| For I say through the grace that was given me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith. | Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. |
| He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. | Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. |
| As knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine, according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. | For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God. |
| In the multitude of my thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul. | When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. |
| For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. | This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. |
| So we fasted and begged our God for this, and he granted our request. | So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer. |
| But now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which on better promises has been given as law. | But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. |
| The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the only born Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. | So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. |
| Knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things like silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Christ. | For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. |
| When I said, “My foot is slipping!” Your loving kindness, Yahweh, held me up. | I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. |
| In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. 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 in anguish in this flame.’ | And he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side. The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’ |
| Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. | And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. |
| Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it. | Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. |
| However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life. | But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. |
| Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. | On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. |
| For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise. | Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. |
| Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this. | Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise. |
| You shall consider in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so Yahweh your God disciplines you. | Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good. |
| Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. | So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. |
| God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work of creation which he had done. | And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation. |
| For no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit. | Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God. |
| Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!” | On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!” |
| For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. | 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. |
| 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 that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. |
| According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission. | In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. |
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