Honor widows who are really widows. | Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. |
Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices. | Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. |
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And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. | Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you. |
Deceit is in the mind of those who plan evil, but those who counsel peace have joy. | Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace! |
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. | Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. |
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. | But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. |
Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives; those who open wide their lips come to ruin. | Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything. |
And those who are in the flesh cannot please God. | That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. |
But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God. | But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. |
It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice. | Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. |
For they said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, indulging their own ungodly lusts.” It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions. | They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them. |
And it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. | My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. |
One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city. | Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. |
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. | God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. |
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. | But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. |
But the one who endures to the end will be saved. | But the one who endures to the end will be saved. |
But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” | When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” |
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. | For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. |
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. | Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. |
Little children, you are from God, and have conquered them; for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. | But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. |
“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” For it is not those who commend themselves that are approved, but those whom the Lord commends. | As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them. |
The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. | And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. |
Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper, and happy are those who trust in the Lord. | Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful. |
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. |
They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them. | 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. |