| Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. | Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. |
| For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. | The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. |
| And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” | Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” |
| Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good. | To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper. |
| And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. | Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. |
| For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. | For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. |
| Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. | Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them. |
| And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. | And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. |
| Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. | He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. |
| Because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him. The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. | For I assisted the poor in their need and the orphans who required help. I helped those without hope, and they blessed me. And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy. |
| But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. | But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! |
| If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. | The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. |
| And said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.” | Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.” |
| Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. | Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful. |
| Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he. | Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time? It is I, the Lord, the First and the Last. I alone am he. |
| Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. | I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me. |
| Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. | Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. |
| Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! | So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord! |
| As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. | Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. |
| Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. | In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! |
| But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. | But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! |
| So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.” | So Jesus told them, “My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me.” |
| All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. | And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. |
| Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. | If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. |
| And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. | And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. |
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