And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. | And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. |
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” | They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” |
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I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. | I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. |
My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. | My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. |
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. | If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? |
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! | How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! |
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. | But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! |
Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. | Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins. |
But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. | But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers. |
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. | Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. |
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. | Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. |
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. | Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you. |
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. | Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children. |
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. | A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. |
The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us. | May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us. |
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. | There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. |
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. | But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord. |
Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. | Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. |
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! | So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. |
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him. | The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise. |
My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad. | My child, if your heart is wise, my own heart will rejoice! |
A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother. | A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother. |
Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend, and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away. | Never abandon a friend— either yours or your father’s. When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance. It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away. |
You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. | You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself. |