| Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. | Guard your heart with all possible vigilance, for from it flow the wellsprings of life. |
| In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle. | When you fix your gaze upon it, it is gone before you realize it. For it suddenly sprouts wings and flies up to the sky like an eagle. |
| The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. | The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it. |
| Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” | Jesus replied, “Blessed, rather, are those who hear the word of God and obey it!” |
| And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.” | Then he took a cup, and after offering thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from this, all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.” |
| Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. | As much as possible, and to the extent of your ability, live in peace with everyone. |
| Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. | Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. |
| Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. | Anxiety in the human heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad. |
| This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” | In it the righteousness of God is revealed, beginning in faith and established in faith. As it is written: “The one who is righteous will live through faith.” |
| You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. | You intended to do evil to me, but God decided to make it serve a good, to fulfill that which today has come true: to keep alive a numerous people. |
| 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 what I tell you is this: Do not swear at all, either by heaven, since it is God’s throne, or by earth, since that is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great King. |
| No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. | At the time that discipline is received, it always seems painful rather than pleasant, but afterward it yields a harvest of peace and uprightness to those who have been trained by it. |
| 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!” | 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.” |
| I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. | I will place my rainbow in the clouds and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. |
| Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. | A fool gives free rein to his anger, but a wise man bides his time and calms it. |
| But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! | If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you may ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. |
| Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. | Train a child in the way he should go, and he will not deviate from it, even in old age. |
| And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. | Therefore, I say to you: ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. |
| Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God and only later counting the cost. | It is rash to pledge a sacred gift, or to make a vow and then have second thoughts. |
| All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. | Everyone who seeks a prize submits himself to rigorous self-discipline in every respect. They do so to win a perishable crown, while we seek an imperishable one. |
| I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. | Rather, I discipline my body and bring it under control, for fear that after preaching to others I myself may be disqualified. |
| No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. | Nor would someone light a lamp and then put it under a basket; rather, it is placed upon a lampstand so that it may afford light to all in the house. In the same way, your light must shine so that it can be seen by others; this will enable them to observe your good works and give praise to your Father in heaven. |
| God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. | For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith. This has not come from you but from the gift of God. It does not come from works, so that no one can boast. |
| Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” | And the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I wish to make another creature who will be like him.” |
| Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. | Do not let this book of the law be absent from your mouth; meditate upon it day and night, so that you might carefully observe everything that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful. |
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