| But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, 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. |
| Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. | No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. |
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| Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. | The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. |
| A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back. | Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. |
| For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. | For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. |
| For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. | This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. |
| The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. | The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. |
| Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” | After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” |
| For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. | For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. |
| Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. | Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. |
| Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. | Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. |
| The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me— A prayer to the God of my life. | By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life. |
| Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. | Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. |
| And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. | And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. |
| If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? | Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. |
| Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. | The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. |
| Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied. | Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. |
| Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. | So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. |
| Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, But he who gathers by labor will increase. | Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow. |
| You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. | You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. |
| “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.” ’ But they did not hear nor heed Me,” says the Lord. | Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. |
| “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” | “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” |
| For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. | There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. |
| Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. | Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. |
| Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. | Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. |
