Merge branch 'messiah_christ' of unfoldingWord/en_ust into master

45-ACT.usfm

@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@
 \s5
 \v 4 As Peter and John looked directly at him, Peter said to him, "Look at us!"
 \v 5 So he looked directly at them, expecting to get some money from them.
-\v 6 Then Peter said to him, "I do not have any money, but what I can do I will do for you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth you are healed. Get up and walk!"
+\v 6 Then Peter said to him, "I do not have any money, but what I can do I will do for you. In the name of Jesus the Messiah of Nazareth you are healed. Get up and walk!"
 
 \s5
 \v 7 Then Peter grasped the man's right hand and helped him to stand up. That moment the man's feet and ankles became strong.
@@ -244,10 +244,10 @@
 \p
 \v 8 As the Holy Spirit gave Peter power, Peter said to them, "You fellow Israelites who rule us, and all of you other elders, listen to me!
 \v 9 Today you are questioning us about a good deed we did for a man who could not walk, and you ask us how he became healed. So let me tell you and all other Israelites this:
-\v 10 It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth that this man was healed, so that he is now able to stand before you. It was you who nailed Jesus to a cross and killed him, but God caused him to become alive again.
+\v 10 It is by the name of Jesus the Messiah of Nazareth that this man was healed, so that he is now able to stand before you. It was you who nailed Jesus to a cross and killed him, but God caused him to become alive again.
 \s5
 \p
-\v 11 Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the one of whom the scriptures speak:
+\v 11 Jesus the Messiah of Nazareth is the one of whom the scriptures speak:
 \q "The stone that the builders threw away has become the most important stone in the building."
 
 \v 12 Only Jesus can save us, for God has given no other man in the world to us who can save us from the guilt of our sins!"
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@
 \v 40 They told the temple guards to bring the apostles and beat them. So the guards brought them into the council room and beat them. Then the council members commanded them not to speak to people about Jesus any more, and they released the apostles.
 \p
 \v 41 So the apostles went out from the council. They were rejoicing because they knew God had honored them by letting people disgrace them because they were following Jesus.
-\v 42 Every day after that, the apostles went to the temple area and to various people's houses, and they continued teaching people and telling them that Jesus is the Christ.
+\v 42 Every day after that, the apostles went to the temple area and to various people's houses, and they continued teaching people and telling them that Jesus is the Messiah.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -554,7 +554,7 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 51 "You people are extremely stubborn toward him! You are exactly like your ancestors! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as they did!
-\v 52 Your ancestors caused every prophet to suffer. They even killed those who long ago announced that the Christ would come, the one who always did what pleased God. And the Christ has come! He is the one whom you recently turned over to his enemies and insisted that they kill him!
+\v 52 Your ancestors caused every prophet to suffer. They even killed those who long ago announced that the Messiah would come, the one who always did what pleased God. And the Messiah has come! He is the one whom you recently turned over to his enemies and insisted that they kill him!
 \v 53 You are the people who have received God's laws. Those were laws that God caused angels to give to our ancestors. However, you have not obeyed them!"
 
 \s5
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@
 
 \p
 \v 4 The believers who had left Jerusalem went to different places, where they continued preaching the message about Jesus.
-\v 5 One of those believers whose name was Philip went down from Jerusalem to a city in the district of Samaria. There he was telling the people that Jesus is the Christ.
+\v 5 One of those believers whose name was Philip went down from Jerusalem to a city in the district of Samaria. There he was telling the people that Jesus is the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \v 6 Many people there heard Philip speak and saw the miraculous things that he was doing. So they all paid close attention to his words.
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@
 \v 11 They continued to listen to him carefully, because for a long time he had astonished them by practicing sorcery.
 
 \s5
-\v 12 But then they believed Philip's message about the good news about when God would show himself as king and about Jesus Christ. The men and the women who believed in Jesus were baptized.
+\v 12 But then they believed Philip's message about the good news about when God would show himself as king and about Jesus the Messiah. The men and the women who believed in Jesus were baptized.
 \v 13 Simon himself believed Philip's message and was baptized. He began to constantly accompany Philip, and he was continually amazed by the great miracles he saw Philip doing, things that showed Philip was speaking the truth.
 
 \s5
@@ -711,7 +711,7 @@
 \p
 \v 20 Right away he began to preach about Jesus in the Jewish synagogues. He told them that Jesus is the Son of God.
 \v 21 All the people who heard him preach were amazed. Some of them were saying, "We can hardly believe that this is the same man who pursued the believers in Jerusalem and who has come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests in Jerusalem!"
-\v 22 But God enabled Saul to preach to many people even more convincingly. He was proving from the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. So the Jewish leaders in Damascus could not think how to disprove what he said.
+\v 22 But God enabled Saul to preach to many people even more convincingly. He was proving from the scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah. So the Jewish leaders in Damascus could not think how to disprove what he said.
 
 \s5
 
@@ -748,7 +748,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 33 There he met a man whose name was Aeneas. Aeneas had not been able to get up from his bed for eight years because he was paralyzed.
-\v 34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and roll up your mat!" Right away Aeneas stood up.
+\v 34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus the Messiah heals you! Get up and roll up your mat!" Right away Aeneas stood up.
 \v 35 Most of the people who lived in Lydda and on Sharon Plain saw Aeneas after the Lord had healed him, so they believed in the Lord Jesus.
 
 \s5
@@ -843,7 +843,7 @@
 \v 35 Instead, from every people group he accepts everyone who honors him and who does what pleases him.
 
 \s5
-\v 36 You know the message that God sent to us Israelites. He proclaimed to us the good news that he would cause people to have peace with him because of what Jesus Christ has done. This Jesus is not Lord only over us Israelites. He is also the Lord who rules over all people.
+\v 36 You know the message that God sent to us Israelites. He proclaimed to us the good news that he would cause people to have peace with him because of what Jesus the Messiah has done. This Jesus is not Lord only over us Israelites. He is also the Lord who rules over all people.
 \v 37 You know what he did throughout the land of Judea, beginning in Galilee. He began to do those things after John had been proclaiming to people that they should turn away from their sinful behavior before he baptized them.
 \v 38 You know that God gave his Holy Spirit to Jesus, the man from the town of Nazareth, and gave him the power to do miracles. You also know how Jesus went to many places, always doing good deeds and healing people. He was healing all the people whom the devil was causing to suffer. Jesus was able to do those things because God was always helping him."
 
