| God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. | This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. |
| But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned. | But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. |
| As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.” | But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” |
| Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! | Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! |
| You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. | You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. |
| Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses. | Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. |
| But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside. | But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. |
| My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. | Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. |
| And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law. | And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. |
| Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. | Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. |
| And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. | And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. |
| God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. | This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. |
| And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. | And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. |
| A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ | And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. |
| Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. | Little children, keep yourselves from idols. |
| Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. | Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. |
| I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! | I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. |
| Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. | Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. |
| The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him. | The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. |
| Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. | Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. |
| Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. | Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful. |
| Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble. | Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. |
| There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. | Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. |
| Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you. | You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you. |
| So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer. | So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty. |
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