| Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! |
| For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ | For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” |
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| But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. | But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! |
| And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. | And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ |
| In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. | I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. |
| As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. | As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. |
| As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. | As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. |
| I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah | I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land. |
| I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. | I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. |
| But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. | But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. |
| But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. | But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. |
| For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield. | Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. |
| For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. | Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. |
| But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. | But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. |
| Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. | Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. |
| If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. | If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. |
| As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. | Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. |
| God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places. | The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. |
| Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. | Till the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest. |
| A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. | A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. |
| Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. | “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” |
| Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. | Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. |
| And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. | After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. |
| In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. | This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. |
| Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. | Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. |
