For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. | For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. |
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. | This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. |
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For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. | For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. |
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. | That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. |
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. | Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. |
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. | Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. |
And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. | You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed. |
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. | Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. |
Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. | Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.” |
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. | You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. |
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. | 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. |
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. | From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” |
This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. | This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. |
And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. | Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. |
And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house. | You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. |
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. | Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. |
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. | Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. |
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. | The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. |
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? | So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? |
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. | The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. |
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. | All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). |
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. | But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles. |