Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vanity, but humbly regard others as better than yourselves. | Doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself. |
And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask him, we may be sure that all we ask of him will be ours. | And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him. |
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Therefore, do not allow anyone to pass judgment on you in regard to what you eat or drink, or about the observance of Festivals, New Moons, or Sabbaths. These are only a shadow of what is to come. The reality is Christ. | Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day, which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s. |
Now in regard to the eating of meat sacrificed to idols, we know that idols are nothing in the world and that there is only one God. | Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one. |
Let no one regard you with contempt because of your youth, but serve as an example to the believers in your speech and conduct, in your love, your faith, and your purity. | Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. |
As for me, I do not regard my life as of any value, only that I finish the race and complete the mission that I received from the Lord Jesus—to bear witness to the gospel of God’s grace. | But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God. |
Through the grace that God has bestowed upon me, I advise every one of you not to think of yourself too highly, but to regard yourself objectively, based on the measure of faith that God has granted. | For I say through the grace that was given me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith. |
Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. Being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. | Who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross. |
I do not say this because I have been in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. | Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it. |
Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; if he closes his lips, he is regarded as intelligent. | Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning. |
The wealth of a rich man is his stronghold; he regards it as a high wall that cannot be scaled. | The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination. |
For no one can be regarded as justified in the sight of God by keeping the Law. The Law brings only the consciousness of sin. | Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. |
If you refrain from traveling on the Sabbath and from engaging in your own interests on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a day of joy and regard the Lord’s holy day as honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way, serving your own interests, or attending to your own affairs; then you will find true happiness in the Lord, and I will enable you to ride upon the heights of the earth. I will nourish you with the heritage of your father Jacob, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. | “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, and the holy of Yahweh honorable, and honor it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you will delight yourself in Yahweh, and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth, and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father;” for Yahweh’s mouth has spoken it. |
He was despised and shunned by others, a man of sorrows who was no stranger to suffering. We loathed him and regarded him as of no account, as one from whom men avert their gaze. | He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him. |
God chose those in the world who were lowly and despised, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who were regarded as worthy, so that no one could boast in the presence of God. | God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist, that no flesh should boast before God. |
A fool spurns his father’s correction, but whoever heeds admonition is prudent. | A fool despises his father’s correction, but he who heeds reproof shows prudence. |
Every day, united in spirit, they would assemble together in the temple. They would break bread in their homes and share their food with joyful and generous hearts as they praised God, and they were regarded with favor by all the people. And day by day the Lord added to those who were being saved. | Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved. |
This is ‘the stone rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone.’ | He is ‘the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’ |