| When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” | Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” |
| The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. | The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen. |
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| And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” | And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” |
| Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. | But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. |
| But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles. | To this day I have had help from God, and so I stand here, testifying to both small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would take place: that the Messiah must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles. |
| How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! | How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! |
| The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy. | Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight. |
| You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. | You shall be holy to me; for I the Lord am holy, and I have separated you from the other peoples to be mine. |
| Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” | He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” |
| But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. | I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter. |
| But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” | But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” |
| For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. | For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. |
| You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. | Adulterers! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. |
| And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. | Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. |
| Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. | Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly. |
| Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. | Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. |
| For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. | For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly. |
| Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. | Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. |
| For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. | Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse. |
| Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. | As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. |
| A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. | The wicked earn no real gain, but those who sow righteousness get a true reward. |
| Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. | Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices. |
| Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. | So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. |
| I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. | Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. |
| But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. | But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. |
