| It is the will of God that you should lead a life of sanctity. You must refrain from sexual immorality. Each of you must learn to acquire a wife from pure and honorable motives, not to gratify passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. | God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. |
| Brethren, if anyone is detected committing a transgression, you who are spiritual must set him right in a spirit of gentleness. Meanwhile, you should take care so that you yourselves are not tempted. | Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. |
| In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. The man who loves his wife loves himself. | In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. |
| While experiencing temptation, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. | And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. |
| What then? Should we sin because we are not under the Law but under grace? Of course not! | Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! |
| You shall be holy, for I, the Lord, am holy. I have chosen you from among all people that you shall be mine. | You must be holy because I, the Lord, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own. |
| The brother who is in modest circumstances should take pride in being raised up. Likewise, the one who is rich should glory in being brought low, for he will disappear like a flower of the field. | Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. |
| In the same way, even the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs that cannot be put into words. | And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. |
| I also ask that the women should dress themselves modestly and decently in suitable clothing. They should be adorned not with braided hair or with gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good works, as is fitting for women who profess their reverence for God. | And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do. |
| So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. | And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. |
| I understand that man’s greatest happiness is to be glad and do well throughout his life. And when we eat and drink and find satisfaction in all our labors, this is a gift of God. | So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. |
| Everything that you do should be done in love. | And do everything with love. |
| For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may attain eternal life. | For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. |
| Each of us must consider his neighbor’s good for the purpose of building him up. | We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. |
| When I realized that my foot was slipping, your kindness, O Lord, raised me up. | I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. |
| Beloved, since God loved us so much, we should love one another. | Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. |
| What then shall we say? Should we persist in sin in order that grace may abound? Of course not! We have died to sin. How can we live in it any longer? | Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? |
| Remember this, my beloved brethren: everyone should be quick to listen but slow to speak and slow to anger. | Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. |
| Even if an army encamps against me, my heart will not succumb to fear; even if war breaks out against me, I will not have my trust shaken. | Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. |
| By his own choice he gave us birth through the way of truth so that we may be a kind of firstfruits of all his creation. | He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. |
| Instruct those who are rich in this world’s goods that they should not be proud, nor should they trust in the uncertainty of riches but rather in God who richly provides us with everything we need for our enjoyment. | Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. |
| Finally, all of you should be united in spirit, sympathetic, filled with love for one another, compassionate, and humble. | 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. |
| If someone among you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without finding fault, and it will be given to him. | If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. |
| What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? | What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? |
| Do not seek to adorn yourself externally—by the braiding of your hair and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothing. Rather, let your adornment be of your inner self, the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. | 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. |
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