| Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge. | Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. |
| They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. | They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. |
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| No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. | No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. |
| No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. | No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. |
| Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” | Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” |
| My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. | My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. |
| So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. | So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. |
| Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. | And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. |
| God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. | Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. |
| Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes. | Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. |
| The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. | My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. |
| But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive! | Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. |
| I have been the Lord your God ever since I brought you out of Egypt. You must acknowledge no God but me, for there is no other savior. | But I have been the Lord your God ever since you came out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Savior except me. |
| God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. | If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. |
| Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. | Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. |
| And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. | When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. |
| Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased. | Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. |
| I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. | Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. |
| Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God! | Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. |
| That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. | Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. |
| Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen. | To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. |
| And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. | And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. |
| Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? | Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? |
| Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. | Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. |
| You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver. | For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. |
