Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. | Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. |
But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers. | And whoever does not provide for relatives, and especially for family members, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. |
|
And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment. | Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God's wrath. |
There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. | Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. |
Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. | Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. |
Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. | Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. |
John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.” | In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” |
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.” | He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” |
If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? | How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? |
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. |
Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.” | And said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.” |
So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. | Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. |
See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. | See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. |
Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. | Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. |
You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. | You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. |
I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. | Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. |
So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” | So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” |
Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.” | Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” |
Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ | And let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ |
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. | And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. |
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. | Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. |
Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. | Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. |
And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. | And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever. |
Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. | Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. |
So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. | Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs. |