| If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. | If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. |
| A man may plan his own course, but the Lord makes his steps secure. | We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. |
| The entire community of believers was united in heart and soul. No one claimed any of his possessions as his own, for everything was held in common. | All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. |
| Therefore, prepare your minds for action. Be calm and fix your hopes completely on the grace that you will be granted at the revelation of Jesus Christ. | So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. |
| When my anxious thoughts multiplied, your comfort filled my soul with joy. | When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. |
| Persevere in prayer, with alert minds and thankful hearts. | Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. |
| For as it is written, “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has the human heart imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” | That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” |
| When God saw by their actions that they had turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not inflict upon them the punishment that he had threatened. | When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened. |
| A fool gives free rein to his anger, but a wise man bides his time and calms it. | Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. |
| Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil, but those who counsel peace have joy. | Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace! |
| The tongue of the just man is like pure silver; the heart of the wicked is without worth. | The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless. |
| They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and offered worship and service to the creature rather than to the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural practices. Likewise, men gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameful acts with men and received in their own persons the fitting penalty for their perversion. Furthermore, since these people did not see fit to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their depraved way of thinking and to all types of vile behavior. | They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. |
| Remain sober and alert, for your enemy the devil is on the prowl like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. | Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. |
| Banish grief from your heart and ignore the sufferings of your body, for youth and the prime of life are fleeting. | So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless. |
| So today acknowledge it and take it to heart that the Lord is God in the heavens above and on the earth below. There is no other. | So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other. |
| Come to your senses and sin no more. For some of you have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. | Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all. |
| Those who live according to the flesh fix their attention on the things of the flesh, while those who live according to the Spirit set their thoughts on spiritual things. | Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. |
| Each person should give as much as he has decided in his heart, not with reluctance or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. | You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” |
| As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. | Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. |
| Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled; be not afraid. | I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. |
| Therefore, let us cease passing judgment on one another, but rather judge never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. | So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. |
| Oh, that they would have fear of me in their hearts and they would observe all of my commandments always. Then things would go well with them and their children forever. | Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear me and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever. |
| In all of your prayers and entreaties, pray always in the Spirit. To that end, keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. | Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. |
| Can a woman forget the infant at her breast; or feel no compassion for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you. Behold, I have inscribed your name on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before my eyes. | Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins. |
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