Am I now seeking human approval, or God's approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ. | For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. |
Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord. | Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord! |
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Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. | Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! |
Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. | Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. |
The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse— who can understand it? I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings. | The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” |
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. | Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. |
See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. | See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. |
For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. | For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. |
For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. | For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. |
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing. | Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. |
Because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. | For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. |
You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. | You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. |
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. | Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. |
For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. | For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. |
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to desist. | Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. |
And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. | And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. |
Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back, not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior. | Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. |
Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah | I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah |
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. | All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. |
Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). | Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. |
But Jesus has now obtained a more excellent ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted through better promises. | But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. |
But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God's grace. | But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. |
Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. | Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. |
Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you. | Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. |