| You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, what can be done to make it salty once again? It is no longer good for anything, and thus it is cast out and trampled underfoot. | You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. |
| Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he departed from them and was taken up to heaven. | When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. |
| He cried out, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” And with these words he breathed his last. | Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. |
| The Lord God said, “Behold, man has become like one of us, for he has knowledge of that which is good and that which is evil. Now, we must prevent him from reaching out and taking the fruit of the tree of life lest he eat it and live forever.” The Lord God cast him out of the Garden of Eden; henceforth he was to labor tilling the soil from which he had come. | And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. |
| Then he went on, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For from within, from the human heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from within, and they defile a person.” | He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” |
| The righteous call out, and the Lord hears them; he rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord remains close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those whose spirit is crushed. | The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. |
| In my anguish I cried out to the Lord and called to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. | In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. |
| But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people claimed by God as his own possession,” so that you may proclaim the praise of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. | But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. |
| Remember that you were once a slave in the land of Egypt. The Lord, your God, brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore, the Lord, your God, has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. | Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. |
| A truthful witness does not lie, but a false witness lies incessantly. | An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies. |
| The Lord then said, “Very well. All that he has is in your power. However, you may not lay a hand upon him.” So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. | The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. |
| He sent forth his word and healed them, saving them from the grave. | He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. |
| But when the disciples saw him walking on the water they thought it was a ghost and they cried out, for they all had seen him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them, saying, “Have courage! It is I! Do not be afraid!” | But when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” |
| Speak out and pronounce righteous judgments; defend the rights of the wretched and the poor. | Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. |
| So if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out there. If they say, ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For just as lightning comes from the east and is visible even in the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. | So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. |
| Speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves, and defend the rights of the destitute. | Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. |
| The misfortunes of the righteous man are many, but the Lord delivers him, from all of them. | The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. |
| After he said this, he was lifted up as they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. | After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. |
| I urge you, brethren, to watch out for those who incite dissensions and obstacles in opposition to the teaching that you have learned. Take care to avoid them. | I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. |
| I am the Lord, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. You know no God but me, nor any savior other than me. | But I have been the Lord your God ever since you came out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Savior except me. |
| Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vanity, but humbly regard others as better than yourselves. | Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. |
| But for you who fear my name the sun of justice will arise with its healing rays. You will emerge leaping like calves released from the stall. | But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. |
| When you call out to me and come forth and pray to me, I will listen to you. | Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. |
| Let no foul word ever pass your lips. Say only what is useful for edification, so that your words may benefit your listeners. | Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. |
| Until a spirit from on high is poured out upon us, and the wilderness becomes an orchard and the fruitful field becomes a forest. | Till the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest. |
Bible verse of the day
In my anguish I cried out to the Lordand called to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.