Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the eternal God, the Creator of the earth’s farthest boundaries. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding cannot be scrutinized. | Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. |
Jesus then said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” | “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” |
|
Until now, in my name, you have not asked for anything. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. | You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. |
He replied, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ and said: ‘That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two become one flesh’? And so they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” | “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’” And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” |
I have not strayed from the commandments of his lips; I have treasured in my heart the words of his mouth. | I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food. |
I have given you a command. Be strong and brave, do not be afraid nor dismayed. I, the Lord, your God, will be with you wherever you go. | 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. |
In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. | In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! |
Then Peter asked, “Ananias, why has Satan so gained control of your heart that you lied to the Holy Spirit and retained part of the sale price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not belong to you? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds yours? What caused you to contrive this scheme? You have lied not to men but to God.” | Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!” |
One day, as Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the Sabbath, his disciples began to pick some heads of grain as they walked along. The Pharisees said to him, “Behold, why are your disciples doing what is forbidden on the Sabbath?” He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the sacred bread that only the priests were permitted to eat, and he shared it with his companions.” Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” | One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?” Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” |
You have already been cleansed by the word I have spoken to you. | You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. |
Then Jesus said to him, “You have come to believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” | Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” |
I do not say this because I have been in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. | Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. |
A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in abundance. | The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. |
I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set your judgments before me. | I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations. |
We have sinned and done what is wrong, we have acted wickedly and rebelled, we have rejected your commandments and your laws. | But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. |
For you, O God, have put us to the test; you have purified us as silver is refined. | You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver. |
Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. | Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. |
For ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’ As even your own poets have said, ‘We are all his offspring.’ | For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ |
Can anyone withhold the water of baptism from these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? | Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did? |
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill them. | Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. |
I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like a mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. | I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free. |
Those of you who seek to be justified by the Law have cut yourselves off from Christ and have fallen away from grace. | For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. |
If I have the gift of prophecy and the ability to understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and have all the faith necessary to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. | If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. |
To you, O God of my fathers, I offer thanks and praise because you have given me wisdom and power. Now you have made known to me what we asked of you; you have revealed to us the king’s dream. | I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength. You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded. |
This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you. | This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. |