| “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. | “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. |
| Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. | Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. |
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| Also that the women should dress themselves modestly and decently in suitable clothing, not with their hair braided, or with gold, pearls, or expensive clothes, but with good works, as is proper for women who profess reverence for God. | I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. |
| I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. | I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. |
| Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. | Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. |
| For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. | As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. |
| But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. | But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. |
| Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. | Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. |
| And those who are in the flesh cannot please God. | Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. |
| But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. | But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. |
| Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. | Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. |
| Because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. | So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. |
| Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. | Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. |
| Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. | Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. |
| Or can one walk on hot coals without scorching the feet? | Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? |
| Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. | Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. |
| Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. | Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. |
| Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. | Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. |
| But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I shall come out like gold. My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. | But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. |
| For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. | For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. |
| Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. | Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. |
| Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful. | Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. |
| If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. | If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. |
| Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their parents. | Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. |
| For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. | For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. |
