Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased! | Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased. |
Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart. | Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. |
|
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. | We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. |
For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. | For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. |
Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path. | Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. |
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. | Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. |
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. | Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. |
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. | The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! |
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! | You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. |
Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. | Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life. |
With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love. | Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. |
I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. | I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. |
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. | He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. |
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. | For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. |
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. | For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. |
That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ. | I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. |
Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. | The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. |
But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. | But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. |
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. | For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. |
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? | I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? |
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity. | He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. |
And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. | And every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. |
No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. | Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. |
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. | On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. |
May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. | May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ. |