⁴ No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.

⁴ On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.^(A) We are not trying to please people^(B) but God, who tests our hearts.^(C)

¹⁴ The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches^(A) and pleasures, and they do not mature.

²⁰ If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing^(A) our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ^(B) and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.^(C)

²² For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person;^(A) similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.^{(B) 23} You were bought at a price;^(C) do not become slaves of human beings.

²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown^(A) that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.^{(B) 26} Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;^(C) I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.^(D)

¹⁰ for Demas,^(A) because he loved this world,^(B) has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.^(C) Crescens has gone to Galatia,^(D) and Titus^(E) to Dalmatia.

⁹ So we make it our goal to please him,^(A) whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

⁵⁹ He said to another man, “Follow me.”^(A)

But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”^(B)

⁶¹ Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”^(C)

⁶² Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”