Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you. | The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. |
Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. | Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. |
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I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. | My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. |
For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. | God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. |
Of all the marine animals, you may eat whatever has both fins and scales. You may not, however, eat marine animals that do not have both fins and scales. They are ceremonially unclean for you. | Of all the creatures living in the water, you may eat any that has fins and scales. But anything that does not have fins and scales you may not eat; for you it is unclean. |
So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. | Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. |
Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. | I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. |
But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin. | Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. |
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. | For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. |
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. | My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. |
And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! | Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. |
When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. | When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong. |
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. | Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. |
He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. | He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. |
Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. | Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. |
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. | Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. |
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. | For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. |
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. | Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. |
Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler. | Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler! |
And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. | “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. |
Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. | For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. |
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” | The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” |
Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. | Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. |
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. | Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. |
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. | The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. |