| They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. | All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. |
| Is this not the fast that I choose: To release the bonds of wickedness, To undo the ropes of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free, And break every yoke? | No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. |
| Do not weary yourself to gain wealth; Stop dwelling on it. | Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. |
| For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? | But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? |
| I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. | I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. |
| So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? | So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. |
| And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. | And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. |
| For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer on His behalf. | For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. |
| Furthermore, as for every person to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also given him the opportunity to enjoy them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. | And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. |
| And faithfulness is Yours, Lord, For You reward a person according to his work. | Unfailing love, O Lord, is yours. Surely you repay all people according to what they have done. |
| I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. | No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. |
| Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. | Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. |
| But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting for those who fear Him, And His justice to the children’s children, To those who keep His covenant And remember His precepts, so as to do them. | But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! |
| “Return to Me,” declares the Lord of armies, “that I may return to you,” says the Lord of armies. | Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. |
| As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive. | You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. |
| Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. | Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval. |
| So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. | So also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. |
| Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. | Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. |
| Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. | In those days when you pray, I will listen. |
| And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ | I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ |
| In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. | Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. |
| I hurried and did not delay To keep Your commandments. | I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands. |
| So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. | Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. |
| Urge slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be pleasing, not argumentative, not stealing, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect. | Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way. |
| For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. | For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. |
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