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⁵ At Gibeon the Lord appeared^(A) to Solomon during the night in a dream,^(B) and God said, “Ask^(C) for whatever you want me to give you.”

⁶ Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful^(D) to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son^(E) to sit on his throne this very day.

⁷ “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child^(F) and do not know how to carry out my duties. ⁸ Your servant is here among the people you have chosen,^(G) a great people, too numerous to count or number.^{(H) 9} So give your servant a discerning^(I) heart to govern your people and to distinguish^(J) between right and wrong. For who is able^(K) to govern this great people of yours?”

¹⁰ The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. ¹¹ So God said to him, “Since you have asked^(L) for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment^(M) in administering justice, ¹² I will do what you have asked.^(N) I will give you a wise^(O) and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.

²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit^(A) himself intercedes for us^(B) through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts^(C) knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes^(D) for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good^(E) of those who love him, who^[a] have been called^(F) according to his purpose.^{(G) 29} For those God foreknew^(H) he also predestined^(I) to be conformed to the image of his Son,^(J) that he might be the firstborn^(K) among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined,^(L) he also called;^(M) those he called, he also justified;^(N) those he justified, he also glorified.^(O)

More Than Conquerors

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things?^(P) If God is for us,^(Q) who can be against us?^{(R) 32} He who did not spare his own Son,^(S) but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge^(T) against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns?^(U) No one. Christ Jesus who died^(V)—more than that, who was raised to life^(W)—is at the right hand of God^(X) and is also interceding for us.^{(Y) 35} Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?^(Z) Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?^{(AA) 36} As it is written:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors^(AC) through him who loved us.^{(AD) 38} For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[c] neither the present nor the future,^(AE) nor any powers,^{(AF) 39} neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God^(AG) that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.^(AH)

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast^(A)(B)

³¹ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^(C) a mustard seed,^(D) which a man took and planted in his field. ³² Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”^(E)

³³ He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^(F) yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds^[a] of flour^(G) until it worked all through the dough.”^(H)

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like^(A) treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.^(B)

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like^(C) a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

The Parable of the Net

⁴⁷ “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like^(D) a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds^(E) of fish. ⁴⁸ When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. ⁴⁹ This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous^{(F) 50} and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^(G)

⁵¹ “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied.

⁵² He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”