| For “no human being will be justified in his sight” by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. | For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. |
| Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. | So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. |
| Some friends play at friendship but a true friend sticks closer than one's nearest kin. | There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. |
| The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him. | This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him. |
| So that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. | Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other. |
| Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. | Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. |
| No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. | No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. |
| Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? | 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? |
| You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us. | Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. |
| I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. | You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. |
| And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. | And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. |
| For in much wisdom is much vexation, and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow. | The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow. |
| Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God. | Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. |
| By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. | And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. |
| There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved. | There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. |
| If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. | Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. |
| House and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. | Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the Lord can give an understanding wife. |
| Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. | Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. |
| Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him. | Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. |
| He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? | Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? |
| The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps. | We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. |
| Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. | So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. |
| For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God. | No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. |
| The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established. | You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail. |
| By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming; and now it is already in the world. | This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. |
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