Hence, I advise you to be guided by the Spirit, so that you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. | But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. |
And so you should put to death everything in your nature that is earthly: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desires, and greed (which is idolatry). | Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. |
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You want something that you cannot have, so you commit murder. And you covet something but cannot obtain it, so you engage in quarrels and fights. You do not have because you do not ask. | You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. |
And the world with all its enticements is passing away, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. | And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. |
Or can a man walk on red-hot coals without scorching his feet? | Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? |
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not allow myself to be dominated by anything. | “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. |
However, to avoid the temptation to immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. | But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. |
For where your treasure is, there will your heart also be. | For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. |
I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look with desire upon a virgin. | I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin? |
Remain sober and alert, for your enemy the devil is on the prowl like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. | Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. |
For everything that is in the world— the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life— comes not from the Father but from the world. | For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. |
Let marriage be held in honor by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for those who are immoral and adulterers will have to face God’s judgment. | Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. |
Brethren, you were called to freedom. However, make sure that you do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Instead, serve one another in love. | For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. |
As a deer longs for running streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. | As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. |
Stay awake and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak. | Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. |
No trial has confronted you except what a person can stand. God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tried beyond your strength. But together with the trial he will also provide a way out and the strength to bear it. | No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. |
While experiencing temptation, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. | Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. |
As we proceed in the path of your judgments, we wait for you, O Lord; your name and your renown are all that our heart desires. | In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul. |
By these he has given us his precious promises, great beyond all price, so that through them you may escape from the corruption with which evil desires have infected the world and thereby may come to share in the divine nature. | By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. |
The love of money is the root of all evils, and in their desire for it some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many serious wounds. | For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. |
When you fix your gaze upon it, it is gone before you realize it. For it suddenly sprouts wings and flies up to the sky like an eagle. | When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven. |
All day long the godless man continues to covet, whereas the righteous man gives unsparingly. | All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back. |
What then should we say? That the Law is sinful? Absolutely not! Yet if it had not been for the Law, I would not have known what sin was. I would not have known what covet is if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” | What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” |
Brethren, if anyone is detected committing a transgression, you who are spiritual must set him right in a spirit of gentleness. Meanwhile, you should take care so that you yourselves are not tempted. | Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. |
Those who live according to the flesh can never be pleasing to God. | Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. |