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@
 \s5
 \v 46 The Jewish believers knew that God had done that because they were hearing those people speaking languages that they had not learned and telling how great God is. Then Peter said
 \v 47 to the other Jewish believers who were there, "God has given them the Holy Spirit just like he gave him to us Jewish believers, so surely all of you would agree that we should baptize these people!"
-\v 48 Then Peter told those non-Jewish people that they should be baptized as believers in Jesus Christ. So they baptized all of them. After they were baptized, they requested that Peter stay with them several days. So Peter and the other Jewish believers did that.
+\v 48 Then Peter told those non-Jewish people that they should be baptized as believers in Jesus the Messiah. So they baptized all of them. After they were baptized, they requested that Peter stay with them several days. So Peter and the other Jewish believers did that.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -873,7 +873,7 @@
 
 \p
 \v 1 The apostles and other believers who lived in various towns in the province of Judea heard people say that some non-Jewish people had also believed the message of God about Jesus.
-\v 2 But there were some Jewish believers in Jerusalem who wanted all followers of Christ to be circumcized. When Peter returned from Caesarea to Jerusalem, they met with him and criticized him.
+\v 2 But there were some Jewish believers in Jerusalem who wanted all followers of the Messiah to be circumcized. When Peter returned from Caesarea to Jerusalem, they met with him and criticized him.
 \v 3 They said to him, "Not only was it wrong for you to visit in the homes of uncircumcized non-Jews, you even ate with them!"
 
 \s5
@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@
 \v 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized you with water, but God will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.'
 
 \s5
-\v 17 God gave those non-Jews the same Holy Spirit that he had given to us after we had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So I could not possibly tell God that he did wrong when he gave them the Holy Spirit!"
+\v 17 God gave those non-Jews the same Holy Spirit that he had given to us after we had believed in the Lord Jesus the Messiah. So I could not possibly tell God that he did wrong when he gave them the Holy Spirit!"
 
 
 \p
@@ -1255,7 +1255,7 @@
 \s5
 \v 24 People have told us that some men from among us went to you, although we had not sent them to you. We heard that they have troubled you by telling you things that confused your thinking.
 \v 25 So after we met together here, we decided to choose some men and ask them to go to you, along with Barnabas and Paul, whom we love very much.
-\v 26 Those two have put their lives in danger because they serve our Lord Jesus Christ.
+\v 26 Those two have put their lives in danger because they serve our Lord Jesus the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \v 27 We have also sent Judas and Silas to you. They will tell you the same things that we are writing.
@@ -1328,7 +1328,7 @@
 \p
 \v 16 Another day, while we were going to the place where people gathered to pray, we met a young woman who was a slave. An evil spirit was giving her power to tell the future about people. People paid money to the men who were her owners, in return for her telling them what would happen to them.
 \v 17 This young woman followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men serve the God who is the greatest of all gods! They are telling you how God can save you."
-\v 18 She continued to do this for many days. Finally, Paul became angry, so he turned toward the young woman and spoke to the evil spirit that was in her. He said, "In the name of Jesus Christ, come out of her!" Right away the evil spirit left her.
+\v 18 She continued to do this for many days. Finally, Paul became angry, so he turned toward the young woman and spoke to the evil spirit that was in her. He said, "In the name of Jesus the Messiah, come out of her!" Right away the evil spirit left her.
 
 \s5
 \v 19 And then her owners realized that she could no longer earn money for them because she could no longer predict what would happen to people, so they were angry. They grabbed Paul and Silas and took them to the public square where the rulers of the city were.
@@ -1380,10 +1380,10 @@
 
 \p
 \v 1 They traveled through the cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to the city of Thessalonica. There was a Jewish meeting place there.
-\v 2 On the sabbath Paul went to the meeting place as he usually did. For three weeks he went there on each sabbath day. He spoke to the people about how the scriptures said that Jesus would be the Christ.
+\v 2 On the sabbath Paul went to the meeting place as he usually did. For three weeks he went there on each sabbath day. He spoke to the people about how the scriptures said that Jesus would be the Messiah.
 
 \s5
-\v 3 He showed from the scriptures that the prophets wrote that the Messiah would have to die and come alive again. He said, "This man Jesus is the Christ. He died and became alive again, just like the prophets said he would."
+\v 3 He showed from the scriptures that the prophets wrote that the Messiah would have to die and come alive again. He said, "This man Jesus is the Messiah. He died and became alive again, just like the prophets said he would."
 \v 4 Some of the Jews there believed what Paul had said and began to meet with Paul and Silas. There were also many non-Jewish people and important women who worshiped God who also believed the message about Jesus, and they also began to meet with Paul and Silas.
 
 \s5
@@ -1477,7 +1477,7 @@
 \s5
 \v 4 Every Sabbath, Paul went to the Jewish meeting place, where he spoke to both Jews and non-Jews. He taught them about Jesus.
 \p
-\v 5 When Silas and Timothy came from the region of Macedonia, Paul was strongly moved by the Spirit to tell the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
+\v 5 When Silas and Timothy came from the region of Macedonia, Paul was strongly moved by the Spirit to tell the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.
 \v 6 But the Jews began to turn against Paul and to say evil things about him. So he shook the dust from his clothes and he said to them, "If God punishes you, it is your responsibility, not mine! From now on I will talk to those who are not Jewish!"
 
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@@ -1994,7 +1994,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 24 Several days later Felix came back with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jew, and called for Paul to speak with him. Felix listened to what Paul said to him about trusting in Jesus Christ.
+\v 24 Several days later Felix came back with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jew, and called for Paul to speak with him. Felix listened to what Paul said to him about trusting in Jesus the Messiah.
 \v 25 Paul talked to him about what God wants people to do in order to please him. He also explained how people should control how they act and that there would be a time when God will judge all people. Felix became afraid after hearing those things, so he said to Paul, "That is all I want to hear now. When I have time, I will ask you to come to me again."
 
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@@ -2107,7 +2107,7 @@
 
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 \v 22 However, God has been helping me, so I have continued to proclaim these things to this very day. I have continued to tell both ordinary people and important people exactly what the prophets and Moses said would happen.
-\v 23 They said that the Christ would suffer and die, that he would be the first to rise from the dead. They also said that he would proclaim, both to his own people and to the non-Jewish people, that God is truly able to save them."
+\v 23 They said that the Messiah would suffer and die, that he would be the first to rise from the dead. They also said that he would proclaim, both to his own people and to the non-Jewish people, that God is truly able to save them."
 
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 \p
@@ -2294,5 +2294,5 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in a house that he rented. Many people came to see him, and he received them all gladly and talked with them.
-\v 31 He preached and taught people about how God would show himself as king, and he taught them about the Lord Jesus Christ. He did that with great boldness, and no one tried to stop him.
+\v 31 He preached and taught people about how God would show himself as king, and he taught them about the Lord Jesus the Messiah. He did that with great boldness, and no one tried to stop him.
 

46-ROM.usfm

@@ -8,27 +8,27 @@
 \s5
 \c 1
 \p
-\v 1 I, Paul, who serve Christ Jesus, am writing this letter to all of you believers in the city of Rome. God chose me to be an apostle, and he appointed me in order that I should proclaim the good news that comes from him.
+\v 1 I, Paul, who serve the Messiah Jesus, am writing this letter to all of you believers in the city of Rome. God chose me to be an apostle, and he appointed me in order that I should proclaim the good news that comes from him.
 \v 2 Long before Jesus came to earth, God promised that he would reveal this good news by means of what his prophets wrote in the sacred scriptures.
 \v 3 This good news is about his Son. As to his Son's physical nature, he was born a descendant of King David.
 
