| That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. | I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death. |
| Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he. | Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time? It is I, the Lord, the First and the Last. I alone am he. |
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| If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. | God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. |
| In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. | I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? |
| Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. | As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. |
| Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. | Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge. |
| The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. | The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. |
| No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. | No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. |
| And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. | Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” |
| So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. | So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. |
| Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. | God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. |
| But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. | But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. |
| And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. | Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. |
| So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. | That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. |
| Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations. | Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. |
| Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me. | I have been the Lord your God ever since I brought you out of Egypt. You must acknowledge no God but me, for there is no other savior. |
| For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. | For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. |
| Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. | Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. |
| Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. | And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. |
| Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? | Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? |
| But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. | But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. |
| But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. | Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes. |
| Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children. | Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. |
| Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. | I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. |
| Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. | But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive! |
