| And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. | We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. |
| And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. | Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. |
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| 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. |
| I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. | I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. |
| For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does. | For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. |
| For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. | For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth. |
| 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. |
| But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. | Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. |
| And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. | Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. |
| Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! | Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. |
| The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever. | All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. |
| But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. | As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. |
| For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. | For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. |
| Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. | Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. |
| If you love me, obey my commandments. | If you love me, keep my commands. |
| We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. | And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. |
| Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. | Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. |
| We love each other because he loved us first. | We love because He first loved us. |
| This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other. | This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ |
| Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. | There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. |
| Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. | But godliness with contentment is great gain. |
| May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love. | Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. |
| Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. | And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. |
| And do everything with love. | Do everything in love. |
