1God, we ourselves have heard

2They told us how you …

15In the evening, many of …

16So the king gave the order, and his servants brought me and threw me into a pit where the lions were. Before they threw me in, the king said to me, "I hope/wish that your God, whom you worship regularly, will rescue you!"

17They rolled a huge stone …

6in order that everyone in …

7I created the light and the darkness.

8And Yahweh also says, "I …

10I want to know Christ …

11because I expect that, as a result of God’s goodness, he will cause me to live again after I have died.

12I do not claim that …

1Yahweh, I call out to you;

2Listen to me when I …

6 Timothy, I say these things …

7And as to telling people the good message and defending it, I have ◄exerted myself thoroughly/done it with all my energy► [MET], like a boxer does. As to doing the work that God gave me to do, I have completed it, like a runner who finishes [MET] the race. As to what we believe, I ◄have been loyal to it/continue to believe it►.

8So, like people award a …

8The women went outside and …

9[When Jesus became alive again early on Sunday morning, he appeared first to Mary from Magdala town. She was the woman from whom he had previously expelled seven evil spirits.

10She went to those who …

1At that time, you people …

2Amazingly, you have come to save us,

3You(pl), his people, will greatly enjoy being saved

13But because my fellow believer …

14However, before I tell you any more about that, I want to thank God for what he is doing. As a great leader of fighting men causes all his prisoners to take part in his victory parade [MET], God leads us who are his workers to always be victorious over Satan because of our(exc) close relationship with Christ. God causes people to come to know Jesus Christ as a result of our (exc) teaching his message. That message is like [MET] the smell of perfume.

15When we(exc) tell God’s message about Christ, it spreads out among people like the smell of perfume. Those who believe the message that we tell them are saved {Jesus Christ saves them} from the guilt of their sin. But those who reject that message will be separated from God forever.

8All of your religious leaders …

9I am like a gate. Those will be saved {God will save all those} who come to God by trusting in me. Just like sheep go in and out through the gate safely to find pasture [MET], I will provide for them and protect them.

10Thieves come to a sheep …

1Now, my fellow believers, I …

2If you keep on firmly believing this message that I preached to you, you will be saved {God will save you}. If you do not continue to believe it, your believing in Christ was ◄all for nothing/useless►!

3The most important part of …

1Therefore, because I am working …

2For God said long ago in the Scriptures:

3Neither I nor the men …

3The king asked the brothers, "What work do you do?" They replied, "We are shepherds, just as our ancestors were."

4They also said to him, …

14Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is …

15If that is true, I will give you one more chance. If you bow down to worship the statue that I have set up when you hear the sounds of the musical instruments, fine. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. Then ◄what god will be able to rescue you from my power?/no god will be able to rescue you from my power!►" [RHQ]

16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, …

8Thank God, and pray to …

9Sing to him; sing songs to praise him.

10Be glad that you belong …

20God caused the things that …

21that the things that he created will be freed {that he will free the things that he created} from their sure decay [MET]. He will free them in order that he can give them the same glory that belongs to his children.

22We know that until now …

7I will no longer allow …

8I will protect my temple,

9Rejoice very much, you people …

3In the vision, I saw …

4His glory was like [SIM] a sunrise;

5He sent plagues in front …

7in order that he might …

8It is only by God acting [PRS] toward you in a way that you did not deserve that you have been saved {that he has saved you} as a result of your trusting in Christ. You did not save yourselves. His saving you was his gift to you.

9He did not save any of you because of anything you yourselves did. Because you have done nothing to save yourselves, you cannot be proud of your efforts to save yourselves.

10I hear many people whispering …

11But you, Yahweh, are helping me like [SIM] a strong warrior,

12Commander of the armies of angels,