When the evil spirit was driven out [by Jesus] the [former] deaf-mute began to speak, and the crowds marveled, saying, "No one in Israel has ever seen this done before."

Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits, more evil than itself, and they reenter [the body] and [begin to] live there, so that the latter state of that person becomes worse than the former [state]. It will be the same way with the people of this evil generation."

So when the plants sprouted and formed grain, the weeds appeared also.

Woe to you, you impious scribes and Pharisees! you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and omit the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faithfulness; these latter you ought to have practised ??without omit ting the former.

When Judas, His betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was gripped with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,

After they had assembled with the elders and formed a plan, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

And when He had come into the boat, the former demoniac begged Him that he might be with Him.

Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!”

for in the beginning of the world God formed them male and female.

and he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman is an adulterer to the former,

Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return.”

While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.

[Once] Jesus was driving out an evil spirit from a [man who was] mute. And it happened when the evil spirit left [him] that the [former] mute began to speak. And the crowds were amazed.

Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits, more evil than itself, and they reenter [the body] and [begin] to live there, so that the latter state of that person becomes worse than the former state."

But woe to you Pharisees! you tithe mint and rue and every vegetable, but justice and the love of God you disregard; these latter you ought to have practised ??without omitting the former.

They brought him to the Pharisees--the former blind man.

So, they said to the [former] blind man again, "What do you have to say about the man, since [you say] he restored your sight?" The man replied, "He is a prophet."

So, they called the [former] blind man a second time, and said to him, "Give honor to God [Note: In Jewish idiom this phrase meant "Tell the truth." See Josh. 7:19]; we know this man is a sinner."

They led Him to Annas first [Note: This man was a former head priest. See Luke 3:2], for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was head priest that year.

Meanwhile, the head priest asked Jesus about His disciples and His teaching. [Note: This was probably Annas, the former "head priest" who later sent Jesus to the current head priest, Caiaphas. See verse 24].

The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

"Brothers, that Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit uttered by the mouth of David in the former times about Judas who became the guide to those who arrested Jesus;

And as this [former] crippled man stayed close beside Peter and John, all the people rushed toward them at "Solomon's Portico" [Note: This was a large covered area, with rows of columns, on the side of the Temple enclosure], completely astonished [at what had happened].

and didst say through the Holy Spirit by the lips of our forefather David Thy servant, "'Why have the nations stamped and raged, and the peoples formed futile plans?

At this the High Priest was roused to action, and he and all his supporters (who formed the party of the Sadducees), moved by jealousy,

This proposal was unanimously agreed to; and the disciples chose Stephen--a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit--and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a former convert to Judaism;

Till another king arose, who knew not Joseph. This king formed crafty schemes against our nation,

During which time Moses was born (and he was well-formed by God) who was reared three months in his father's house.

And when a design was formed by the gentiles and Jews with their rulers to treat them injuriously, and stone them,

But the disciples formed a circle around him, and he got up and went back into the city; and the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.

and there having been much disputing, Peter having risen up said unto them, 'Men, brethren, ye know that from former days, God among us did make choice, through my mouth, for the nations to hear the word of the good news, and to believe;

for Moses from former generations in every city hath those preaching him -- in the synagogues every sabbath being read.'

But the Jews became jealous, and they brought together some scoundrels from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. Attacking Jason’s house, they searched for them to bring them out to the public assembly.

The God who created the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;

Therefore, [because we] are offspring of God, we ought not to think the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought.

Therefore God overlooked and disregarded the former ages of ignorance; but now He commands all people everywhere to repent [that is, to change their old way of thinking, to regret their past sins, and to seek God’s purpose for their lives],

Many of those who had become believers were coming, confessing and disclosing their [former sinful] practices.

And he stayed three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia (northern Greece).

Now when day came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath (curse), saying that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

There were more than forty [men] who formed this plot [and swore this oath].

Being informed that a conspiracy was about to be formed against the man, I immediately sent to you, commanding also his accusers to speak before you.

Then Festus, after conferring with [the men who formed] his council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.”

My manner of life, then, from my youth, which, from its commencement, was formed among my nation, even in Jerusalem, know all Jews,

Knowing me beforehand, from a former period, if they would testify, that according to the most strict sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.

whom God displayed publicly [before the eyes of the world] as a [life-giving] sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation (propitiation) by His blood [to be received] through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness [which demands punishment for sin], because in His forbearance [His deliberate restraint] He passed over the sins previously committed [before Jesus’ crucifixion].

Yet death ruled [over mankind] from Adam to Moses [the Lawgiver], even over those who had not sinned as Adam did. Adam is a type of Him (Christ) who was to come [but in reverse—Adam brought destruction, Christ brought salvation].

knowing this, that our former man has been crucified with him, in order that the sinful body may be deprived of its power, so that we should no longer serve sin:

Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope and overflow with confidence in His promises.

