| Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ. | Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. |
| As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. | The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. |
| Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name. | Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. |
| In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. | In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. |
| Know then in your heart that as a parent disciplines a child so the Lord your God disciplines you. | Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good. |
| And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. | Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. |
| Then the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our lasting good, so as to keep us alive, as is now the case. | And the Lord our God commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear him so he can continue to bless us and preserve our lives, as he has done to this day. |
| 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.’ | Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ |
| So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. | So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. |
| But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. | As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. |
| Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. | Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. |
| For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. | For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. |
| The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. | The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. |
| Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. | Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. |
| If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. | When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. |
| For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ. | For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. |
| For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens; your faithfulness extends to the clouds. | For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. |
| Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. | I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. |
| And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love 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. |
| Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. | Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. |
| If we diligently observe this entire commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, we will be in the right. | For we will be counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the Lord our God has given us. |
| All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. | When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. |
| Husbands, in the same way, show consideration for your wives in your life together, paying honor to the woman as the weaker sex, since they too are also heirs of the gracious gift of life—so that nothing may hinder your prayers. | In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. |
| Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. | You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. |
| As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. | Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. |
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