One of the constant debates in translation is how explicit to be. If the Greek says "he began to say," and context clearly shows that they are in fact beginning to say, don't you just follow better English style and say "he said"?

When we go through difficult times, sometimes they are the consequence of our own actions, but not always. When the book of Hebrews talks about God “disciplining” us, it doesn’t always mean we have done something wrong.