| How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath. | And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath. |
| 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. | 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. |
| But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. | But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently. |
| So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. | So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. |
| Rise up, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; do not forget the oppressed. | Arise, O Lord! Punish the wicked, O God! Do not ignore the helpless! |
| Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. | Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. |
| Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. | Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. |
| If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true. | So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. |
| Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. | I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. |
| Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. | All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. |
| Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. | Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. |
| Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to desist. | Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. |
| Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? | Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? |
| Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” | Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” |
| 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. | 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. |
| But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated. | But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. |
| 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. |
| How happy is the one whom God reproves; therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. | But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin. |
| Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the human heart is fully set to do evil. | When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. |
| The face of the Lord is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. | But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. |
| Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. | Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! |
| You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. | You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. |
| Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil. | Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. |
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