| “Listen to me and make up your minds to honor my name,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “or I will bring a terrible curse against you. I will curse even the blessings you receive. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you have not taken my warning to heart.” | If you refuse to listen to me and do not sincerely resolve to give glory to my name, says the Lord of hosts, I will send a curse on you, and I will turn your blessings into a curse. Indeed, I have already done so because you have not heeded my warning. |
| Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. | Now, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession from among all the peoples, for the entire earth is mine. |
| Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. | Welcome anyone whose faith is weak, but do not get into arguments about doubts. |
| But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. | Be doers of the word and not just hearers who only deceive themselves. |
| You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. | You are the light of the world. A city built upon a mountain cannot be hidden. |
| 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. | Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds, so that you will be able to discern the will of God and to know what is good and acceptable and perfect. |
| For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. | For God would not be so unjust as to ignore your work and the love that you have shown for his name by the services you have rendered to the saints and still continue to render. |
| But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. | Therefore, strive to be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. |
| Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? | Now who is going to harm you if you are eager to do what is right? |
| You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. | Adulterers! Do you not know that love of the world results in enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God. |
| Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.” | Jesus answered them, “Amen, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to this fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be accomplished.” |
| Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear! | Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops. |
| The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. | For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the Spirit, and those of the Spirit are opposed to the flesh. They are in conflict with one another, so that you cannot do what you want. |
| Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment. | Like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may advance on the path to salvation. |
| Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” | Come to me, all you who are weary and overburdened, and I will give you rest. |
| So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. | Therefore, my beloved brethren, stand firm and immovable, devoting yourselves completely to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. |
| Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. | Therefore, accept one another for the glory of God, just as Christ has accepted you. |
| The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. | The end of all things is near. Therefore, lead disciplined lives and be watchful in prayer. |
| Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. | Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of your opportunity. Let your speech always be gracious and seasoned with wisdom, so that you will know how to respond properly to all. |
| If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. | If you forgive others for the wrongs they have done, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. |
| So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord! | Be strong and courageous in your hearts, all you who place your hope in the Lord. |
| So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. | Hence, I advise you to be guided by the Spirit, so that you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. |
| For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. | There is one body and one Spirit, as well as one hope to which you have been called by your vocation. |
| And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” | Then he said to them, “Go forth into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to all creation.” |
| Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. | For sin is no longer to have any power over you, since you are not under the Law but under grace. |
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