 \s5
-\v 4 As to his divine nature, it was powerfully shown that he is God's own Son. God showed this when his Holy Spirit caused him to become alive again after he died. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.
+\v 4 As to his divine nature, it was powerfully shown that he is God's own Son. God showed this when his Holy Spirit caused him to become alive again after he died. He is Jesus the Messiah our Lord.
 \v 5 He has shown us great kindness and appointed us to be apostles. He did that in order that many among all the people groups would believe in him and obey him.
-\v 6 You believers who are living in Rome are included among those whom God has chosen to belong to Jesus Christ.
+\v 6 You believers who are living in Rome are included among those whom God has chosen to belong to Jesus the Messiah.
 
 \s5
-\v 7 I am writing this letter to all of you in Rome whom God loves and whom he has chosen to become his people. I pray that God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord may continue to act kindly toward you and will continue to cause you to have peace.
+\v 7 I am writing this letter to all of you in Rome whom God loves and whom he has chosen to become his people. I pray that God our Father and Jesus the Messiah our Lord may continue to act kindly toward you and will continue to cause you to have peace.
 
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 8 As I begin this letter, I thank my God for all you believers in Rome. It is because of what Jesus Christ has done for us that I am able to do that. I thank him because people all over the Roman Empire are talking about how you are trusting in him.
+\v 8 As I begin this letter, I thank my God for all you believers in Rome. It is because of what Jesus the Messiah has done for us that I am able to do that. I thank him because people all over the Roman Empire are talking about how you are trusting in him.
 \v 9 God, whom I devotedly serve as I proclaim to people the good news concerning his Son, knows that I tell the truth when I say that I always mention you whenever I pray to God.
 \v 10 I especially ask God that if he desires me to visit you, somehow at last I shall be able to do so.
 
 \s5
-\v 11 I pray this because I long to visit you to help you in order that you may trust and honor Christ more and more.
+\v 11 I pray this because I long to visit you to help you in order that you may trust and honor the Messiah more and more.
 \v 12 I mean that I want us to encourage each other by telling each other how we trust in Jesus.
 
 \s5
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 
 
 \p
-\v 16 I very confidently proclaim the good news about what Christ has done, because this good news is the powerful way in which God saves those who trust in what Christ has done for them. Specifically, God first saves the Jews who believe the good news, and then he saves non-Jews.
+\v 16 I very confidently proclaim the good news about what the Messiah has done, because this good news is the powerful way in which God saves those who trust in what the Messiah has done for them. Specifically, God first saves the Jews who believe the good news, and then he saves non-Jews.
 \v 17 By means of this good news God reveals how he puts people right with himself. This is like what a prophet wrote long ago in the scriptures: "Those whom God puts right with himself will live because they trust him."
 
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@
 \v 14 Whenever the non-Jews, who do not have the law of God, follow those laws because they obeyed them by the light of nature, they prove that they have a law within themselves, even though they never had the laws that God gave to Moses.
 \s5
 \v 15 They show that they know in their own minds what God commands in his law, for each person in his very own conscience either accuses himself of bad behavior or defends himself.
-\v 16 God will punish them at the time when he will judge people according to what they have thought and done secretly. He will judge people by authorizing Christ Jesus to judge them. This is what I tell people when I preach the good news to them.
+\v 16 God will punish them at the time when he will judge people according to what they have thought and done secretly. He will judge people by authorizing the Messiah Jesus to judge them. This is what I tell people when I preach the good news to them.
 
 
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@@ -201,27 +201,27 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 21 When God declares us right with him it does not depend on our obeying the law that he gave Moses. It was written about in the laws and by the prophets that God forgives our sins by a different way.
-\v 22 God erases the record of our sins because we trust in what Jesus Christ has done for us. God does this for every person who trusts in Christ, because he considers that there is no difference between Jews and non-Jews.
+\v 22 God erases the record of our sins because we trust in what Jesus the Messiah has done for us. God does this for every person who trusts in the Messiah, because he considers that there is no difference between Jews and non-Jews.
 
 \s5
 \v 23 All people have done evil, and everyone has failed to accomplish the glorious goals that God set for them.
-\v 24 Our record of sins has been erased by his acting kindly to forgive our sins, without our doing anything to earn it. Christ Jesus accomplished this by redeeming us.
+\v 24 Our record of sins has been erased by his acting kindly to forgive our sins, without our doing anything to earn it. The Messiah Jesus accomplished this by redeeming us.
 
 \s5
-\v 25 God showed that Christ turned away his anger by shedding his blood when he died, and we must believe in what he did for us. The sacrifice of Christ shows that God acted in a just manner. Otherwise, one might not have thought he was just, because he had overlooked sins that people had previously committed, for he is patient.
-\v 26 God appointed Christ to die for us. By doing that, he now shows that he is just, and he shows that he is justly able to erase the record of sins for everyone who trusts in Jesus.
+\v 25 God showed that the Messiah turned away his anger by shedding his blood when he died, and we must believe in what he did for us. The sacrifice of the Messiah shows that God acted in a just manner. Otherwise, one might not have thought he was just, because he had overlooked sins that people had previously committed, for he is patient.
+\v 26 God appointed the Messiah to die for us. By doing that, he now shows that he is just, and he shows that he is justly able to erase the record of sins for everyone who trusts in Jesus.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 27 It is not at all because we obey the laws of Moses that God erases the record of our sins. So there is no way that we can boast that God favors us because we obeyed those laws. Instead, it is because we believe in Christ that God erases the record of our sins.
-\v 28 So it is clear that God makes someone right with himself if that person trusts in Christ—not if that person obeys the law.
+\v 27 It is not at all because we obey the laws of Moses that God erases the record of our sins. So there is no way that we can boast that God favors us because we obeyed those laws. Instead, it is because we believe in the Messiah that God erases the record of our sins.
+\v 28 So it is clear that God makes someone right with himself if that person trusts in the Messiah—not if that person obeys the law.
 
 \s5
 \v 29 You who are Jews certainly should not think that you are the only ones whom God will accept! You certainly should realize that he will accept non-Jews, too. Of course, he will accept non-Jews,
-\v 30 because, as you firmly believe, there is only one God. It is this same God who will make Jews—who have been circumcised—right with himself because they trust in Christ, and it is also God who will make non-Jews—who have not been circumcised—right with himself, because they also trust in Christ.
+\v 30 because, as you firmly believe, there is only one God. It is this same God who will make Jews—who have been circumcised—right with himself because they trust in the Messiah, and it is also God who will make non-Jews—who have not been circumcised—right with himself, because they also trust in the Messiah.
 
