Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. | About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. |
“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” | Jesus then said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” |
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Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. | Acquire wisdom and gain understanding; never forget or turn aside from my words. |
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. | Oh, that they would have fear of me in their hearts and they would observe all of my commandments always. Then things would go well with them and their children forever. |
Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.” | And said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.” |
Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you! | Repent and renounce all your transgressions. Otherwise your iniquity will prove to be your downfall. |
But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. | Dear children, you are from God and you have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. |
I will bless my people and their homes around my holy hill. And in the proper season I will send the showers they need. There will be showers of blessing. | I will make them and the region surrounding my hill a blessing, and I will send them rain in due season that will be showers of blessing. |
Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. | Therefore, he has the full power to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to intercede for them. |
But Jesus told them, “I will be with you only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me.” | Jesus then said, “I will remain with you only for a short time longer, and then I shall return to him who sent me.” |
Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. | Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts in accordance with them will be like a wise man who constructed his house on a rock foundation. |
All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. | God abides in anyone who acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, and that person abides in God. |
“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’” And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” | He replied, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ and said: ‘That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two become one flesh’? And so they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” |
What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. | Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. Even the hairs on your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth far more than any number of sparrows. |
And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.” | Then he took a cup, and after offering thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from this, all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.” |
The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace. | May the Lord grant strength to his people. May the Lord bless his people with peace. |
And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. | While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. |
O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them. | O Lord, you are my God. I will exalt you and praise your name, for you have accomplished wonderful things, formulated in ages past, faithful and sure. |
But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. | The face of the Lord is turned against those who do evil, to erase all memory of them from the earth. |
So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. | Therefore, whoever breaks even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever observes these commandments and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. |
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.” | Jesus replied, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.” |
For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. | To these God chose to make known how rich is the priceless glory that this mystery brings to the Gentiles—Christ in you, your hope of glory. |
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. | Do not withhold kindness from anyone to whom it is due when it is in your power to grant it. |
Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. | Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill them. |
He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” | Then he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you. Do this in memory of me.” |