The Call of Abram

12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household^(A) to the land^(B) I will show you.^(C)

Ask, Seek, Knock^(A)

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you;^(B) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

²⁵ Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^{(A) 27} and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man^(B) did not come to be served, but to serve,^(C) and to give his life as a ransom^(D) for many.”

²⁷ For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.^(A)

³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.^(A) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.^{(B) 4} When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.^(C)

¹¹ “I am^(A) the good shepherd.^(B) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^(C)

⁹ However, as it is written:

¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed^(B) to us by his Spirit.^(C)

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who knows a person’s thoughts^(D) except their own spirit^(E) within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² What we have received is not the spirit^(F) of the world,^(G) but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom^(H) but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.^[b]

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,^(A) who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.^(B)