A Family of the Word

We Grow: A Journey of Drawing Closer to God

Dealing With Disappointment

Neither Idle nor Unfruitful

Find & Follow Jesus, Quarter 1

God Sees You: Lessons From Leah a 5 - Day Plan by Kerry-Ann Lewis

1 Thessalonians

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025

Walk This Way

A Year of Purpose: 5 Days to Refocus on God

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJHN">
 <div class="chapter ch9" data-usfm="JHN.9">
 <div class="label">9</div><div class="s1">Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind</div><div class="p"> 1As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, &#8220;Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3 &#8220;Neither this man nor his parents sinned,&#8221; said Jesus, &#8220;but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man&#8217;s eyes. 7&#8220;Go,&#8221; he told him, &#8220;wash in the Pool of Siloam&#8221; (this word means &#8220;Sent&#8221;). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.</div><div class="p"> 8His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, &#8220;Isn&#8217;t this the same man who used to sit and beg?&#8221; 9Some claimed that he was.</div><div class="p">Others said, &#8220;No, he only looks like him.&#8221;</div><div class="p">But he himself insisted, &#8220;I am the man.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10&#8220;How then were your eyes opened?&#8221; they asked.</div><div class="p"> 11He replied, &#8220;The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12&#8220;Where is this man?&#8221; they asked him.</div><div class="p">&#8220;I don&#8217;t know,&#8221; he said.</div><div class="s1">The Pharisees Investigate the Healing</div><div class="p"> 13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man&#8217;s eyes was a Sabbath. 15Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. &#8220;He put mud on my eyes,&#8221; the man replied, &#8220;and I washed, and now I see.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16Some of the Pharisees said, &#8220;This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.&#8221;</div><div class="p">But others asked, &#8220;How can a sinner perform such signs?&#8221; So they were divided.</div><div class="p"> 17Then they turned again to the blind man, &#8220;What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.&#8221;</div><div class="p">The man replied, &#8220;He is a prophet.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man&#8217;s parents. 19&#8220;Is this your son?&#8221; they asked. &#8220;Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 20&#8220;We know he is our son,&#8221; the parents answered, &#8220;and we know he was born blind. 21But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don&#8217;t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.&#8221; 22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23That was why his parents said, &#8220;He is of age; ask him.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 24A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. &#8220;Give glory to God by telling the truth,&#8221; they said. &#8220;We know this man is a sinner.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 25He replied, &#8220;Whether he is a sinner or not, I don&#8217;t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26Then they asked him, &#8220;What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 27He answered, &#8220;I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 28Then they hurled insults at him and said, &#8220;You are this fellow&#8217;s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don&#8217;t even know where he comes from.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 30The man answered, &#8220;Now that is remarkable! You don&#8217;t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 34To this they replied, &#8220;You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!&#8221; And they threw him out.</div><div class="s1">Spiritual Blindness</div><div class="p"> 35Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, &#8220;Do you believe in the Son of Man?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 36&#8220;Who is he, sir?&#8221; the man asked. &#8220;Tell me so that I may believe in him.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 37Jesus said, &#8220;You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 38Then the man said, &#8220;Lord, I believe,&#8221; and he worshiped him.</div><div class="p"> 39Jesus said,#9:38,39 Some early manuscripts do not have Then the man said&#8230; 39 Jesus said, &#8220;For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 40Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, &#8220;What? Are we blind too?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 41Jesus said, &#8220;If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJHN">
 <div class="chapter ch10" data-usfm="JHN.10">
 <div class="label">10</div><div class="s1">The Good Shepherd and His Sheep</div><div class="p"> 1 &#8220;Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger&#8217;s voice.&#8221; 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.</div><div class="p"> 7Therefore Jesus said again, &#8220;Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.#10:9 Or kept safe They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.</div><div class="p"> 11 &#8220;I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.</div><div class="p"> 14 &#8220;I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me&#8212; 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father&#8212;and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life&#8212;only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20Many of them said, &#8220;He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21But others said, &#8220;These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Further Conflict Over Jesus&#8217; Claims</div><div class="p"> 22Then came the Festival of Dedication#10:22 That is, Hanukkah at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon&#8217;s Colonnade. 24The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, &#8220;How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 25Jesus answered, &#8220;I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father&#8217;s name testify about me, 26but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all#10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father&#8217;s hand. 30I and the Father are one.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 31Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32but Jesus said to them, &#8220;I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 33&#8220;We are not stoning you for any good work,&#8221; they replied, &#8220;but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 34Jesus answered them, &#8220;Is it not written in your Law, &#8216;I have said you are &#8220;gods&#8221;&#8198;&#8217;#10:34 Psalm 82:6? 35If he called them &#8216;gods,&#8217; to whom the word of God came&#8212;and Scripture cannot be set aside&#8212; 36what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, &#8216;I am God&#8217;s Son&#8217;? 37Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.&#8221; 39Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.</div><div class="p"> 40Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41and many people came to him. They said, &#8220;Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.&#8221; 42And in that place many believed in Jesus.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJHN">
 <div class="chapter ch11" data-usfm="JHN.11">
