Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, where he was tempted by the devil. During that time he ate nothing, and at the end of it he was famished. | Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry. |
I refrained from eating any choice food, abstaining from consuming meat or wine, and I did not anoint myself until those three weeks had passed. | All that time I had eaten no rich food. No meat or wine crossed my lips, and I used no fragrant lotions until those three weeks had passed. |
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Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to distribute among the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Then they gathered up what was left over—twelve baskets of fragments. | Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers! |
Moses remained with the Lord for forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments, on the tablets. | Moses remained there on the mountain with the Lord forty days and forty nights. In all that time he ate no bread and drank no water. And the Lord wrote the terms of the covenant—the Ten Commandments—on the stone tablets. |
One day, as Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the Sabbath, his disciples began to pick some heads of grain as they walked along. The Pharisees said to him, “Behold, why are your disciples doing what is forbidden on the Sabbath?” He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the sacred bread that only the priests were permitted to eat, and he shared it with his companions.” Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” | One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?” Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” |
Every day, united in spirit, they would assemble together in the temple. They would break bread in their homes and share their food with joyful and generous hearts as they praised God, and they were regarded with favor by all the people. And day by day the Lord added to those who were being saved. | They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. |
If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. | If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. |
God created mankind in his image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. | So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. |
John’s clothing was made of camel’s hair, with a leather loincloth around his waist, and his food consisted of locusts and wild honey. | John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. |
Finally, brethren, let your minds be filled with whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, whatever is excellent, whatever is worthy of praise. | And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. |
God blessed the seventh day and he consecrated it, for on it he rested from all the work he had done when he created all things. | And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation. |
When riches increase, so do those who are eager to accumulate them, and those who have accumulated them must remain content simply to feast their eyes on them. | The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers! |
Amen, amen, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. | I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. |
Rather, be kind to one another and compassionate, and forgive one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. | Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. |
Finally, all of you should be united in spirit, sympathetic, filled with love for one another, compassionate, and humble. | Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. |
For the Lord, your God, is gracious and compassionate, and he will not turn his face away from you if you return to him. | For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful. If you return to him, he will not continue to turn his face from you. |
The hope of the righteous brings them joy, but the expectations of the wicked are frustrated. | The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing. |
No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. | There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. |
One who forgives a misdeed fosters friendship, but he who divulges it separates good friends. | Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. |
The depths of the sea resound in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and your breakers sweep over me. | I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. |
But whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never be thirsty. The water that I will give him will become a spring of water within him welling up to eternal life. | But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life. |
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever. | And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. |
Two are better than one: they earn a far greater reward for their toil. | Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. |
Jesus said to him, “Go on your way! Your faith has made you well.” Immediately, he received his sight and followed him along the road. | And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. |
Do you suppose that I cannot appeal to my Father for help and he will not immediately send me more than twelve legions of angels? | Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? |