Until at last the Spirit is poured out on us from heaven. Then the wilderness will become a fertile field, and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops. | Until a spirit from on high is poured out on us, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. |
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. | And hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. |
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You must not exploit a widow or an orphan. If you exploit them in any way and they cry out to me, then I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will blaze against you, and I will kill you with the sword. Then your wives will be widows and your children fatherless. | You shall not abuse any widow or orphan. If you do abuse them, when they cry out to me, I will surely heed their cry; my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children orphans. |
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” | Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” |
He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. | He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. |
Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? | Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? |
And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. | Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. |
Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. | For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. |
And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. | And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. |
And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. | All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. |
Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. | As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. |
Give us today the food we need. | Give us this day our daily bread. |
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. | For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. |
The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. | For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. |
He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. | He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. |
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. | If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. |
No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. | No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known. |
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. | And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. |
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. | Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. |
For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. | For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. |
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. | Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. |
For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? | For who is God except the Lord? And who is a rock besides our God? |
For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? | For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? |
Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.” | Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” |
See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. | See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. |