| And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. | While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. |
| Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. | Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. |
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| Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? | So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? |
| For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” | It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ |
| I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. | I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. |
| All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). | All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). |
| Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. | Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. |
| And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.” | But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.” |
| Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. | He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. |
| A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back. | Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. |
| And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” | Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” |
| But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. | But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. |
| For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. | For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. |
| Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. | Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. |
| I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. | I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. |
| If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. | Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. |
| For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. | This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. |
| May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. | Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. |
| Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. | Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. |
| House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. | Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. |
| Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? | Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? |
| Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. | Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. |
| His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ | His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ |
| You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you. | 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. |
| May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus. | May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had. |
