| Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! | Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. |
| But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ | But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ |
| Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews. | Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” |
| The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. | As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. |
| You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. | For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. |
| 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. | Because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. |
| Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. | Know then in your heart that as a parent disciplines a child so the Lord your God disciplines you. |
| It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. | For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. |
| He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. | For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. |
| For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. | For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. |
| So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer. | So we fasted and petitioned our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty. |
| But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. | But Jesus has now obtained a more excellent ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted through better promises. |
| The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. | And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. |
| When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. | When I thought, “My foot is slipping,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. |
| And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. | And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. |
| I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. | Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. |
| When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. | When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. |
| But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. | But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded. |
| Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions. | Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. |
| We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. | This means understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers, fornicators, sodomites, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. |
| They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. | Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. |
| Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” | Then he said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” |
| Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. | So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. |
| On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” | On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me.” |
| Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. | For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. |
Bible verse of the day
All my longings lie open before you, Lord;my sighing is not hidden from you.