| For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. | For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. |
| The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. | The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who begets a wise son will be glad in him. |
|
| Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. | Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray. |
| So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. | Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. |
| Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. | Know then in your heart that as a parent disciplines a child so the Lord your God disciplines you. |
| Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. | Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. |
| Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.” | And said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.” |
| A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother. | A wise child makes a glad father, but a foolish child is a mother's grief. |
| You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. | You then, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. |
| My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. | My child, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves the one he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. |
| 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 he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. |
| Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. | As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. |
| As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. | As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. |
| Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. | Just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. |
| For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. | For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. |
| “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him.” | They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, my special possession on the day when I act, and I will spare them as parents spare their children who serve them. |
| This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. | Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. |
| My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed. | My child, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad. |
| As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. | Just as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother's womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything. |
| And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. | And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come. |
| Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. | Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. |
| Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. | Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. |
| Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. | Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. |
| Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. | Hear, my child, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. |
| Hear my prayer, Lord, listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were. | Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; do not hold your peace at my tears. For I am your passing guest, an alien, like all my forebears. |
