You shall serve the Lord, your God. He will bless your bread and water and take away sickness from your midst. | You must serve only the Lord your God. If you do, I will bless you with food and water, and I will protect you from illness. |
For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disharmony and every type of wickedness. | For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. |
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Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where they will be destroyed by moth and rust and where thieves break in and steal. Rather, store up treasure for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves cannot break in and steal. | Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. |
Moreover, the one to whom God grants wealth and possessions and the ability to enjoy them and to find contentment in his toil receives a gift from God. | And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. |
And God said, “Let us make man in our image and likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the wild animals and reptiles that crawl upon the earth.” | Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” |
For one believes in the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. | For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. |
And now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name. | What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord. |
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and undefiled is this: to come to the aid of orphans and widows in their hardships and to keep oneself untarnished by the world. | Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. |
The prudent man perceives danger and seeks shelter, while the simple continue forward and pay the penalty. | A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. |
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unfathomable his ways! | Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! |
For: “If anyone wishes to love life and to experience good days, he must restrain his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.” | For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.” |
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus, himself a man. | For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. |
Even should my heart and my flesh fail, God is the rock of my heart and my portion forever. | My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. |
Then he sat down, summoned the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he must become the last of all and the servant of all.” | He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” |
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord shine his face upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace. | May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace. |
May the Lord cause your love to increase and overflow for one another and for everyone else, just as our love does for you. | And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. |
I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he set me free from all my fears. | I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. |
I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and returning to the Father. | Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father. |
I reprove and discipline all those whom I love. Therefore, be sincere in your desire to repent. | I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. |
If I have the gift of prophecy and the ability to understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and have all the faith necessary to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. | If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. |
The time of fulfillment has arrived, and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. | “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” |
He reveals deep and hidden mysteries and knows what lies in the darkness, for light dwells with him. | He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light. |
Then you will understand equity and justice as well as righteousness—every good path. | Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. |
My deliverance and my glory depend on God; he is my mighty rock and my refuge. | My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. |
If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you may ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. | But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! |