| 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 the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. |
| 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; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs 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 alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done 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? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. |
| In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. | Let the same mind be in you that was 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 by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. |
| 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. | Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another. |
| 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. | Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you 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 provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. |
| “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 argue it out, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like 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 to you, 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 your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one. |
| 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. | Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. |
| 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 do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. These are only a shadow of what is 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. | You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. |
| Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord; may your love and faithfulness always protect me. | Do not, O Lord, withhold your mercy from me; let your steadfast love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever. |
| No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. | Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other. |
| 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 cases of 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.” | In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must 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. | The Lord loves those who hate evil; he guards the lives of his faithful; he rescues 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.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one 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 mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. |
| 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. | No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, 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 in heaven. |
Bible verse of the day
A fool spurns a parent’s discipline,but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.