| Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. | “Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. |
| 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. | We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. |
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| Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. | Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” |
| Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. | Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. |
| I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. | I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever. |
| In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. | In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. |
| But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. | Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen. |
| Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. | Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor. |
| For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. | For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. |
| Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. | I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. |
| They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” | They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” |
| Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. | Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. |
| Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. | But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. |
| He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ | The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” |
| Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. | May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love. |
| If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. | Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. |
| So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. | So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way. |
| Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. | Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. |
| Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. | Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. |
| Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble. | Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud. |
| Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. | And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. |
| It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. | Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. |
| Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. | Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. |
| Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. | And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.” |
| Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. | You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger. |
