| For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. | There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. |
| For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God. | For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. |
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| And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. | And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. |
| You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail. | Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. |
| And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. | But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. |
| When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. | You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. |
| The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. | The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. |
| For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. | He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. |
| For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. | Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. |
| So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. | Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. |
| “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” | “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” |
| You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. | So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. |
| For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’” | It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ |
| For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. | For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. |
| But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit. | Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. |
| Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. | Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. |
| So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. | Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. |
| So also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. | So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. |
| From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” | From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” |
| Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. | He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. |
| Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. | Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. |
| 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. | They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. |
| For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. | For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. |
| We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. | Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. |
| All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. | All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. |