 <div class="label">11</div><div class="s1">The Death of Lazarus</div><div class="p"> 1Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2(This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3So the sisters sent word to Jesus, &#8220;Lord, the one you love is sick.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4When he heard this, Jesus said, &#8220;This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God&#8217;s glory so that God&#8217;s Son may be glorified through it.&#8221; 5Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7and then he said to his disciples, &#8220;Let us go back to Judea.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8&#8220;But Rabbi,&#8221; they said, &#8220;a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9Jesus answered, &#8220;Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world&#8217;s light. 10It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11After he had said this, he went on to tell them, &#8220;Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12His disciples replied, &#8220;Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.&#8221; 13Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.</div><div class="p"> 14So then he told them plainly, &#8220;Lazarus is dead, 15and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16Then Thomas (also known as Didymus#11:16 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.) said to the rest of the disciples, &#8220;Let us also go, that we may die with him.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus</div><div class="p"> 17On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18Now Bethany was less than two miles#11:18 Or about 3 kilometers from Jerusalem, 19and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.</div><div class="p"> 21&#8220;Lord,&#8221; Martha said to Jesus, &#8220;if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 23Jesus said to her, &#8220;Your brother will rise again.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 24Martha answered, &#8220;I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 25Jesus said to her, &#8220;I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 27&#8220;Yes, Lord,&#8221; she replied, &#8220;I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 28After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. &#8220;The Teacher is here,&#8221; she said, &#8220;and is asking for you.&#8221; 29When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.</div><div class="p"> 32When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, &#8220;Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34&#8220;Where have you laid him?&#8221; he asked.</div><div class="p">&#8220;Come and see, Lord,&#8221; they replied.</div><div class="p"> 35Jesus wept.</div><div class="p"> 36Then the Jews said, &#8220;See how he loved him!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 37But some of them said, &#8220;Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead</div><div class="p"> 38Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39&#8220;Take away the stone,&#8221; he said.</div><div class="p">&#8220;But, Lord,&#8221; said Martha, the sister of the dead man, &#8220;by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 40Then Jesus said, &#8220;Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, &#8220;Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, &#8220;Lazarus, come out!&#8221; 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.</div><div class="p">Jesus said to them, &#8220;Take off the grave clothes and let him go.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Plot to Kill Jesus</div><div class="p"> 45Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.</div><div class="p">&#8220;What are we accomplishing?&#8221; they asked. &#8220;Here is this man performing many signs. 48If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 49Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, &#8220;You know nothing at all! 50You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 51He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53So from that day on they plotted to take his life.</div><div class="p"> 54Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.</div><div class="p"> 55When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, &#8220;What do you think? Isn&#8217;t he coming to the festival at all?&#8221; 57But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJHN">
 <div class="chapter ch12" data-usfm="JHN.12">
 <div class="label">12</div><div class="s1">Jesus Anointed at Bethany</div><div class="p"> 1Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2Here a dinner was given in Jesus&#8217; honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3Then Mary took about a pint#12:3 Or about 0.5 liter of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus&#8217; feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.</div><div class="p"> 4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5&#8220;Why wasn&#8217;t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year&#8217;s wages.#12:5 Greek three hundred denarii&#8221; 6He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.</div><div class="p"> 7 &#8220;Leave her alone,&#8221; Jesus replied. &#8220;It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8You will always have the poor among you,#12:8 See Deut. 15:11. but you will not always have me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.</div><div class="s1">Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King</div><div class="p"> 12The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;Hosanna!#12:13 A Hebrew expression meaning &#8220;Save!&#8221; which became an exclamation of praise&#8221;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">&#8220;Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!&#8221;#12:13 Psalm 118:25,26</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">&#8220;Blessed is the king of Israel!&#8221;</div><div class="m"> 14Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:</div><div class="q1"> 15&#8220;Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;</div><div class="q2">see, your king is coming,</div><div class="q2">seated on a donkey&#8217;s colt.&#8221;#12:15 Zech. 9:9</div><div class="p"> 16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.</div><div class="p"> 17Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19So the Pharisees said to one another, &#8220;See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Predicts His Death</div><div class="p"> 20Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. &#8220;Sir,&#8221; they said, &#8220;we would like to see Jesus.&#8221; 22Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.</div><div class="p"> 23Jesus replied, &#8220;The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.</div><div class="p"> 27 &#8220;Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? &#8216;Father, save me from this hour&#8217;? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name!&#8221;</div><div class="p">Then a voice came from heaven, &#8220;I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.&#8221; 29The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.</div><div class="p"> 30Jesus said, &#8220;This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32And I, when I am lifted up#12:32 The Greek for lifted up also means exalted. from the earth, will draw all people to myself.&#8221; 33He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.</div><div class="p"> 34The crowd spoke up, &#8220;We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, &#8216;The Son of Man must be lifted up&#8217;? Who is this &#8216;Son of Man&#8217;?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 35Then Jesus told them, &#8220;You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.&#8221; When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.</div><div class="s1">Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews</div><div class="p"> 37Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;Lord, who has believed our message</div><div class="q2">and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?&#8221;#12:38 Isaiah 53:1</div><div class="p"> 39For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:</div><div class="q1"> 40&#8220;He has blinded their eyes</div><div class="q2">and hardened their hearts,</div><div class="q1">so they can neither see with their eyes,</div><div class="q2">nor understand with their hearts,</div><div class="q2">nor turn&#8212;and I would heal them.&#8221;#12:40 Isaiah 6:10</div><div class="m"> 41Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus&#8217; glory and spoke about him.</div><div class="p"> 42Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43for they loved human praise more than praise from God.</div><div class="p"> 44Then Jesus cried out, &#8220;Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.</div><div class="p"> 47 &#8220;If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.&#8221;</div>
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Week 50. Day 3. John 9-12.

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