Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners. | Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” |
Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. | “Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?” says the Lord. |
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I had eaten no rich food, no meat or wine had entered my mouth, and I had not anointed myself at all, for the full three weeks. | All that time I had eaten no rich food. No meat or wine crossed my lips, and I used no fragrant lotions until those three weeks had passed. |
I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. | I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. |
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. | For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. |
I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. | Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. |
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. | Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. |
But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me. | But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me. |
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. | “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” |
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. | Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. |
I delight in the way of your decrees as much as in all riches. | I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches. |
When I thought, “My foot is slipping,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. | I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. |
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. | For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. |
One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. | The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. |
Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. | Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. |
Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. | Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you. |
You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. | You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. |
I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah | I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. |
I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world! | I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. |
I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance. | I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent. |
You shall be holy to me; for I the Lord am holy, and I have separated you from the other peoples to be mine. | You must be holy because I, the Lord, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own. |
With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me? | The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? |
But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God's grace. | But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. |
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. | This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. |
You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. | You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. |