One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. | One person may consider one day to be more sacred than another, while another may judge all days to be alike. Let everyone be convinced in his own beliefs. |
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. | A husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise a wife should fulfill her conjugal obligations to her husband. For a wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, a husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. |
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The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” | And the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I wish to make another creature who will be like him.” |
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. | Remember this, my beloved brethren: everyone should be quick to listen but slow to speak and slow to anger. |
I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman. | I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look with desire upon a virgin. |
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. | If someone among you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without finding fault, and it will be given to him. |
Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. | Let no one delude himself. If anyone among you considers himself to be wise by worldly standards, he must become a fool in order to be truly wise. |
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. | Do not seek to adorn yourself externally—by the braiding of your hair and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothing. Rather, let your adornment be of your inner self, the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. |
Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. | The brother who is in modest circumstances should take pride in being raised up. Likewise, the one who is rich should glory in being brought low, for he will disappear like a flower of the field. |
However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. | However, each one of you should love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife should respect her husband. |
You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. | You shall be holy, for I, the Lord, am holy. I have chosen you from among all people that you shall be mine. |
I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. | I understand that man’s greatest happiness is to be glad and do well throughout his life. And when we eat and drink and find satisfaction in all our labors, this is a gift of God. |
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. | For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may attain eternal life. |
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. | Each person should give as much as he has decided in his heart, not with reluctance or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. |
This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ | This is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ |
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. | Let marriage be held in honor by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for those who are immoral and adulterers will have to face God’s judgment. |
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. | For the love of Christ urges us forward, once we conclude that one has died for all, and therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who for their sakes died and was raised to life. |
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. | Even if an army encamps against me, my heart will not succumb to fear; even if war breaks out against me, I will not have my trust shaken. |
The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? | The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom should I be afraid? |
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. | I give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you should also love one another. |
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. | By his own choice he gave us birth through the way of truth so that we may be a kind of firstfruits of all his creation. |
In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. | In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. The man who loves his wife loves himself. |
What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? | What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? |
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. | For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for a life of good works that God had prepared for us to do. |
I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. | I also ask that the women should dress themselves modestly and decently in suitable clothing. They should be adorned not with braided hair or with gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good works, as is fitting for women who profess their reverence for God. |