I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. | I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. |
I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. | For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. |
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Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” | But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!” |
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. | So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. |
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. | Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. |
Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. | He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. |
If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive. | If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive. |
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing. | The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. |
So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. | So that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. |
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. | For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. |
Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? | He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? |
We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty; but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us. | The Almighty —we cannot find him; he is great in power and justice, and abundant righteousness he will not violate. |
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. | Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. |
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! | The one who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! |
For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” | For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” |
How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! | Therefore you are great, O Lord God; for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. |
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. | 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. |
But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. | But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded. |
Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. | And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. |
My child, if your heart is wise, my own heart will rejoice! | My child, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad. |
For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. | For whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. |
No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. | For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God. |
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. | O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. |
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. | Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing. |
So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. | Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment. |