Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! | Then what if you would 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 before that we would walk in them. |
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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 gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits 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. | Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. |
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. | For I determined not to know anything 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. | Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words 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 didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely 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 become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage 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 that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would 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?” says the Lord Yahweh, “and not rather that he should return 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 whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, 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 desires to become great among you shall be your servant. Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant. |
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, doesn’t first sit down and count the cost, to see if 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 a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t make it good? |
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 flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire. |
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 declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which 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 even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised. |
I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. | I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies, 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 didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of 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 begged our God for this, and he granted our request. |
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. | For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose 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 to all men, instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age. |
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. | For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose 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 alienated from Christ, you who desire to 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.” | The angel answered the women, “Don’t be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying.” |