| 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. | Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. |
| Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. | Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. |
| But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. | But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. |
| Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. | Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. |
| In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. | Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. |
| Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. | Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. |
| Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. | Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. |
| Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. | Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. |
| And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. | And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. |
| “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” | Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. |
| May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. | Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. |
| All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. | Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. |
| The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. | Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. |
| Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. | Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. |
| My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. | Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. |
| Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord; may your love and faithfulness always protect me. | As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! |
| No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. | Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. |
| But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. | But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. |
| Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. | Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. |
| John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” | And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” |
| Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. | O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked. |
| Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. | Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! |
| But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate. | But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. |
| Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. | Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. |
| Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. | Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. |
Bible verse of the day
Who is he, this King of glory?The Lord Almighty—
he is the King of glory.