He must increase, but I must decrease. | He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. |
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. | For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. |
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There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved. | There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. |
It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave. | But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. |
The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. | And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. |
And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. | And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. |
Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. | You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. |
Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. | Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed— for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. |
Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again. | He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day. |
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. | Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. |
If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive. | If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive. |
Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. | Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me. |
In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” | John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.” |
He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” | He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” |
Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. | Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. |
But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. | Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. |
Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly 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.” |
Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband. | So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. |
Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor. | We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. |
You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. | Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. |
Some friends play at friendship but a true friend sticks closer than one's nearest kin. | There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. |
I, I am he who comforts you; why then are you afraid of a mere mortal who must die, a human being who fades like grass? | I, yes I, am the one who comforts you. So why are you afraid of mere humans, who wither like the grass and disappear? |
But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. | Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. |
You must diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his decrees, and his statutes that he has commanded you. | You must diligently obey the commands of the Lord your God—all the laws and decrees he has given you. |
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God's wrath. | And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment. |