| They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. | Because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. |
| If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable. | When one will not listen to the law, even one's prayers are an abomination. |
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| I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. | Also that the women should dress themselves modestly and decently in suitable clothing, not with their hair braided, or with gold, pearls, or expensive clothes, but with good works, as is proper for women who profess reverence for God. |
| They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. | All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. |
| Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. | Even fools who keep silent are considered wise; when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent. |
| The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” | But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” |
| But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” | 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. |
| For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. | For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more. |
| Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. | Even to your old age I am he, even when you turn gray I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. |
| In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. | In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. |
| 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. |
| And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. | If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. |
| He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. | He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. |
| May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. | Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. |
| If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. | If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. |
| “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” | Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. |
| “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. |
| For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. | For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. |
| The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry. | The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. |
| 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. |
| So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. | Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. |
| But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. | But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. |
| Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. | Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. |
| 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. |
| After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. | When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. |
