Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. | Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the 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 concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should 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. | Rest in Yahweh, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen. |
Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. | Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint. |
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 which you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain 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. | These words, which I command you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. |
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, 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. | But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts. |
The rich can pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened. | The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, but the poor hear no threats. |
Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise. | Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about 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 strength. Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning. For you have been my high tower, 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 that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is 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. | Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other 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 when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” |
What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? | What is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him? |
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. | For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us. |
For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. | You are my hiding place. You will preserve me from trouble. You will surround me with songs 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 himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. 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. | You shall consider in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so Yahweh 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 word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, 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. | He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on 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 let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. |
I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments. | I will walk in 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. | Wake up righteously and don’t sin, for some 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 begged our God for this, and he granted our request. |