Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. | Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. |
As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. | Just as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother's womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything. |
|
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” | I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” |
For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. | For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. |
Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. | It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice. |
The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. | Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord rescues them from them all. |
A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word! | To make an apt answer is a joy to anyone, and a word in season, how good it is! |
The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. | The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of trouble; he protects those who take refuge in him. |
Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy. | Deceit is in the mind of those who plan evil, but those who counsel peace have joy. |
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. | From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. |
The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. | The hope of the righteous ends in gladness, but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing. |
For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. | For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. |
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. | Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices. |
The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. | And the Lord will become king over all the earth; on that day the Lord will be one and his name one. |
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. | Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. |
May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. | May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. |
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. | And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. |
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. | You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. |
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. | And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. |
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen. | Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. |
The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. | Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. |
If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them. | If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive. |
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. | Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. |
Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. | When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. |
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. | Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by braiding your hair, and by wearing gold ornaments or fine clothing; rather, let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God's sight. |