Now this is what the Lord says to the family of Israel: “Come back to me and live!” | For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: If you seek me, you will survive. |
The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. | The explanation of your words gives light and imparts understanding to the simple. |
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“All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” | He continued, “Then put away the foreign gods from among you. Bend your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.” |
But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. | But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. |
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. | He gives strength to the weary and new vigor to those who are powerless. |
Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. | Hear, O Israel, the Lord, our God, is Lord alone. You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. |
Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. | As for you, my child, take strength from the grace that is in Christ Jesus. |
O Israel, my faithless people, come home to me again, for I am merciful. I will not be angry with you forever. | Return, rebel Israel, says the Lord. I will not look upon you in anger. For I am merciful, says the Lord; my wrath will not continue forever. |
So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. | Let us then make every effort to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall by following that example of refusing to believe. |
God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. | He gives a home to those who are forsaken and leads out prisoners amid chants of exultation, while rebels are forced to live in an arid land. |
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf. | But from you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, among the tiniest of the clans of Judah, from you will come forth for me one who is to be a ruler in Israel, one whose origins are from the distant past, from ancient times. |
Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. | What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. |
Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people! | A gift opens doors for the giver and wins him access to the powerful. |
For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. | For the Lord himself is the one who bestows wisdom; from his mouth come forth knowledge and understanding. |
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. | I can do all things in him who strengthens me. |
When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways. | When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each one of you from your wicked ways. |
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good. | And so now, O Israel, what does the Lord, your God, require of you but to fear the Lord, your God, to walk in all of his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your soul, and to observe the commandments and the statutes that I am giving you today for your own good. |
The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace. | May the Lord grant strength to his people. May the Lord bless his people with peace. |
May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. | May the God of perseverance and encouragement grant that you may live in harmony with one another, following in the example of Jesus Christ. |
But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. | During the day the Lord grants his kindness, and at night his praise is with me, a prayer to the living God. |
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! | How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who bears good news and proclaims glad tidings, announcing salvation and saying to Zion, “Your God is king.” |
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. | If someone among you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without finding fault, and it will be given to him. |
You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” | Each person should give as much as he has decided in his heart, not with reluctance or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. |
I will strengthen Judah and save Israel; I will restore them because of my compassion. It will be as though I had never rejected them, for I am the Lord their God, who will hear their cries. | I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have taken pity on them, and they will be as though I had never cast them off; for I am the Lord, their God, and I will answer them. |
Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. | Instruct those who are rich in this world’s goods that they should not be proud, nor should they trust in the uncertainty of riches but rather in God who richly provides us with everything we need for our enjoyment. |