Ecc 7:8-9, Mat 5:39-41, Act 6:1-5, 15:2-21, Rom 12:18, 1Th 4:11 | ESV | STEP | Better is the end of a thing than its beginning , and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit .

8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,
and ^athe patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 ^bBe not quick in your spirit to become angry,
^cfor anger lodges in the heart ^{▼▼Hebrew in the bosom} of fools.

Matthew 5:39-41

39 But I say to you, ^eDo not resist the one who is evil. But ^fif anyone ^gslaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And ^hif anyone would sue you and take your tunic, ^{▼▼Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin} let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone ^jforces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

Acts 6:1-5

Seven Chosen to Serve

1 Now in these days ^kwhen the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists ^{▼▼That is, Greek-speaking Jews} arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in ^mthe daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 ⁿTherefore, brothers, ^{▼▼Or brothers and sisters} pick out from among you seven men ^pof good repute, ^qfull of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But ^rwe will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, ^sa man full of faith and ^tof the Holy Spirit, and ^uPhilip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, ^va proselyte of Antioch.

Acts 15:2-21

2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and ^wdebate with them, Paul and Barnabas and ^xsome of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to ^ythe apostles and the elders about this question. 3 So, ^zbeing sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, ^aadescribing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and ^abbrought great joy to all ^acthe brothers. ^{▼▼Or brothers and sisters; also verse 22} 4 ^aeWhen they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and ^afthe apostles and the elders, and ^agthey declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to ^ahthe party of the Pharisees rose up and said, ^ai“It is necessary ^ajto circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

6 ^akThe ^alapostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7 And after there had been much ^amdebate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, ^anthat by my mouth the Gentiles should hear ^aothe word of ^apthe gospel and believe. 8 And God, ^aqwho knows the heart, ^arbore witness to them, ^asby giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and ^athe made no distinction between us and them, ^auhaving cleansed their hearts ^avby faith. 10 Now, therefore, why ^aware you putting God to the test ^axby placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples ^aythat neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we ^azbelieve that we will be ^basaved through ^bbthe grace of the Lord Jesus, ^bcjust as they will.”

12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul ^bdas they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, ^beJames replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 ^bfSimeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them ^bga people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

16 ^bh“‘After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will restore it,
17 that the remnant ^{▼▼Or rest} of mankind ^bjmay seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles ^bkwho are called by my name,
says the Lord, who makes these things 18 ^blknown from of old.’
19 Therefore ^bmmy judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who ^bnturn to God, 20 but should write to them ^boto abstain from ^bpthe things polluted by idols, and from ^bqsexual immorality, and from ^brwhat has been strangled, and from ^bsblood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, ^btfor he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

Romans 12:18

18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, ^bulive peaceably with all.

1 Thessalonians 4:11

11 and to aspire ^bvto live quietly, and ^bwto mind your own affairs, and ^bxto work with your hands, as we instructed you,