Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. | Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. |
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. | The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. |
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Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. | Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices. |
Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. | Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to desist. |
But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. | As for you, the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in him. |
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. | Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. |
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. | For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. |
Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. | Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. |
The rich can pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened. | Wealth is a ransom for a person's life, but the poor get no threats. |
Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise. | Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. |
But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. | But I will sing of your might; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been a fortress for me and a refuge in the day of my distress. |
And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? | Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? |
So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. | Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that “there is no God but one.” |
As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.” | But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” |
What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? | What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? |
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. | I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. |
For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. | You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah |
John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. | Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. |
Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good. | Know then in your heart that as a parent disciplines a child so the Lord your God disciplines you. |
The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. | For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. |
Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. | But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. |
But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. | But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. |
I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments. | I shall walk at liberty, for I have sought your precepts. |
Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all. | Come to a sober and right mind, and sin no more; for some people have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. |
So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer. | So we fasted and petitioned our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty. |