled their ^[a]mission to Jerusalem, taking along with them ^(D)John, who was also called Mark.

Second Missionary Journey

³⁶ After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers and sisters in ^(A)every city in which we proclaimed ^(B)the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take ^(C)John, called Mark, along with them also. ³⁸ But Paul was of the opinion that they should not take along with them this man who had ^(D)deserted them ^[a]in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ Now it turned into such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took ^(E)Mark with him and sailed away to ^(F)Cyprus. ⁴⁰ But Paul chose ^(G)Silas, and left after being ^(H)entrusted by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

^11 (A)Only ^(B)Luke is with me. Take along ^(C)Mark and bring him with you, ^(D)for he is useful to me for service.

³⁸ “^(A)You have heard that it was said, ‘^(B)Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ ³⁹ But I say to you, do not show opposition against an evil person; but ^(C)whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other toward him also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your ^[a]tunic, let him have your ^[b]cloak also. ⁴¹ Whoever ^[c]forces you to go one mile, go with him two. ^42 (D)Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

⁴³ “^(E)You have heard that it was said, ‘^(F)You shall love your neighbor ^(G)and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, ^(H)love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may prove yourselves to be ^(I)sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ For ^(J)if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors, do they not do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Even the Gentiles, do they not do the same? ⁴⁸ Therefore ^(K)you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.