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. | 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. |
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. | 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. |
|
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. | 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. |
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! | 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. |
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. | 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. |
You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. | Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. |
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. | 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. |
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!” | 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.” |
He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. | He must increase; I must decrease. |
So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. | God created mankind in his image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. |
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. | Through him all things came into existence, and without him there was nothing. That which came to be. |
If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. | If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. |
The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow. | For much wisdom can result in much sorrow, and those who increase their knowledge also increase their grief. |
The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. | The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. |
The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. | As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. |
But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. | But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. |
The rich can pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened. | A wealthy man pays a ransom to save his life; a poor man never has to worry about such threats. |
Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. | Let your kindness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. |
Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. | Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but he who mingles with fools will suffer harm. |
A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. | A perverse man sows strife, and a tale-bearer destroys close friendships. |
Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. | One who forgives a misdeed fosters friendship, but he who divulges it separates good friends. |
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. | In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and barren, and darkness covered the abyss while the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. |
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? | Who then can separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? |
He loves whatever is just and good; the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth. | The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is filled with his kindness. |
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. | Put on the armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against the deceit of the devil. |