| But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting. | But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. |
| Now godliness with contentment is great gain. | But godliness with contentment is great gain. |
| Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—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. |
| Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident. | Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. |
| For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. | You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. |
| We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. | We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. |
| What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” | What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” |
| If a person sins, and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity. | If anyone sins and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though they do not know it, they are guilty and will be held responsible. |
| But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? | If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? |
| For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. | I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. |
| Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. | Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. |
| I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. | I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. |
| Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave. | 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. |
| If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. | If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. |
| Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” | Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” |
| But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. | But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. |
| If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. | Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. |
| But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” | But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” |
| Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful. | But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God. |
| For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. | For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. |
| There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. | There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. |
| For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? | What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? |
| Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. | No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. |
| For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. | I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. |
| If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? | Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. |
Bible verse of the day
For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel:“Seek Me and live.”