Now to Him that is able to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, (conformable to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret in former times,

Therefore let us keep our festival, not with the leaven of former days, nor with the leaven of vice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

But this knowledge is not shared by all. And some, by being accustomed to idols in former times, eat this food as an idol sacrifice, and their conscience, because it is weak, is defiled.

For through the baptism of the one Spirit we were all formed into one body, Jews or Greeks, servants or free men, and were all made full of the same Spirit.

the first man was formed from the dust of the earth: the second man was from heaven.

As this was my plan, where, pray, did I show any fickleness of purpose? Or do you think that my plans are formed on mere impulse, so that in the same breath I say 'Yes' and 'No'?

to the latter one an aroma from death to death [a fatal, offensive odor], but to the other an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance, living and fresh]. And who is adequate and sufficiently qualified for these things?

And He who formed us with this very end in view is God, who has given us His Spirit as a pledge and foretaste of that bliss.

You have heard of my career and former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to hunt down and persecute the church of God extensively and [with fanatical zeal] tried [my best] to destroy it.

they merely heard that 'our former persecutor is now preaching the faith he once harried,'

But at that former time, as you did not know the true God, you were slaves to gods that do not really exist,

but you knew I preached the gospel to you on my former [visit] in weakness of the flesh,

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

till Christ be formed in you, I should be glad to be present with you even now, and to change my voice; for I am in doubt about you.

Now this secret was not disclosed to people in former generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit,

Such was the eternal purpose which He had formed in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Through whom all the body, being rightly formed and united together, by the full working of every part, is increased to the building up of itself in love.

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

and to be renewed in your mind, by living like men formed anew,

The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;

but the former preach Christ [insincerely] out of selfish ambition [just self-promotion], thinking that they are causing me distress in my imprisonment.

But whatever former things were gains to me [as I thought then], these things [once regarded as advancements in merit] I have come to consider as loss [absolutely worthless] for the sake of Christ [and the purpose which He has given my life].

That Truth which has been hidden from former ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to God's People,

let there be no fraud among you, since you have discarded your former habits and practices, and are become new men,

For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

[thus] incurring condemnation because they have broken their former pledge.

But in a great house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also wood and stone, the former truly indeed unto honor, but the latter unto dishonor.

God, having spoken in former times in fragmentary and varied fashion to our forefathers by the prophets,

Indeed, because it was weak and ineffective, the former commandment has been annulled,

The [former successive line of] priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were each prevented by death from continuing [perpetually in office];

who does not {need every day} like the former high priests to offer up sacrifices for his own sins [and] then for the [sins] of the people, because he did this once for all [when he] offered up himself.

But Jesus, as we see, has obtained a ministry as far excelling theirs, as the Covenant of which he is the intermediary, based, as it is, on better promises, excels the former Covenant.

In calling [it] new, he has declared the former [to be old]. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old [is] near to disappearing.

By this the Holy Spirit signifies that the way into the Holy Place [the true Holy of Holies and the presence of God] has not yet been disclosed as long as the first or outer tabernacle is still standing [that is, as long as the Levitical system of worship remains a recognized institution],

And for this reason, he is the mediator of the new covenant: that, since his death has taken place for the redemption of transgressions that were under the former covenant, those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” [And so] He does away with the first [covenant as a means of atoning for sin based on animal sacrifices] so that He may inaugurate and establish the second [covenant by means of obedience].

But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

By [having] faith, we understand that the universe was formed by God's word [See Gen. 1:1-27], so that what is seen has not been made out of what is visible.

By faith Moses, after being born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw the child well-formed, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

Now this word yet once more manifests the removal of the things shaken, as of things formed, that the things not shaken may endure.

Remember your former leaders--it was they who brought you God's Message. Bear in mind how they ended their lives, and imitate their faith.

Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin. And sin, when it is fully formed, brings forth death.

Therefore, O brethren, suffer long, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer receives the precious fruit of the earth, waiting for it, until he may receive the former and latter rain:

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

For after this manner in former times the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands:

for he with whom these things are not present is blind, short-sighted, and has forgotten the purging of his former sins.

For if, after escaping the world's corruptions through a full knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Messiah, they are again entangled and conquered by those corruptions, then their last condition is worse than their former one.

For they willingly forget [the fact] that the heavens existed long ago by the word of God, and the earth was formed out of water and by water,

whence the former world was destroyed by an inundation.

and formed us into a kingdom [as His subjects], priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

After these [things] I looked, and behold, an open door in heaven, and the former voice that I had heard like a trumpet speaking with me was saying, "Come up here and I will show you [the things] which must take place after these [things]."