Make every possible effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. | Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. |
Above all, maintain the fervor of your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. | Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. |
|
I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Repent and live! | I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign Lord. Turn back and live! |
Over all these put on love, which is the bond of perfection. | Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. |
Make sure that no one pays back evil for evil. Rather, always aim to achieve what is best for each other and for everyone. | See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. |
Let no one delude himself. If anyone among you considers himself to be wise by worldly standards, he must become a fool in order to be truly wise. | Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. |
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. | Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. |
Let your attitude be identical to that of Christ Jesus. | You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. |
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may show yourselves blameless and beyond reproach, children of God without spot in the midst of an evil and depraved generation, among which you shine like lights in the world as you hold fast tenaciously to the word of life. | Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life. |
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not treat them harshly. | Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. |
Therefore, encourage one another and strengthen one another, as indeed you are doing. | So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. |
Through the grace that God has bestowed upon me, I advise every one of you not to think of yourself too highly, but to regard yourself objectively, based on the measure of faith that God has granted. | Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. |
Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church, the body of which he is the Savior. | For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. |
After this, he said to the crowd, “Take care to be on your guard against all kinds of greed. Life does not depend upon an abundance of one’s possessions.” | Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” |
Love one another with genuine affection. Esteem others more highly than yourself. | Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. |
Do not seek to adorn yourself externally—by the braiding of your hair and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothing. Rather, let your adornment be of your inner self, the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. | Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. |
Exalted at God’s right hand, he received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. | Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. |
If it seems wrong to you to serve the Lord, then today you must choose whom you will serve, whether it be the gods that your fathers served on the other side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites who dwell in the land. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. | But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord. |
By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. | When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. |
Do you not realize that you are God’s temple, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? | Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? |
The end of all things is near. Therefore, lead disciplined lives and be watchful in prayer. | The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. |
Rather, put on the Lord Jesus Christ and allow no opportunity for the flesh to gratify its sinful desires. | Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. |
Remain sober and alert, for your enemy the devil is on the prowl like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. | Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. |
You shall keep these things that I command you today in your heart. Teach them to your children. You shall talk of them when you are sitting in your home, and when you are walking along the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up. | And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. |
It was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore, stand firm and refuse to submit again to the yoke of slavery. | So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. |