20 Deceit is in the heart of (A)those who devise evil,
    but those who plan peace have joy.

Read full chapter

20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
    but those who promote peace have joy.(A)

Read full chapter

Suffering for Righteousness' Sake

Finally, all of you, (A)have unity of mind, sympathy, (B)brotherly love, (C)a tender heart, and (D)a humble mind. (E)Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, (F)bless, for (G)to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For

(H)“Whoever desires to love life
    and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit;
11 let him turn away from evil and do good;
    let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

13 Now (I)who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?

Read full chapter

Suffering for Doing Good

Finally, all of you, be like-minded,(A) be sympathetic, love one another,(B) be compassionate and humble.(C) Do not repay evil with evil(D) or insult with insult.(E) On the contrary, repay evil with blessing,(F) because to this(G) you were called(H) so that you may inherit a blessing.(I) 10 For,

“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
    and their lips from deceitful speech.
11 They must turn from evil and do good;
    they must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
    and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”[a](J)

13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?(K)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 3:12 Psalm 34:12-16

14 (A)Strive for peace with everyone, and for the (B)holiness (C)without which no one will see the Lord.

Read full chapter

Warning and Encouragement

14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone(A) and to be holy;(B) without holiness no one will see the Lord.(C)

Read full chapter

29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,

Read full chapter

29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,(A)

Read full chapter

14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, (A)we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For (B)you are not swayed by appearances,[a] but truly teach (C)the way of God. Is it lawful to pay (D)taxes to (E)Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 15 But, knowing (F)their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why (G)put me to the test? Bring me (H)a denarius[b] and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” 17 Jesus said to them, (I)“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:14 Greek you do not look at people's faces
  2. Mark 12:15 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer

14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax[a] to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”(A)

And they were amazed at him.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:14 A special tax levied on subject peoples, not on Roman citizens

21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, (A)murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, (B)sensuality, (C)envy, (D)slander, (E)pride, (F)foolishness.

Read full chapter

21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed,(A) malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.

Read full chapter

“Blessed are (A)the peacemakers, for (B)they shall be called (C)sons[a] of God.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 5:9 Greek huioi; see Preface

Blessed are the peacemakers,(A)
    for they will be called children of God.(B)

Read full chapter

13 (A)It is he who shall build the temple of the Lord (B)and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there[a] shall be a (C)priest on his throne, (D)and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”’

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 6:13 Or he

13 It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he[a] will be a priest(A) on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 6:13 Or there

16 I have not run away from being your shepherd,
    nor have I desired the day of sickness.
(A)You know (B)what came out of my lips;
    it was before your face.

Read full chapter

16 I have not run away from being your shepherd;
    you know I have not desired the day of despair.
    What passes my lips(A) is open before you.

Read full chapter

(A)For to us a child is born,
    to us (B)a son is given;
(C)and the government shall be (D)upon[a] his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called[b]
Wonderful (E)Counselor, (F)Mighty God,
    (G)Everlasting (H)Father, Prince of (I)Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
    (J)there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
(K)with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
(L)The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 9:6 Or is upon
  2. Isaiah 9:6 Or is called

For to us a child is born,(A)
    to us a son is given,(B)
    and the government(C) will be on his shoulders.(D)
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor,(E) Mighty God,(F)
    Everlasting(G) Father,(H) Prince of Peace.(I)
Of the greatness of his government(J) and peace(K)
    there will be no end.(L)
He will reign(M) on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice(N) and righteousness(O)
    from that time on and forever.(P)
The zeal(Q) of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Read full chapter

24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips
    and harbors deceit in his heart;
25 (A)when he speaks graciously, believe him not,
    for there are (B)seven abominations in his heart;
26 though his hatred be covered with deception,
    his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Read full chapter

24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,(A)
    but in their hearts they harbor deceit.(B)
25 Though their speech is charming,(C) do not believe them,
    for seven abominations fill their hearts.(D)
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,
    but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Read full chapter

12 Whoever is wicked covets (A)the spoil of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous bears fruit.

Read full chapter

12 The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous endures.

Read full chapter