| Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! | Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? |
| For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. | For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. |
| He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. | Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. |
| And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. | And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. |
| For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. | For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. |
| Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. | If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. |
| He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? | He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? |
| For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. | For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. |
| For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. | For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. |
| Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? | Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? |
| To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. | To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. |
| Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave. | It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave. |
| Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? | For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? |
| God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? | God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? |
| 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. | For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. |
| Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. | Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. |
| And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. | By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. |
| I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. | In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. |
| You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. | You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. |
| So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer. | So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty. |
| For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. | For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. |
| For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. | For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age. |
| For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. | For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. |
| You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. | You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. |
| The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” | But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” |
Bible verse of the day
All my longings lie open before you, Lord;my sighing is not hidden from you.