Ministers of the New Covenant

¹² Now when I went to Troas^(A) to preach the gospel of Christ^(B) and found that the Lord had opened a door^(C) for me, ¹³ I still had no peace of mind,^(D) because I did not find my brother Titus^(E) there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.^(F)

¹⁴ But thanks be to God,^(G) who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma^(H) of the knowledge^(I) of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are to God the pleasing aroma^(J) of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.^{(K) 16} To the one we are an aroma that brings death;^(L) to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?^{(M) 17} Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.^(N) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,^(O) as those sent from God.^(P)

Jesus Heals Many^(A)(B)

²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue,^(C) they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. ³¹ So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up.^(D) The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

³² That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.^{(E) 33} The whole town gathered at the door, ³⁴ and Jesus healed many who had various diseases.^(F) He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.^(G)

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place^(H)

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.^{(I) 36} Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”^{(J) 39} So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues^(K) and driving out demons.^(L)