God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. | The way of God is blameless; the Lord’s promise has proved true. He is a shield to all who take refuge in him. |
But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned. | 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. |
|
As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.” | After he had decided to follow this course of action, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to receive Mary into your home as your wife. For this child has been conceived in her womb through the Holy Spirit.” |
Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! | Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. |
You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. | You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain, for the Lord will not consider blameless those who take his name in vain. |
Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses. | Hatred stirs up strife, but love overlooks all offenses. |
But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside. | And yet he is aware of everywhere I go; if he were to test me, I would emerge like pure gold. My footsteps have not strayed from the path he established; I have followed his way and never turned aside. |
My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. | Listen, my son, and take my words to heart, and the years of your life will be multiplied. |
And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law. | And ‘to love him with all your heart, and with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself,’ is worth more than any burnt offerings and sacrifices. |
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. | Let your love be sincere. Loathe what is evil and hold fast to what is good. |
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. | I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you. I will remove from your body a heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh in its place. |
God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. | The way of God is blameless, and the Lord’s promise proves true; he is a shield to all who flee to him for safety. |
And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. | This is the commandment we have received from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. |
A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ | The second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ |
Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. | Dear children, keep away from idols. |
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. | Beloved, since God loved us so much, we should love one another. |
I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! | I love the Lord because he has heard my voice and listened to my cry for mercy, because he has inclined his ear to me on the day when I called out to him. |
Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. | Take no part in the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather seek to expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of what deeds people do in secret. |
The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him. | The Lord is good, an unfailing refuge in a time of distress. He takes care of those who place their trust in him. |
Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. | Take care, brethren, that none of you will ever have an evil and unbelieving heart that will cause you to forsake the living God. |
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. | Love is patient; love is charitable. Love is not envious; it does not have an inflated opinion of itself; it is not filled with its own importance. Love is never rude; it does not seek its own advantage. It is not prone to anger; neither does it brood over setbacks. |
Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble. | Those who love your law have great peace; they encounter no stumbling blocks. |
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. | No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. |
Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you. | You will not add to what I command you, nor will you take away from it, so that you might observe the commandments of the Lord, your God, that I am giving you. |
So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer. | Therefore, we fasted and prayed to God to grant us a safe journey, and he answered our prayer. |