 \s5
-\v 31 If you say that God makes us right with himself because we trust in Christ, does that mean that the law is now useless? Certainly not. Instead, that law is truly valid.
+\v 31 If you say that God makes us right with himself because we trust in the Messiah, does that mean that the law is now useless? Certainly not. Instead, that law is truly valid.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -286,28 +286,28 @@
 
 
 \p
-\v 1 God has put us right with himself because we trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. So we are now at peace with God.
+\v 1 God has put us right with himself because we trust in our Lord Jesus the Messiah. So we are now at peace with God.
 
-\v 2 Because of what Christ has done for us, it is as if God has opened up a door for us to go to where he will be kind to us. So we rejoice because we are confidently expecting that God will gladly share his greatness with us.
+\v 2 Because of what the Messiah has done for us, it is as if God has opened up a door for us to go to where he will be kind to us. So we rejoice because we are confidently expecting that God will gladly share his greatness with us.
 
 \s5
-\v 3 When we suffer because we are joined to Christ, we also rejoice because we know that when we are suffering, we are learning to endure things patiently.
+\v 3 When we suffer because we are joined to the Messiah, we also rejoice because we know that when we are suffering, we are learning to endure things patiently.
 \v 4 And we know that when we endure suffering patiently, God approves of us. And when we know that God approves of us, we confidently expect that he will do great things for us.
 \v 5 And we are very confident that we will receive the things that we wait for, because God loves us very much. His Holy Spirit, whom he gave to us, causes us to understand how much God loves us.
 
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 6 When we were unable to save ourselves, it was Christ who, at the time that God chose, died for us people, although we were not honoring God at all.
+\v 6 When we were unable to save ourselves, it was the Messiah who, at the time that God chose, died for us people, although we were not honoring God at all.
 \v 7 Rarely will anyone die for another person, even if that person were righteous, although for a good person perhaps someone might be courageous enough to die.
 
 \s5
-\v 8 Nevertheless, as for God, the way he showed us that he loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still rebelling against God.
-\v 9 So it is even more certain that Christ will save us from God's anger about sin since we are right with God because Christ died for us and shed his blood for our sins.
+\v 8 Nevertheless, as for God, the way he showed us that he loves us is that the Messiah died for us while we were still rebelling against God.
+\v 9 So it is even more certain that the Messiah will save us from God's anger about sin since we are right with God because the Messiah died for us and shed his blood for our sins.
 
 \s5
-\v 10 Even when we were his enemies God made us to be his friends with because his Son died for us. Since Christ is alive again, it is even more certain that Christ will save us.
-\v 11 And that is not all! Now we also rejoice because we have been made friends with God, because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us.
+\v 10 Even when we were his enemies God made us to be his friends with because his Son died for us. Since the Messiah is alive again, it is even more certain that the Messiah will save us.
+\v 11 And that is not all! Now we also rejoice because we have been made friends with God, because of what our Lord Jesus the Messiah has done for us.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -317,13 +317,13 @@
 \v 13 People in the world sinned before God gave his law to Moses but there was no way to recognize sin against that law.
 
 \s5
-\v 14 But we know that from the time when Adam lived until the time when Moses lived, all people sinned, and that they died as a consequence. Everyone died, even those who did not break a direct command from God as Adam did. Adam's sin affected all people, just like what Christ did, the one who came later, also affects all people.
-\v 15 But the gift that God gives is not like Adam's sin. Because Adam sinned, everybody dies. But because another single man, Jesus Christ, died for us all, God kindly offers us this gift of everlasting life, although we do not deserve it.
+\v 14 But we know that from the time when Adam lived until the time when Moses lived, all people sinned, and that they died as a consequence. Everyone died, even those who did not break a direct command from God as Adam did. Adam's sin affected all people, just like what the Messiah did, the one who came later, also affects all people.
+\v 15 But the gift that God gives is not like Adam's sin. Because Adam sinned, everybody dies. But because another single man, Jesus the Messiah, died for us all, God kindly offers us this gift of everlasting life, although we do not deserve it.
 
 \s5
 \v 16 And there is another way in which God's gift is different from Adam's sin. Because Adam sinned, all people after him have sinned, and so God declared that all people deserve to be punished. But as a kind gift, God offers to put us right with himself.
 
-\v 17 All people die because of what one man, Adam, did. But now many of us experience that God has kindly given us a very great gift—which we do not deserve—and he has put us right with himself. It is also very certain that we will rule with Christ in heaven. This will happen because of what one man, Jesus Christ, did for us.
+\v 17 All people die because of what one man, Adam, did. But now many of us experience that God has kindly given us a very great gift—which we do not deserve—and he has put us right with himself. It is also very certain that we will rule with the Messiah in heaven. This will happen because of what one man, Jesus the Messiah, did for us.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 20 God gave his law to Moses in order that people might realize how greatly they had sinned; but as people sinned more, God continued to act even more kindly toward them in a way that they did not deserve.
-\v 21 He did that in order that, unlike people die because they sin, his kind gift might put them right with himself. Then they can live forever because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for them.
+\v 21 He did that in order that, unlike people die because they sin, his kind gift might put them right with himself. Then they can live forever because of what Jesus the Messiah our Lord has done for them.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -343,24 +343,24 @@
 \v 1 Someone might say in reply to what I have written that since God has acted kindly toward us, perhaps we should continue to sin in order that his kindness would be the greater.
 \v 2 No, certainly not! We are like people who have died, who can no longer do anything evil. So we should not continue to sin.
 
-\v 3 When we were baptized in union with Christ Jesus, God viewed us as dying with Christ on his cross. Do you not know this?
+\v 3 When we were baptized in union with the Messiah Jesus, God viewed us as dying with the Messiah on his cross. Do you not know this?
 \s5
-\v 4 So, when we were baptized, God viewed us also as being with Christ in his tomb. God the Father used his power to raise Christ from the dead; in the same way, he made it possible for us to live life in a new way.
+\v 4 So, when we were baptized, God viewed us also as being with the Messiah in his tomb. God the Father used his power to raise the Messiah from the dead; in the same way, he made it possible for us to live life in a new way.
 
-\v 5 Since God views us as joining with Christ when he died, he will also make us rise with him from the dead.
+\v 5 Since God views us as joining with the Messiah when he died, he will also make us rise with him from the dead.
 
 \s5
-\v 6 God views us sinners as having died on the cross with Christ, in order to put an end to our sinful nature. As a result, we no longer have to sin.
+\v 6 God views us sinners as having died on the cross with the Messiah, in order to put an end to our sinful nature. As a result, we no longer have to sin.
 \v 7 For whoever has died no longer has to sin.
 
 \s5
-\v 8 Since God views us as having died together with Christ when he died, we believe that we will also live with him.
+\v 8 Since God views us as having died together with the Messiah when he died, we believe that we will also live with him.
 
-\v 9 We know that since God enabled Christ to live again after he died, Christ will never die again. Nothing will ever be able to make him die again.
+\v 9 We know that since God enabled the Messiah to live again after he died, the Messiah will never die again. Nothing will ever be able to make him die again.
 
