| God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t make it good? | God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? |
| For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. | For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. |
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| Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. | Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. |
| The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance. | The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. |
| “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord Yahweh, “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?” | Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? |
| And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. | And every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. |
| You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. | You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. |
| Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident. | Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. |
| I made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look lustfully at a young woman? | I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman. |
| But I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. | No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. |
| To him who is ready to faint, kindness should be shown from his friend; even to him who forsakes the fear of the Almighty. | Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty. |
| But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.” | But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” |
| For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps. | To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. |
| Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for I trust in you. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you. | Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. |
| But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from you, and we have given you of your own. | But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. |
| You shall be holy to me, for I, Yahweh, am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that you should be mine. | 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. |
| See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him. | See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. |
| Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth. | Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. |
| For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. | For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. |
| I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you. | I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. |
| But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. | But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. |
| Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. | He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. |
| I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live. Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God. | I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. |
| This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother. | And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. |
| This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ. | Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. |
