Therefore, heed my words. Do not be concerned about your life and what you will have to eat or drink, or about your body and what you will wear. Surely life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. | That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? |
The Lord will battle for you. Be calm! | The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm. |
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For you did not receive a spirit of slavery leading to fear; rather, you received the Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, “Abba! Father!” | So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” |
You have already been cleansed by the word I have spoken to you. | You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. |
You did not choose me. Rather, I chose you. And I appointed you to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will remain, so that the Father may give you whatever you ask him in my name. | You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. |
He who called you is holy. Therefore, be holy yourselves in all your conduct. For Scripture says, “Be holy, for I am holy.” | But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” |
I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing. | Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. |
And whenever you stand in prayer, forgive whatever grievance you have against anybody, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your wrongs too. | But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. |
Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you then will truly be free. | So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. |
Therefore, keep watch, for you do not know the day when your Lord is coming. | So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. |
Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. | Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. |
When you look at the tassels, you will remember the commandments of the Lord and keep them. Thus you will not prostitute yourselves by following after the lusts in your own heart or your own eyes. | When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the Lord instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do. |
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You place your trust in God. Trust also in me. | Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. |
If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. | If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. |
It is the Lord, your God, whom you are to follow. You must fear him and observe his commandments and obey what he tells you and serve him and hold fast to him. | Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. |
This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you. | This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. |
Let everything that breathes offer praise to the Lord. Alleluia. | Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord! |
What then if you were to behold the Son of Man ascend to where he was before? | Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? |
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. | Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. |
Keep alert; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. | Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. |
You shall observe my commandments and obey them. I am the Lord. | You must faithfully keep all my commands by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord. |
Observe my Sabbaths and stand in awe before my sanctuary. I am the Lord. | You must keep my Sabbath days of rest and show reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord. |
I have told you this so that in me you may be in peace. In the world you will endure suffering. But take courage! I have overcome the world. | I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. |
But as for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and therefore you do not need anyone to teach you. This same anointing teaches you everything and is true and not false, so abide in him just as he taught you. | But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. |
Do not be concerned about your life and what you will have to eat, or about your body and what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. | That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. |