| To make an apt answer is a joy to anyone, and a word in season, how good it is! | A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word! |
| Proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. | Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. |
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| Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; 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. |
| In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” | 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.” |
| Who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began. | 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. |
| Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach 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. |
| Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.” | “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.” |
| A fool gives full vent to anger, but the wise quietly holds it back. | Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. |
| For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light. | For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. |
| For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, busy with 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 a day of trouble; he protects those who take refuge in him. | The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. |
| Because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. | 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, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; 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. |
| Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. | 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. |
| By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is 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. |
| Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. | Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. |
| Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have 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 rescues them from them all. | The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. |
| Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. | 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 must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. | So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. |
| Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do 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. |
| Wealth hastily gotten will dwindle, but those who gather little by little will increase it. | Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow. |
| You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust 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 ancestors, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.” But they did not hear or 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. |
| Yet even now, says the Lord, return 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.” |
