| Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” | But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” |
| You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. You enlarged my path under me, So my feet did not slip. | You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great. You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way. |
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| Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! | Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! |
| 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. |
| Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. | How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. |
| I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. | Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. |
| But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. | But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. |
| A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is! | A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word! |
| 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? |
| Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” | Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” |
| How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. | How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver! |
| And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” | Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. |
| By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. | Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. |
| And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. | And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. |
| Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. | Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. |
| Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. | Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. |
| And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you. | May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. |
| Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. | Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. |
| And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ | And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ |
| 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. |
| And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. | And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. |
| And said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.” | 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.” |
| Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. | Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. |
| Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. | Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. |
| I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. | I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. |
