Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. | And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. |
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. | No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. |
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What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? | What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? |
We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him. | And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. |
When you become aware of your guilt in any of these ways, you must confess your sin. | When you realize your guilt in any of these, you shall confess the sin that you have committed. |
I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! | I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. |
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! | The one who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! |
The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these. | The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these. |
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. | Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. |
And the Lord our God commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear him so he can continue to bless us and preserve our lives, as he has done to this day. | Then the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our lasting good, so as to keep us alive, as is now the case. |
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. | But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. |
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 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. |
But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. | These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. |
Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise. | Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. |
But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. | But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. |
Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall. | Those who are wise understand these things; those who are discerning know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them. |
But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” | But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” |
Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. | Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. |
Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did? | Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? |
They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them. | For they said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, indulging their own ungodly lusts.” It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions. |
I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. | I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. |
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. | 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. |
They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. | All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. |
I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. | Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. |
And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. | Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. |