¹⁵ “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan^(A) is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.^(B)”

¹¹ But Moses said to God, “Who am I^(A) that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

²¹ Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe^(A) of Israel, and is not my clan the least^(B) of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin?^(C) Why do you say such a thing to me?”

¹⁰ Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”^(A)

⁸ Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people,^(A) this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles^(B) the boundless riches of Christ,^(C)

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles^(A) and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted^(B) the church of God.^(C)

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”