But one of the elders said to me, “Don’t cry! The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has won the victory, and he is able to break the seven seals and open the scroll.”
In fact, I consider everything to be worthless compared with knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Knowing him is worth much more than anything else. Because of him I’ve lost everything, but I look at it all as garbage so that I can know Christ better.
“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are certainly not the least important of the rulers in Judah. A ruler will come out of you who will care for my people Israel like a shepherd.’ ”