 \s5
 \v 10 When he died, he went free from our sinful world, and he will never die again; but because he lives again, he lives in order to serve God.
-\v 11 In the same way, you must view yourselves as God views you: You are dead people, unable to sin any longer; but you are also living people, living to serve God and joined to Christ Jesus.
+\v 11 In the same way, you must view yourselves as God views you: You are dead people, unable to sin any longer; but you are also living people, living to serve God and joined to the Messiah Jesus.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@
 \v 16 If you offer to obey someone, you become his slaves. If you obey when you wish to sin, then you become the slaves of sin and die as a result. But if you obey God, then you become his slaves and, as a result, will do the right things that God wants you to do.
 
 \s5
-\v 17 In the past you sinned in whatever way you wanted to sin—you were slaves of sin. But then you began to sincerely obey what Christ taught you. I thank God for that.
+\v 17 In the past you sinned in whatever way you wanted to sin—you were slaves of sin. But then you began to sincerely obey what the Messiah taught you. I thank God for that.
 \v 18 So now you do not have to sin any longer; sin is no longer your master. Instead, you are slaves of God, who is righteous.
 \s5
 \v 19 I am writing to you in a way that ordinary people can understand. In the past you were slaves to your desires so you did all kinds of impure and evil things. But now act justly as God acts, so that he will set you apart for himself as his people.
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 22 But now you do not have to sin any longer. You are no longer slaves like that. Instead, you have become slaves of God. In return, he has set you apart as his own people, and he will allow you to live forever, with him.
-\v 23 All who do what their evil minds tells them to do receive payment, too, but that payment is death. They will be apart from God forever. But as for God, he pays no wages to his slaves at all. Instead, he gives us a free gift: He allows us to live forever with him, joined to Christ Jesus our Lord.
+\v 23 All who do what their evil minds tells them to do receive payment, too, but that payment is death. They will be apart from God forever. But as for God, he pays no wages to his slaves at all. Instead, he gives us a free gift: He allows us to live forever with him, joined to the Messiah Jesus our Lord.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@
 \v 3 So if she goes to another man while her husband is alive, she will be an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she no longer has to obey that law. Then if she marries another man, she will not be an adulteress.
 
 \s5
-\v 4 In the same way, my brothers and sisters, when you died with Christ on his cross, the law of God could no longer control you. You were free to join Christ, so that you might honor God. You can do this because you are alive again. God has joined you to Christ, and he has raised Christ from the dead.
+\v 4 In the same way, my brothers and sisters, when you died with the Messiah on his cross, the law of God could no longer control you. You were free to join the Messiah, so that you might honor God. You can do this because you are alive again. God has joined you to the Messiah, and he has raised the Messiah from the dead.
 
 \v 5 When we were doing what our evil thoughts told us to do, when we learned God's law, we wanted to sin more and more. So we did evil things that would lead God to separate us from him forever.
 \s5
@@ -448,14 +448,14 @@
 \v 23 Nevertheless, I sense that there is a different power that is in my body. It is opposed to what with my mind I desire to do, and it makes me do what my old sinful attitude wants me to do.
 \s5
 \v 24 When I consider this, I feel that I am a very wretched person. I want someone to set me free from the control of what my body desires, in order that I might not be separated from God.
-\v 25 I thank God that it is by Jesus Christ our Lord that he sets us free from the control of what our bodies desire. So with our minds, I on the one hand want to obey God's law. But also, I often let our sinful desires control me because of my old sinful attitude.
+\v 25 I thank God that it is by Jesus the Messiah our Lord that he sets us free from the control of what our bodies desire. So with our minds, I on the one hand want to obey God's law. But also, I often let our sinful desires control me because of my old sinful attitude.
 
 
 \s5
 \c 8
 \p
-\v 1 So God will not condemn and punish those who are joined to Christ Jesus.
-\v 2 God's Spirit causes us to live in a new way because we are joined to Christ Jesus. In this way, I no longer have to sin when I think about sinning, and I will no more be separated from God.
+\v 1 So God will not condemn and punish those who are joined to the Messiah Jesus.
+\v 2 God's Spirit causes us to live in a new way because we are joined to the Messiah Jesus. In this way, I no longer have to sin when I think about sinning, and I will no more be separated from God.
 
 \s5
 \v 3 We tried to obey God's law in order to live with God, but it was useless to think that we could—we could not stop sinning. So God helped us instead: He sent his own Son into the world in order that his Son might atone for our sin. His Son came having a body that was like the body of us who sin. His Son came to offer himself as a sacrifice for our sin. When he did this, he also showed that our sins are truly wicked, and that anyone who sins deserves to be punished.
@@ -469,11 +469,11 @@
 \v 8 The people who do what their evil attitude tells them cannot please God.
 
 \s5
-\v 9 But we do not have to let our old evil nature control us. Instead, we can let God's Spirit control us, because he lives within us. If the Spirit who comes from Christ does not live in people, they do not belong to Christ.
-\v 10 But since Christ is living in you by his Spirit, God views your bodies as dead, so you no longer have to sin. And he views your spirits as alive, because he has put you right with himself.
+\v 9 But we do not have to let our old evil nature control us. Instead, we can let God's Spirit control us, because he lives within us. If the Spirit who comes from the Messiah does not live in people, they do not belong to the Messiah.
+\v 10 But since the Messiah is living in you by his Spirit, God views your bodies as dead, so you no longer have to sin. And he views your spirits as alive, because he has put you right with himself.
 
 \s5
-\v 11 God caused Jesus to live again after he died. And because his Spirit lives in you, God will also make your bodies, which now are sure to die, live again. He caused Christ to live again after he died, and he will make you live again by causing his Spirit to do it.
+\v 11 God caused Jesus to live again after he died. And because his Spirit lives in you, God will also make your bodies, which now are sure to die, live again. He caused the Messiah to live again after he died, and he will make you live again by causing his Spirit to do it.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 16 The Spirit himself confirms what our spirits say, that we are God's children.
-\v 17 Because we are God's children, we also will one day receive what God has promised us. And we will receive this together with Christ. But we must suffer for doing good as Christ did, in order that God may honor us.
+\v 17 Because we are God's children, we also will one day receive what God has promised us. And we will receive this together with the Messiah. But we must suffer for doing good as the Messiah did, in order that God may honor us.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 28 And we know that for those who love God, he works out all things that happen to them in a way that does us good. He does this for those whom he has chosen, because that was what he planned to do.
-\v 29 God knew previously that we would believe in him. We are those who God also decided previously would have a character like his Son's character. The result is that Christ is God's firstborn Son, and those who are God's children are the many younger brothers of Jesus.
+\v 29 God knew previously that we would believe in him. We are those who God also decided previously would have a character like his Son's character. The result is that the Messiah is God's firstborn Son, and those who are God's children are the many younger brothers of Jesus.
 \v 30 And the ones God decided previously who would be like his Son, he also called them to be with him. And the ones he called to be with him, he also made them to be right with himself. And to the ones whom he has put right with himself, he also will give them honor.
 
