"I have sinned," Saul replied. "But at least show me respect in front of the leaders of my people and all of Israel. Go back with me so that I can worship the LORD your God."

The king sent for Moses and Aaron and said, "This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right, and my people and I are in the wrong.

Then the king hurriedly called Moses and Aaron and said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you.

Balaam replied, "I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me; but now if you think it is wrong for me to go on, I will return home."

"I have sinned against the LORD," David said. Nathan replied, "The LORD forgives you; you will not die.

"I have sinned by betraying an innocent man to death!" he said. "What do we care about that?" they answered. "That is your business!"

But Saul and his men spared Agag's life and did not kill the best sheep and cattle, the best calves and lambs, or anything else that was good; they destroyed only what was useless or worthless.

Saul answered, "My men took them from the Amalekites. They kept the best sheep and cattle to offer as a sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have destroyed completely."

Do not follow the majority when they do wrong or when they give testimony that perverts justice.

I have never feared what people would say; I have never kept quiet or stayed indoors because I feared their scorn.

It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the LORD, you are safe.

The LORD says, "I am the one who strengthens you. Why should you fear mortals, who are no more enduring than grass?

Have you forgotten the LORD who made you, who stretched out the heavens and laid the earth's foundations? Why should you live in constant fear of the fury of those who oppress you, of those who are ready to destroy you? Their fury can no longer touch you.

Pilate wanted to set Jesus free, so he appealed to the crowd again.

Pilate said to them the third time, "But what crime has he committed? I cannot find anything he has done to deserve death! I will have him whipped and set him free."

So Pilate passed the sentence on Jesus that they were asking for.

Does this sound as if I am trying to win human approval? No indeed! What I want is God's approval! Am I trying to be popular with people? If I were still trying to do so, I would not be a servant of Christ.

But cowards, traitors, perverts, murderers, the immoral, those who practice magic, those who worship idols, and all liars---the place for them is the lake burning with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

Why, then, do you look with greed at the sacrifices and offerings which I require from my people? Why, Eli, do you honor your sons more than me by letting them fatten themselves on the best parts of all the sacrifices my people offer to me?

The man answered, "The woman you put here with me gave me the fruit, and I ate it."

And he said to the man, "You listened to your wife and ate the fruit which I told you not to eat. Because of what you have done, the ground will be under a curse. You will have to work hard all your life to make it produce enough food for you.

King Zedekiah answered, "Very well, then, do what you want to with him; I can't stop you."