Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation. | Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment. |
Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. | Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! |
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So I will display my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord. | In this way, I will show my greatness and holiness, and I will make myself known to all the nations of the world. Then they will know that I am the Lord. |
But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated. | But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. |
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God. | Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. |
Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. | For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. |
Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. | No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. |
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing. | “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!” |
Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. | And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. |
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. | All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. |
For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever and ever. | But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever. |
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. | Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. |
There is no Holy One like the Lord, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. | No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. |
There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. | There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. |
For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. | For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. |
For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human. | For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. |
Therefore you are great, O Lord God; for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. | How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! |
There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved. | There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. |
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. | Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. |
You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you. | You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way. |
In all toil there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. | Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty! |
Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. | I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. |
For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. | For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them. |
Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment. | Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. |
Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship is there between light and darkness? | Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? |