¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances;^(A) for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

⁶ But when they said, “Give us a king^(A) to lead us,” this displeased^(B) Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. ⁷ And the Lord told him: “Listen^(C) to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected,^(D) but they have rejected me as their king.^(E)

¹⁸ The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”^(A)

Trials and Temptations

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds,^{(A) 3} because you know that the testing of your faith^(B) produces perseverance.^{(C) 4} Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature^(D) and complete, not lacking anything.

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.^{(B) 17} When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.^{(C) 20} The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God^(D) for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.