| ‘For in him we live, move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’ | For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ |
| For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God’s service, continually doing this very thing. | Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. |
| Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” | Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” |
| So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone. | So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. |
| If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, which you are. | God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. |
| Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’ | Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ |
| For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire. | The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. |
| The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips. | Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words. |
| My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me. | My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. |
| For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don’t have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. | Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. |
| You are my hiding place. You will preserve me from trouble. You will surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. | For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. |
| Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. | God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. |
| What is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him? | What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? |
| For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them. | For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them. |
| Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” | Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” |
| Jesus, looking at them, said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.” | Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” |
| God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist, that no flesh should boast before God. | God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. |
| For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse. | For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. |
| Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things. | You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. |
| Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. | So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. |
| For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them. | For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. |
| Yahweh’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe. | The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe. |
| I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. | Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. |
| Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit. | The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. |
| Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate. | Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. |
Related topics
Jesus
Jesus, looking at them...
Church
Let’s consider how to...
Blessing
Yahweh bless you, and...
Creation
In the beginning, God...
Salvation
There is salvation in...
Community
Let’s consider how to...