| Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. | By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. |
| Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. | Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. |
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| If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. | Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. |
| God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. | As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. |
| God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. | As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. |
| And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. | When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment. |
| Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety. | Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. |
| Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. | Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. |
| So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. | Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. |
| Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. | Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. |
| When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. | This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. |
| But test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil. | But test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. |
| Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you! | Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. |
| I will show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign Lord, then the nations will know that I am the Lord. | I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes. |
| “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!” | “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” |
| But you may wonder, ‘How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the Lord?’ If the prophet speaks in the Lord’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared. | You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed. |
| Can he walk on hot coals and not blister his feet? | Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? |
| Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty! | All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. |
| As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. | As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. |
| Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. | Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. |
| Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. | When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. |
| Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor. | Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor. |
| Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise. | Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. |
| We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. | In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. |
| God detests the prayers of a person who ignores the law. | If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable. |
