And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. | And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. |
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. | I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me. |
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Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. |
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. | For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost. |
He must increase, but I must decrease. | He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. |
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. | This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! |
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. | Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. |
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. | God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. |
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. | Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. |
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. | Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. |
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” | Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” |
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. | If you love me, obey my commandments. |
Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” | Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” |
Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. | Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is made right in God’s sight—something the law of Moses could never do. |
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. | For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. |
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. | For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. |
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. | And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. |
Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. | Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. |
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. | But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) |
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. | If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. |
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. | Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. |
If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him. | If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him! |
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. | So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. |
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. | He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. |
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” | Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” |