| For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. | We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. |
| Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. | Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. |
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| Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. | Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased. |
| 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 what is right and just and fair—every good path. | Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. |
| Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. | Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. |
| Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. | The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! |
| Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death. | Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life. |
| In fact, everyone who wants 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. |
| You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—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. |
| Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, 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. |
| Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. | He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. |
| My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? | I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? |
| 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 there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus. | For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. |
| I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High. | I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. |
| But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. | But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. |
| He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless. | He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. |
| My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, 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. |
| There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made 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. |
| For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. | For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. |
| And every tongue acknowledge 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. |
| The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. | And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. |
| May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. | 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. |
| When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole 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. |
