Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything 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. |
So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. | Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. |
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The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. | The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever. |
As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. | I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. |
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. | And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. |
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. | But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. |
As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything. | Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. |
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. | Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. |
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. | Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. |
The words of a wise man's mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him. | Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words. |
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. | Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. |
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. | The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. |
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. | For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost. |
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. | For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. |
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. | May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. |
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. | For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. |
Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. | Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. |
Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. | In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents. |
The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. | But the Lord will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. |
The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. | All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech. |
In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul. | Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name. |
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! | Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever! |
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. | Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people. |
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. | 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. |
For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance. | For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance. |