 
@@ -527,32 +527,32 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 33 No one can accuse us before God of doing wrong, for he has chosen us to belong to him. He is the one who has put us right with himself.
-\v 34 No one can condemn us any longer. Christ is the one who died for us—and more than that, he also was raised from the dead—and he is ruling with God in the place of honor, and he is the one who is pleading for us.
+\v 34 No one can condemn us any longer. The Messiah is the one who died for us—and more than that, he also was raised from the dead—and he is ruling with God in the place of honor, and he is the one who is pleading for us.
 
 \s5
-\v 35 Absolutely no one and nothing can cause Christ to stop loving us! Even if someone afflicts us, or even someone harms us, or even if we have nothing to eat, or even if we do not have enough clothes, or even if we live in a dangerous situation, or even if someone will kill us.
+\v 35 Absolutely no one and nothing can cause the Messiah to stop loving us! Even if someone afflicts us, or even someone harms us, or even if we have nothing to eat, or even if we do not have enough clothes, or even if we live in a dangerous situation, or even if someone will kill us.
 \v 36 Such things may happen to us, just as it is written that David said to God, "Because we are your people, others repeatedly attempt to kill us. They consider that we are only people to be killed, like a butcher considers that sheep are only animals to be slaughtered."
 
 \s5
-\v 37 But even though all these bad things happen to us, we win completely over these things because Christ, who loves us, helps us.
+\v 37 But even though all these bad things happen to us, we win completely over these things because the Messiah, who loves us, helps us.
 \v 38 I am completely convinced that neither anything from the realm of the dead, nor what happens to us while we live, nor angels, nor demons, nor present events, nor future events, nor powerful beings,
-\v 39 nor powerful beings in the sky or below it, nor anything else that God has created can cause God to stop loving us. God showed us that he loves us by sending Jesus Christ our Lord to die for us.
+\v 39 nor powerful beings in the sky or below it, nor anything else that God has created can cause God to stop loving us. God showed us that he loves us by sending Jesus the Messiah our Lord to die for us.
 
 
 \s5
 \c 9
 \p
-\v 1 Because I am joined to Christ, I will tell you the truth. I am not lying! My conscience confirms what I say because the Holy Spirit controls me.
+\v 1 Because I am joined to the Messiah, I will tell you the truth. I am not lying! My conscience confirms what I say because the Holy Spirit controls me.
 \v 2 I tell you that I grieve very greatly and deeply about my fellow Israelites.
 
 \s5
-\v 3 I personally would be willing to let God curse me and, keep me apart from Christ forever if that would help my fellow Israelites, my natural kinsmen, to believe in Christ.
+\v 3 I personally would be willing to let God curse me and, keep me apart from the Messiah forever if that would help my fellow Israelites, my natural kinsmen, to believe in the Messiah.
 \v 4 They, like me, are Israelites. God chose them to be his children. It is to them that he showed how wonderful he is. It is with them that he made the covenants. It is to them that he gave the law. They are the ones who have the worship of God. They are the ones to whom God promised many things.
-\v 5 It was our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whom God chose to begin our nation. And, most importantly, it was from us Israelites that the Christ was born as a human being. He is God, the one who is worthy that we praise him forever! This is true!
+\v 5 It was our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whom God chose to begin our nation. And, most importantly, it was from us Israelites that the Messiah was born as a human being. He is God, the one who is worthy that we praise him forever! This is true!
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 6 God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their descendants would all inherit his blessings. But although most of my fellow Israelites have rejected Christ, that does not prove that God has failed to do the things that he promised. For it is not all people who are descended from Jacob and who call themselves the people of Israel whom God considers to be truly his people.
+\v 6 God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their descendants would all inherit his blessings. But although most of my fellow Israelites have rejected the Messiah, that does not prove that God has failed to do the things that he promised. For it is not all people who are descended from Jacob and who call themselves the people of Israel whom God considers to be truly his people.
 \v 7 And it is also not all of Abraham's natural descendants that God considers to be Abraham's true descendants. Instead, God considers only some of them to be Abraham's true descendants. This agrees with what he told Abraham: "It is Isaac, not any of your other sons, whom I will consider to be the true father of your descendants."
 
 \s5
@@ -608,11 +608,11 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 30 We must conclude this: Although the non-Jews were not trying to be holy, they discovered that God would put them right with himself if they trusted in Christ.
+\v 30 We must conclude this: Although the non-Jews were not trying to be holy, they discovered that God would put them right with himself if they trusted in the Messiah.
 \v 31 But the people of Israel did indeed try to be holy by obeying God's law, but they were not able to.
 
 \s5
-\v 32 They were not able to, because they tried to do things to please God. They lost their balance when they refused to trust God to forgive them by putting their trust in Christ.
+\v 32 They were not able to, because they tried to do things to please God. They lost their balance when they refused to trust God to forgive them by putting their trust in the Messiah.
 \v 33 This is what a prophet said would happen:
 "Listen! I am placing in Israel one who is like a stone on which people will stumble. What he does will make people angry. Nevertheless, those who believe in him will not be ashamed."
 
@@ -626,31 +626,31 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 \v 2 I declare truthfully about them that although they earnestly go after God, they do not understand how to go after him in the right way.
 \v 3 They do not know how God puts people right with himself. They want to put themselves right with God, so they do not accept what God wishes to do for them.
 \s5
-\v 4 Christ has perfectly obeyed the law in order to put everyone who believes in him right with God. So the law is no longer necessary.
+\v 4 The Messiah has perfectly obeyed the law in order to put everyone who believes in him right with God. So the law is no longer necessary.
 
 
 \p
 \v 5 Moses wrote about people who tried to obey all of God's laws: "It is the people who have done perfectly the things that the law requires who will live forever."
 \s5
-\v 6 But those whom God puts right with himself because they trust in Christ—to them Moses says, "No one should try to go to heaven," that is, in order to bring Christ down to us.
-\v 7 Moses also says this to them: "No one should try to go down to where the dead are," that is, in order to bring Christ back from the dead for us.
+\v 6 But those whom God puts right with himself because they trust in the Messiah—to them Moses says, "No one should try to go to heaven," that is, in order to bring the Messiah down to us.
+\v 7 Moses also says this to them: "No one should try to go down to where the dead are," that is, in order to bring the Messiah back from the dead for us.
 
