| Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. | Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of your opportunity. Let your speech always be gracious and seasoned with wisdom, so that you will know how to respond properly to all. |
| He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. | He reveals deep and hidden mysteries and knows what lies in the darkness, for light dwells with him. |
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| Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. | Be strong and courageous in your hearts, all you who place your hope in the Lord. |
| For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth. | For light produces all goodness and righteousness and truth. |
| Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. | Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. |
| Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. | Place your hope in the Lord: be strong and courageous in your heart, and place your hope in the Lord. |
| It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. | It was not their own swords that won them the land, nor did their own arms make them victorious; rather, it was your right hand and your arm and the light of your face, because you loved them. |
| This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. | This is the message that we have heard from him and that we declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness at all in him. |
| The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? | The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom should I be afraid? |
| But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. | However, whoever lives by the truth comes to the light so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been done in God. |
| Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. | Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Let your gracious Spirit lead me along a level path. |
| All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. | All you need to do is to say ‘Yes’ if you mean ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ if you mean ‘No.’ Anything beyond this comes from the evil one. |
| For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. | Our temporary light afflictions are preparing for us an incomparable weight of eternal glory. |
| For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” | For so has the Lord commanded us to do, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles so that you may bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’ |
| Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord; may your love and faithfulness always protect me. | O Lord, do not withhold your mercy from me; may your kindness and your truth keep me safe forever. |
| No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. | No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a pot or places it under a bed. Rather he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. |
| Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? | Do not associate with unbelievers. For what basis can there be for a partnership between righteousness and lawlessness? What do light and darkness have in common? |
| Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned. | Above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth, or use any oaths at all. Let your “Yes” mean “Yes” and your “No” mean “No.” Otherwise you may be condemned. |
| Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. | Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may show yourselves blameless and beyond reproach, children of God without spot in the midst of an evil and depraved generation, among which you shine like lights in the world as you hold fast tenaciously to the word of life. |
| I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. | I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your precepts. |
| Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. | Come forth! Let us bow down to worship him; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker. |
| But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. | But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people claimed by God as his own possession,” so that you may proclaim the praise of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. |
| Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. | Guide my steps in accord with your word and never let evil triumph over me. |
| My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. | My son, do not forget my teaching, but cherish my commandments in your heart, for they will bring you length of days, more years of life, and an abundance of prosperity. |
| Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. | Do not worry about anything, but present your needs to God in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. Then the peace of God, which is beyond all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. |
