| Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. | Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you. |
| If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. | When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. |
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| Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. | Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. |
| Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not 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. |
| In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. | Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. |
| 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.’ | Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. |
| In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. | You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. |
| Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” | Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. |
| For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. | For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. |
| Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! | Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! |
| A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. | For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours. |
| I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. | I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. |
| I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. | Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. |
| 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. | Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. |
| You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. | But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. |
| I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. | My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. |
| Do everything in love. | And do everything with love. |
| Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. | Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory. |
| I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. | I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. |
| God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. | God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. |
| In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. | Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. |
| For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. | For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them. |
| The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. | The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. |
| If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? | If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? |
| Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. | Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. |
