| Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. | Let the word of Christ with all its richness dwell in you. Teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God with gratitude in your hearts. |
| If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. | If we claim that we have fellowship with him while we continue to live in darkness, we are lying and do not live in the truth. |
| And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ | I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who is to baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ |
| He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. | He reveals deep and hidden mysteries and knows what lies in the darkness, for light dwells with him. |
| Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever! | Oh, that they would have fear of me in their hearts and they would observe all of my commandments always. Then things would go well with them and their children forever. |
| He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. | With his feathers he will shelter you, and you will take refuge under his wings; his faithfulness serves as a protective shield. |
| Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. | Do not repay evil with evil or abuse with abuse. On the contrary, repay with a blessing. This is what you were called to do, so that you might inherit a blessing. |
| For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. | In view of all this, you should make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with piety, and piety with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. |
| Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord—with the first of them and with the last—I am he. | Who has performed these deeds and accomplished this? Who has summoned the nations from the beginning? I, the Lord, am the first, and I will be there with the last. |
| Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. | May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. |
| Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. | Likewise, you who are husbands must show consideration for your wives in your life together. Treat your wife with respect, for even though she is the weaker partner, she is also an equal heir of God’s gift of life. Thus, your prayers will not be hindered in any way. |
| Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. | Seek good and not evil, so that you may live. Then the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you as you claim he is. |
| For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. | For you are aware that you were ransomed from your futile way of life inherited from your ancestors not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. |
| Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. | He cried out, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” And with these words he breathed his last. |
| May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. | The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. |
| For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good. | For the carved images of the nations are powerless; they are nothing more than wood cut from a forest, fashioned with a knife by craftsmen and embellished with silver and gold. Then they are fastened with hammers and nails to prevent them from toppling. Like scarecrows in a cucumber field they are unable to speak, and they must be carried from place to place since they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they can do no harm, nor do they have any power to do good. |
| By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life. | During the day the Lord grants his kindness, and at night his praise is with me, a prayer to the living God. |
| But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ | But I with hymns of praise will offer sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will fulfill. Salvation comes from the Lord. |
| I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. | I will instruct you and guide you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and keep my eyes upon you. |
| Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. | Turn away from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart. |
| The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. | The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart places its trust in him. He has helped me, and I exult; then with my song I praise him. |
| You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. | You have heard that it was said of old: ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that anyone who looks with lust at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart. |
| Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. | And now, brethren, farewell. Mend your ways. Encourage one another. Be of one mind and live in peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. |
| Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. | Preach the message; be persistent in doing so, whether in season or out of season; convince, reprove, and encourage, but with great patience and instruction. |
| Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. | Do the things that you have learned, received, and heard from me and that you saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. |
Bible verse of the day
All my longings lie open before you, Lord;my sighing is not hidden from you.