| The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” | The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse— who can understand it? I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings. |
| For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. | For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
| If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. | If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. |
| Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. | Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but may receive a full reward. |
| For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. | For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure. |
| Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. | Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. |
| Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. | Am I now seeking human approval, or God's approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ. |
| Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. | As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything. |
| I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. | I am coming soon; hold fast to what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. |
| Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. | Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you. |
| I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. | I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing. |
| Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor. | The hand of the diligent will rule, while the lazy will be put to forced labor. |
| Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. | Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage. |
| I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. | I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. |
| To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. | To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. |
| When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. | And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. |
| Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. | Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. |
| And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. | By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. |
| But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. | But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. |
| But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. | But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. |
| “And with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone according to what they have done.” | And steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord. For you repay to all according to their work. |
| If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. | For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever and ever. |
| “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him.” | They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, my special possession on the day when I act, and I will spare them as parents spare their children who serve them. |
Bible verse of the day
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,and his ears are attentive to their cry.