For the carved images of the nations are powerless; they are nothing more than wood cut from a forest, fashioned with a knife by craftsmen and embellished with silver and gold. Then they are fastened with hammers and nails to prevent them from toppling. Like scarecrows in a cucumber field they are unable to speak, and they must be carried from place to place since they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they can do no harm, nor do they have any power to do good. | For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good. |
Yet even if you should suffer for doing what is right, you are thereby blessed. Have no fear of others, and refuse to be intimidated by them. | But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” |
Amen, amen, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. | Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. |
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified of them, for the Lord, your God, is going forth with you. He will never leave you or abandon you. | Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. |
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will ever snatch them from my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one. | I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one. |
How great you are, Lord God! There is no one like you, and there is no God except you alone, as everything that we have heard confirms. | How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. |
My son, do not ignore the Lord’s discipline or refuse to accept his rebuke. For the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, just as a father chastises a beloved son. | My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. |
Above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth, or use any oaths at all. Let your “Yes” mean “Yes” and your “No” mean “No.” Otherwise you may be condemned. | Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned. |
If a man has recently been married, he is not to go off to battle nor have any other duty laid on him. He will be free to stay at home for one year so that he can bring happiness to the wife whom he has married. | If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married. |
It was not their own swords that won them the land, nor did their own arms make them victorious; rather, it was your right hand and your arm and the light of your face, because you loved them. | It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. |
I refrained from eating any choice food, abstaining from consuming meat or wine, and I did not anoint myself until those three weeks had passed. | I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. |
Do not succumb to the love of money, but be content with what you have, for God has said, “I will never forsake you or abandon you.” | Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” |
I will establish my covenant with you: never again will all living creatures be cut off by the waters of a flood, nor will the earth be laid waste by a flood again. | I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth. |
Dear children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. | Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. |
Do not make gods from silver or from gold instead of me. You will not make them for yourselves. | Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold. |
Acquire wisdom and gain understanding; never forget or turn aside from my words. | Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. |
There is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing secret that will not become known. | There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. |
Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. | Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. |
There is no holy one like the Lord, there is none beside you, nor is there a rock like our God. | There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. |
If you are angry, do not sin. Do not let the sun set on your anger, and do not give the devil an opening. | “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. |
While experiencing temptation, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. | When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. |
There is no salvation in anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved. | Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. |
Do not love the world or what is in the world. If anyone does love 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. |
I have not strayed from the commandments of his lips; I have treasured in my heart the words of his mouth. | I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. |
Every good act of giving and every perfect gift are from above, coming down from the Father of all light. With him there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. | Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. |
Bible verse of the day
Take delight in the Lord,and he will grant you what your heart desires.