 \s5
-\v 8 But instead, those who believe in Christ can say what Moses wrote: "You can find out about God's message very easily. You can speak about it and think about it." This is the message that we proclaim: People must believe in Christ.
+\v 8 But instead, those who believe in the Messiah can say what Moses wrote: "You can find out about God's message very easily. You can speak about it and think about it." This is the message that we proclaim: People must believe in the Messiah.
 \v 9 This message is that if anyone of you confirms that Jesus is Lord, and if you truly believe that God raised him from the dead, he will save you.
 \v 10 If people believe these things, God will put them right with himself. And for those who state publicly that Jesus is Lord—God will save them.
 \s5
-\v 11 It is written in the scriptures about the Christ, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed or ashamed."
+\v 11 It is written in the scriptures about the Messiah, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed or ashamed."
 \v 12 In this way, God treats the Jews and the non-Jews the same. Because he is the same Lord for all people who believe in him, he greatly helps all who ask him to help them.
 \v 13 This is just like what the scriptures say: "The Lord God will save all those who ask him."
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 14 Most people have certainly not believed in Christ, and some people might try to explain why they have not done so. They might say, "People certainly cannot ask Christ to help them if they have not first believed in him! And they certainly cannot believe in him if they have not heard about him! And they certainly cannot hear about him if someone does not preach to them about him!
-\v 15 And those who could preach to them about Christ, certainly cannot do so if God does not send them. But if some believers preached to them, it would be just like the scriptures say: 'It is wonderful when people come and bring good news!'"
+\v 14 Most people have certainly not believed in the Messiah, and some people might try to explain why they have not done so. They might say, "People certainly cannot ask the Messiah to help them if they have not first believed in him! And they certainly cannot believe in him if they have not heard about him! And they certainly cannot hear about him if someone does not preach to them about him!
+\v 15 And those who could preach to them about the Messiah, certainly cannot do so if God does not send them. But if some believers preached to them, it would be just like the scriptures say: 'It is wonderful when people come and bring good news!'"
 \s5
-\v 16 I would reply in this way to those who say such things: God has indeed sent people to preach the message about Christ. But not all the people of Israel have paid attention to the good news! It is like what Isaiah said when he felt very discouraged: "Lord, it seems as if hardly anyone believed what they heard us preach!"
-\v 17 So then, I tell you that people are believing in Christ because they hear about him, and people are hearing the message because others are preaching about Christ!
+\v 16 I would reply in this way to those who say such things: God has indeed sent people to preach the message about the Messiah. But not all the people of Israel have paid attention to the good news! It is like what Isaiah said when he felt very discouraged: "Lord, it seems as if hardly anyone believed what they heard us preach!"
+\v 17 So then, I tell you that people are believing in the Messiah because they hear about him, and people are hearing the message because others are preaching about the Messiah!
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 \v 6 Since it is because he acts kindly toward those whom he chooses, it is not because they have done good things that he has chosen them. If God chose people because they did good deeds, then he would not need to act kindly toward them.
 \p
 \v 7 Since God chose only some people of Israel, this makes us know that most of the Jews failed to get what they were looking for—(although the Jews whom God chose did get it). Most of the Jews remained unwilling to understand what God was telling them.
-\v 8 This is exactly what the prophet Isaiah had written about: "God caused them to be stubborn. They should be able to understand the truth about Christ, but they cannot. They should obey God when he speaks, but they do not. It is like that to this very day."
+\v 8 This is exactly what the prophet Isaiah had written about: "God caused them to be stubborn. They should be able to understand the truth about the Messiah, but they cannot. They should obey God when he speaks, but they do not. It is like that to this very day."
 
 \s5
 \v 9 The Jews remind me of what King David said, when he asked God to cause his enemies' senses to be dull:
@@ -696,8 +696,8 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 11 If I should ask, "When the Jews sinned by not believing in Christ, did that mean they will always be apart from God?" I would reply, "No, they have certainly not separated themselves from God permanently! Instead, because they sinned, God is saving non-Jews in order to cause the Jews to envy the way he blesses non-Jews, so that they will ask Christ to save them."
-\v 12 When the Jews rejected Christ, the result was that God abundantly blessed the other people in the world by offering them the opportunity to believe. And when the Jews failed spiritually, the result was that God abundantly blessed the non-Jews. Since that is true, think how wonderful it will be when the complete number of the Jews whom God has chosen will believe in Christ !
+\v 11 If I should ask, "When the Jews sinned by not believing in the Messiah, did that mean they will always be apart from God?" I would reply, "No, they have certainly not separated themselves from God permanently! Instead, because they sinned, God is saving non-Jews in order to cause the Jews to envy the way he blesses non-Jews, so that they will ask the Messiah to save them."
+\v 12 When the Jews rejected the Messiah, the result was that God abundantly blessed the other people in the world by offering them the opportunity to believe. And when the Jews failed spiritually, the result was that God abundantly blessed the non-Jews. Since that is true, think how wonderful it will be when the complete number of the Jews whom God has chosen will believe in the Messiah !
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -705,7 +705,7 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 \v 14 But I also hope that by my labors I will make my fellow Jews jealous, with the result that some of them will believe and thus be saved.
 
 \s5
-\v 15 God has rejected most of my fellow Jews because they refused to believe, with the result that he made peace between himself and other people in the world. If that is what happened after most of the Jews rejected Christ, think about the excellent things that will happen after they trust in him. It will be like they have risen from the realm of the dead!
+\v 15 God has rejected most of my fellow Jews because they refused to believe, with the result that he made peace between himself and other people in the world. If that is what happened after most of the Jews rejected the Messiah, think about the excellent things that will happen after they trust in him. It will be like they have risen from the realm of the dead!
 \v 16 Just like the whole lump of dough will belong to God if people offer to God the bread baked from the first part of it, so the Jews will belong to God because their ancestors belonged to God. And just like the branches of a tree will belong to God if the root belongs to God, so the descendants of our great Jewish ancestors who belonged to God will also some day belong to God.
 
 \s5
@@ -715,15 +715,15 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 
 \s5
 \v 19 Maybe you will say to me, "God rejected the Jews like people break bad branches off a tree and throw them away, and he has done this in order that he might accept us non-Jews, just like people put branches of a wild olive tree into the trunk of a good tree."
-\v 20 I would reply that this is true. However, it is because the Jews did not believe in Christ, God rejected them. As for you, it is only because you believe in Christ that you stand strong! So do not become proud, but instead be filled with awe!
+\v 20 I would reply that this is true. However, it is because the Jews did not believe in the Messiah, God rejected them. As for you, it is only because you believe in the Messiah that you stand strong! So do not become proud, but instead be filled with awe!
 \v 21 Since God did not spare those unbelieving Jews, who grew up like a tree's natural branches that came from the root, then know, if you do not believe, he will not spare you either!
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 22 Note then, that God acts kindly, but he also acts severely. He has acted severely toward the Jews who have refused to trust in Christ. God has acted kindly toward you, but he will act severely if you do not keep trusting in Christ.
+\v 22 Note then, that God acts kindly, but he also acts severely. He has acted severely toward the Jews who have refused to trust in the Messiah. God has acted kindly toward you, but he will act severely if you do not keep trusting in the Messiah.
 
