For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! | For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. |
Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy. | Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. |
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And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! | And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. |
Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. | Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. |
Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed. | Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. |
Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow his commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you— protect you from his anger on that day of destruction. | Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger. |
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. | A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. |
But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit. | Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. |
Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you. | Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you. |
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” | To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” |
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. | Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. |
But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. | But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” |
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. | Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. |
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. | Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. |
Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. | Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. |
I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. | I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. |
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. | Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children. |
Of all the marine animals, you may eat whatever has both fins and scales. You may not, however, eat marine animals that do not have both fins and scales. They are ceremonially unclean for you. | Of all the creatures living in the water, you may eat any that has fins and scales. But anything that does not have fins and scales you may not eat; for you it is unclean. |
You must be holy because I, the Lord, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own. | You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. |
When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. | If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. |
You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. | Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. |
So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. | As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. |
For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. | To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. |
You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. | Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. |
Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. | So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. |