^25 (A)choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy ^(B)the fleeting pleasures of sin.

¹⁷ For ^(A)it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

⁴⁰ and ^(A)when they had called in the apostles, ^(B)they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. ⁴¹ Then they left the presence of the council, ^(C)rejoicing that they were counted worthy ^(D)to suffer dishonor for ^(E)the name.

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

²⁴ Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him ^(A)deny himself and ^(B)take up his cross and follow me.

²¹ yet he has no root in himself, but ^(A)endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately ^(B)he falls away.^[a]

^29 (A)If your right eye ^(B)causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into ^(C)hell. ^30 (D)And if your right hand ^(E)causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into ^(F)hell.

¹⁰ When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where ^(A)he had windows in his upper chamber open ^(B)toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees ^(C)three times a day and prayed and ^(D)gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.