| 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 swear 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 or the friend of your parent; do not go to the house of your kindred in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is nearby than kindred who are far away. |
| 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. |
| 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 mention what such people do secretly. |
| 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 doings 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. | Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. |
| My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. | My child, keep your father's commandment, and do not forsake 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 alongside 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 if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. |
| Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. | As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. |
| 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 what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. |
| “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 beneficial. “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; do not let me stray 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. | Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious 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. | Do not let 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 whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell 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 beneficial. “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 “Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; let them turn away from evil and do good; let them 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. | So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, 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 must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God with which I am charging 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 child, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves the one he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. |
| Keep my commands and follow them. I am the Lord. | Thus you shall keep my commandments and observe them: I am the Lord. |
Bible verse of the day
God sets the lonely in families,he leads out the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.