| 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. | Meanwhile, the Church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, building up strength and living in the fear of the Lord. Encouraged by the Holy Spirit, the Church grew in numbers. |
| By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. | This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist, about whose coming you have been told, and that it is already in the world. |
| To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. | To anyone who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself overcame and sat with my Father on his throne. |
| Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. | Recognizing that laws are not designed for the upright. They are for the lawless and insubordinate, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and irreligious; they are for those who slay their fathers and mothers, for murderers, for those who are fornicators, sodomites, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which has been entrusted to me. |
| In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul. | When my anxious thoughts multiplied, your comfort filled my soul with joy. |
| So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer. | Therefore, we fasted and prayed to God to grant us a safe journey, and he answered our prayer. |
| And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. |
| Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. | For you are aware that you were ransomed from your futile way of life inherited from your ancestors not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. |
| If I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. | When I realized that my foot was slipping, your kindness, O Lord, raised me up. |
| And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ ” | In the netherworld, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham, far off, and Lazarus by his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.’ |
| Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. | I do not say this because I have been in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. |
| However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. | But for that very reason I was treated mercifully, so that in me Jesus Christ might exhibit his inexhaustible patience, making me an example for those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. |
| When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. | When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all assembled together in one place. Suddenly, there came from heaven a sound similar to that of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were sitting. |
| But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. | But the one who did not know those wishes, and who acted in such a manner as to deserve a beating, will be beaten less severely. Much will be demanded of a person to whom much has been given, and even more will be asked of a person to whom more has been entrusted. |
| For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. | You need to be steadfast if you want to do the will of God and receive what he has promised. |
| Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this. | Do not assert that the past was better than the present, for such a statement is not a sign of wisdom. |
| You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you. | Thus you could understand that the Lord, your God, was disciplining you, just like a father disciplines his son. |
| Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. | It was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore, stand firm and refuse to submit again to the yoke of slavery. |
| Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. | God blessed the seventh day and he consecrated it, for on it he rested from all the work he had done when he created all things. |
| For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. | No prophecy ever came from human initiative. Rather, when people spoke as messengers of God, they did so under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. |
| On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” | On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.” |
| Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting. | They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and offered worship and service to the creature rather than to the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural practices. Likewise, men gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameful acts with men and received in their own persons the fitting penalty for their perversion. Furthermore, since these people did not see fit to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their depraved way of thinking and to all types of vile behavior. |
| For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. | For Christ is the fulfillment of the Law for the justification of all who believe. |
| And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. | And let the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it was for this that you were called together in one body. Always be thankful. |
| And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. | Indeed, under the Law almost everything is purified by blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. |
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