Pray for All People

2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, ^2 (A)for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and ^(B)dignified in every way. ³ This is good, and ^(C)it is pleasing in the sight of ^(D)God our Savior, ⁴ who desires ^(E)all people to be saved and ^(F)to come to ^(G)the knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For ^(H)there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man^[a] Christ Jesus, ^6 (I)who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is ^(J)the testimony given ^(K)at the proper time. ^7 (L)For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (^(M)I am telling the truth, I am not lying), ^(N)a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

⁸ I desire then that ^(O)in every place the men should pray, ^(P)lifting ^(Q)holy hands without anger or quarreling;

³⁵ And the angel answered her, ^(A)“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of ^(B)the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born^[a] will be called ^(C)holy—^(D)the Son of God. ³⁶ And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her ^(E)who was called barren. ³⁷ For ^(F)nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸ And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant^[b] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And ^(G)the angel departed from her.

⁶ And ^(A)while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and ^(B)wrapped him in swaddling cloths and ^(C)laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in ^(D)the inn.^[a]

^6 (A)who, though he was in ^(B)the form of God, did not count equality with God ^(C)a thing to be grasped,^{[a] 7} but ^(D)emptied himself, by taking the form of a ^(E)servant,^{[b] (F)}being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by ^(G)becoming obedient to the point of death, ^(H)even death on a cross.