| When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. | So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. |
| The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil. | For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. |
| But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem 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. |
| But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. | The face of the Lord is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. |
| Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? | Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? |
| When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. | Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the human heart is fully set to do evil. |
| I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart. | I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart. |
| And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. | Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. |
| Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. | The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever else you get, get insight. |
| God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful. | The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. |
| But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin. | How happy is the one whom God reproves; therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. |
| Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. | I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. |
| Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” | He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” |
| And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? | Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? |
| Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. | So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. |
| I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. | I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing. |
| But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. | But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. |
| Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. | Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. |
| You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. | You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. |
| This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other. | Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another. |
| Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. | If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. |
| This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. | I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. |
| 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. | 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. |
| So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. | Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. |
| For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. | As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. |
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