Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. | Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. |
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. | Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. |
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You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. | You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. |
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. | Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. |
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. | For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. |
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. | I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. |
I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. | I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. |
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. | I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. |
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! | Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! |
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! | You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. |
Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever! | Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear me and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever. |
And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.” | In that wonderful day you will sing: “Thank the Lord! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is!” |
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. | Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. |
God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. | God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. |
For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. | This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. |
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. | Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. |
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. | You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. |
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. | I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. |
Let all that you do be done in love. | And do everything with love. |
That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love. | I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. |
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. | God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. |
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. | All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. |
And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. | And every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. |
Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. | But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven. |
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. | This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. |