| I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. | I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! |
| I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. | I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth. |
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| Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy. | Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace! |
| So that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed. | Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other. |
| A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word! | Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time! |
| Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. | Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight. |
| Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. | You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. |
| My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I whom you have delivered. | I will shout for joy and sing your praises, for you have ransomed me. |
| 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 the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” |
| You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. | You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. |
| May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. | I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. |
| The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. | The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing. |
| When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. | When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. |
| But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. | But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! |
| A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother. | A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother. |
| The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. | The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise. |
| In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. | In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents. |
| Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. | We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. |
| The vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree— all the trees of the field—are dried up. Surely the people’s joy is withered away. | The grapevines have dried up, and the fig trees have withered. The pomegranate trees, palm trees, and apple trees— all the fruit trees—have dried up. And the people’s joy has dried up with them. |
| 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.” | 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!” |
| Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. | You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. |
| For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. | For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. |
| Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. | So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! |
| The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. | The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. |
| I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. | 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! |
