³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, ^(A)who also ^(B)sat at ^[a]Jesus’ feet and heard His word. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

⁴¹ And ^[b]Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. ⁴² But ^(C)one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

⁸ But what does it say? ^(A)“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):

¹⁷ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

¹⁰ if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

The Choice of Life or Death

¹¹ “For this commandment which I command you today ^(A)is ^[a]not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. ^12 (B)It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹⁴ But the word is very near you, ^(C)in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

²¹ if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: