But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. | But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants. |
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. | This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. |
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Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. | You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. |
For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. | For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. |
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. | I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! |
Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah | Victory comes from you, O Lord. May you bless your people. |
By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. | 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. |
For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ | For the Lord gave us this command when he said, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’ |
Because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him. The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. | For I assisted the poor in their need and the orphans who required help. I helped those without hope, and they blessed me. And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy. |
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. | The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. |
He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.” | “All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” |
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. | Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. |
So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. | When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. |
For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. | For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. |
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. | But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! |
The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers. | The way of the Lord is a stronghold to those with integrity, but it destroys the wicked. |
Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ | Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ |
For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. | So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. |
Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight. | The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth. |
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. | The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil. |
As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. | The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. |
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. | If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. |
But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? | If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? |
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” | Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” |
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. | All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. |