| Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people. | Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people. |
| You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great. You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping. | You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great. You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way. |
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| Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. | Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. |
| But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” | But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” |
| But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. | Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. |
| Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. | Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. |
| Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people! | A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great. |
| And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” | And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” |
| But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you. | But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. |
| And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath. | How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. |
| Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory. | Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. |
| If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? | If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? |
| Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. | Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. |
| I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them. | I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them. |
| Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. | We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. |
| Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. | Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. |
| And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” | Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” |
| But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. | But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. |
| Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. | Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. |
| Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. | Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. |
| Unfailing love, O Lord, is yours. Surely you repay all people according to what they have done. | “And with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone according to what they have done.” |
| Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. | Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. |
| A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ | And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ |
| For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. | Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. |
| How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver! | How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver! |
