And the people [i.e., of Noah's day] did not know [when it would happen] until the Flood came and swept them all away. It will be the same way when the presence of the Son of man [arrives].

Then they spit in His face and hit Him [with their fists], while others slapped Him [in the face],

And they spat on Him and took the stick and beat Him on the head with it.

So, Jesus took him away from the crowd by himself and put His fingers into the man's ears. Then He spit and touched the man's tongue [i.e., with His saliva]

[So], He took hold of the blind man by his hand and brought him out of the village. When Jesus spit [and put His saliva] on his eyes [See 7:33 for a similar use of His saliva in healing] and placed His hands on him [for healing], He asked him, "Can you see anything?"

Now Jesus and His disciples were [traveling] along the road, going up to Jerusalem, with Jesus moving on ahead of the others. The disciples were amazed and they followed [behind Him] fearfully. [Note: From the context, it appears their amazement was due to His eagerness to enter Jerusalem in spite of the imminent danger they felt awaited Him there]. He took the twelve apostles aside and began telling them about the things that were going to happen to Him.

They will mock Him, and spit on Him, and whip Him and [finally] kill Him, but after three days He will rise again [from the dead]."

And some of them began to spit on Him, then to cover His face [with a blindfold] and hit Him [with their fists], saying, "Prophesy [i.e., tell who hit you]." And the officers in charge of Him also struck Him with their hands.

They beat His head with a stick, spat on Him, knelt down before Him and [mockingly] worshiped Him.

And consider this, your relative Elizabeth is also pregnant with a son in spite of her old age, and [even though] she was said to be unable to have children, she is now six months along.

For He will be turned over to the [unconverted] Gentiles, and will be mocked, and insulted and spit on.

After He had said this, He spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then He put the mud on the man's eyes

Now it was the Day of Preparation [Note: This was the day before the Passover Festival began, and fell on a Friday that year], and the Jews did not permit bodies to remain on a cross over the Sabbath day. (Besides, that Sabbath day was a special day [i.e., since it was both the Passover and the regular weekly Sabbath, as well]). So, they asked Pilate to have Jesus' and the criminals' legs broken [i.e., to speed up their deaths] and then have their bodies taken away.

But a short time later, a violent northeasterly wind they called "Euraquilo" swept down,

No, [suffering any one of these things is not proof that Christ does not love us], for in spite of all these things we have a decisive victory [over life's difficulties] through [the care shown us by] Christ who loved us.

Be joyful as you hope [i.e., for future blessings]. Persevere in spite of the troubles you experience. Continue steadfastly in prayer.

[It is] how, in spite of their suffering severe trials, their overflowing joy and extreme poverty produced an overwhelming expression of generosity.

But I am fully persuaded in [harmony with the wishes of] the Lord that I, myself, also will go to you soon. [Note: Paul here expresses the hope of being released from imprisonment, in spite of previous hints that he might be put to death. See 1:20; 2:17].

Now I rejoice in [spite of] my sufferings for your sake, and I am filling up [i.e., completing] in my physical body what was lacking in the afflictions Christ endured for His body's sake, the church.

But [even though] we had already suffered and been mistreated at Philippi [See Acts 16:19-24], as you people know, we had the boldness, [with help] from God, to tell you His message in spite of much struggle [i.e., opposition].

But she [i.e., womankind] will be saved [from condemnation, in spite of the "curse" of suffering pain] through childbearing [See Gen. 3:16], provided they [i.e., all women] continue to have faith and love and holiness, along with discretion.

Do not continue to be swept off your course by all kinds of strange teachings. For it is good for your hearts to be strengthened by God's unearned favor [upon you] and not by [keeping regulations about] foods, which do not benefit those who observe them.

I know about your deeds. (See, I have placed before you an open door, which no one can close). [Note: This probably refers to their being assured of some unspecified opportunity]. [I know] that you have [only] a little bit of strength, but [in spite of that] you have obeyed my word and did not deny my name.

And his tail swept away one third of the stars of the sky and threw them to earth. And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he could eat her child as soon as it was born.

Then the snake spewed a torrent of water out of his mouth after the woman so that she would be swept away by the torrent.