| Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? | Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? |
| But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. | But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. |
| Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away. | Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend, and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away. |
| Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. | Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. |
| Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. | Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. |
| Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. | Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil. |
| “Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. | Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord. |
| My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. | My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. |
| Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold. | You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. |
| Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. | Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. |
| Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. | Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. |
| For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. | For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. |
| “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. | “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. |
| You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. | You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! |
| I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. | With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! |
| So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. | Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. |
| Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. | Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. |
| Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. | Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. |
| When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. | And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. |
| “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. | “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. |
| For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.” | For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.” |
| Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. | And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. |
| Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you. | You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you. |
| My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. | My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. |
| Keep my commands and follow them. I am the Lord. | So you shall keep my commandments and do them: I am the Lord. |
Bible verse of the day
To do what is right and justis more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.