| Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. | Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. |
| But test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. | But test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil. |
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| Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. | Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord. |
| “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.” | “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!” |
| Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. | Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. |
| Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. | God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. |
| 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. | 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. |
| The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” | The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve. |
| You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. | If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. |
| Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. | Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. |
| For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. | You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver. |
| But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. | 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. |
| Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. | First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. |
| Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. | Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. |
| I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. | I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. |
| Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. | I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. |
| Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me. | I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me. |
| Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. | Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me. |
| Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. | If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. |
| Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. | Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! |
| If you love me, keep my commands. | If you love me, obey my commandments. |
| Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. | In those days when you pray, I will listen. |
| You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. | For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. |
| I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ | I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ |
| In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. | O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced. Save me, for you do what is right. |