 \s5
-\v 23 And if the Jews believe in Christ, God will also put them back into the tree again, because God is able to do that.
+\v 23 And if the Jews believe in the Messiah, God will also put them back into the tree again, because God is able to do that.
 \v 24 You non-Jews who were previously apart from God have benefited from the ways in which God blessed the Jews. That is like taking branches that someone has cut from a wild olive tree—a tree that just grew without anyone planting it— and, contrary to what people usually do, splicing them into a cultivated olive tree. So God will much more readily receive back the Jews because they belonged to him before! That will be like putting the original branches that someone cut off, back into the olive tree to which they originally belonged!
 
 \s5
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 28 The Jews rejected the good news about Christ and now God treats them as his enemies. But that has helped you non-Jews. But because they are the people whom God chose, God still loves them because of what he promised to do for their ancestors.
+\v 28 The Jews rejected the good news about the Messiah and now God treats them as his enemies. But that has helped you non-Jews. But because they are the people whom God chose, God still loves them because of what he promised to do for their ancestors.
 \v 29 He still loves them, because he never changed his mind about what he has promised to give them, and about how he has called them to be his own people.
 
 \s5
@@ -773,7 +773,7 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 
 \s5
 \v 4 Although a person has one body, it consists of many parts. All of the parts are necessary for the body, but they do not all function the same way.
-\v 5 Similarly, we, although we are many, are united into one group because we are joined to Christ, and we belong to one another. So no one should act as though he is more important than the others!
+\v 5 Similarly, we, although we are many, are united into one group because we are joined to the Messiah, and we belong to one another. So no one should act as though he is more important than the others!
 
 \s5
 \v 6 Instead, since each one of us can do different things because God makes us different from each other, we should do them eagerly and cheerfully! Those of us to whom God gives messages for others should speak in a way that fits our trust in God.
@@ -832,11 +832,11 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 11 Do what I have just told you, especially since you know how important is the time in which we are now living. You know that it is time for you to be fully alert and active, like people who have awakened from sleeping, because the time when Christ will finally deliver us from this world's sin and sorrow is near. That time is closer now than when we first believed in Christ.
-\v 12 Our time to live in this world is almost ended, like a night that is nearly ended. The time when Christ will return is near. So we must stop doing the wicked deeds that people like to do at night, and we must be doing the things that will help us resist evil, as soldiers who put on their armor in the daytime get ready to resist their enemies.
+\v 11 Do what I have just told you, especially since you know how important is the time in which we are now living. You know that it is time for you to be fully alert and active, like people who have awakened from sleeping, because the time when the Messiah will finally deliver us from this world's sin and sorrow is near. That time is closer now than when we first believed in the Messiah.
+\v 12 Our time to live in this world is almost ended, like a night that is nearly ended. The time when the Messiah will return is near. So we must stop doing the wicked deeds that people like to do at night, and we must be doing the things that will help us resist evil, as soldiers who put on their armor in the daytime get ready to resist their enemies.
 \s5
-\v 13 We must behave properly, as though the time when Christ will return were already here. We must not get drunk and do evil things with others. We must not commit any kind of sexual immorality or wild sensual behavior. We must not quarrel. We must not be jealous of other people.
-\v 14 On the contrary, we should be like the Lord Jesus Christ so that others will see what he is like. You should stop wanting to do the things that your old evil nature wants to do.
+\v 13 We must behave properly, as though the time when the Messiah will return were already here. We must not get drunk and do evil things with others. We must not commit any kind of sexual immorality or wild sensual behavior. We must not quarrel. We must not be jealous of other people.
+\v 14 On the contrary, we should be like the Lord Jesus the Messiah so that others will see what he is like. You should stop wanting to do the things that your old evil nature wants to do.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -859,7 +859,7 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 \s5
 \v 7 None of us should live merely to please ourselves, and none of us should think that when we die, it affects only us.
 \v 8 While we live, it is the Lord whom we belong to and should be trying to please, and not just ourselves. And when we die, it is the Lord whom we should be trying to please. So, while we live and also when we die, we should try to please the Lord, for we belong to him.
-\v 9 For Christ died and became alive again in order that he might be Lord whom all people should obey, both those alive and those who are dead.
+\v 9 For the Messiah died and became alive again in order that he might be Lord whom all people should obey, both those alive and those who are dead.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -874,22 +874,22 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 
 
 \p
-\v 13 Since it is God who will judge everyone, we must stop saying that God should punish some of our fellow believers! Instead, you must be determined to never cause another brother or sister to sin or to stop trusting Christ.
+\v 13 Since it is God who will judge everyone, we must stop saying that God should punish some of our fellow believers! Instead, you must be determined to never cause another brother or sister to sin or to stop trusting the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \v 14 Because I am joined to the Lord Jesus, I am absolutely certain that there is nothing that by itself is wrong to eat. But if people think it is wrong to eat something, then for them it is wrong to eat it. So you should not encourage them to eat it.
-\v 15 If you eat food that a fellow believer thinks is wrong to eat, you might cause him to stop obeying God. You would no longer be loving him. Do not cause any fellow believer to stop trusting in Christ. After all, Christ died for him, too!
+\v 15 If you eat food that a fellow believer thinks is wrong to eat, you might cause him to stop obeying God. You would no longer be loving him. Do not cause any fellow believer to stop trusting in the Messiah. After all, the Messiah died for him, too!
 \s5
 \v 16 Similarly, do not do something that fellow believers would call bad, even if you think it is good.
 
 \v 17 When God rules how we live, we do not worry about what we eat and drink. Instead, we think about how what is the right way to obey him, have peace with each other, and rejoice because of the Holy Spirit.
 
 \s5
-\v 18 Those who serve Christ by acting in such ways please God, and others will also respect them.
+\v 18 Those who serve the Messiah by acting in such ways please God, and others will also respect them.
 
 
 \p
-\v 19 So we should always eagerly try to live in a way that will cause peace among fellow Christians, and we should try to do what will help each other to trust and obey Christ.
+\v 19 So we should always eagerly try to live in a way that will cause peace among fellow Christians, and we should try to do what will help each other to trust and obey the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \v 20 Do not destroy how God has helped any believer just because you want to eat a certain kind of food. It is true that God allows us to eat every kind of food. But if you eat something that another believer thinks is wrong, then you are encouraging him to do what he thinks is wrong.
@@ -909,22 +909,22 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 \p
 \v 1 Those of us believers who are sure that God allows us to do many more things than other believers think he allows them to do—we should be patient with them and allow them to inconvenience us. This is more important than our pleasing ourselves.
 
-\v 2 Each of us should do the things that please our fellow believers, and things that will help them, things that will encourage them to trust in Christ.
+\v 2 Each of us should do the things that please our fellow believers, and things that will help them, things that will encourage them to trust in the Messiah.
 
 \s5
-\v 3 We should please our fellow believers, since Christ has set us an example. He did not do things to please himself. On the contrary, he tried to please God even when others insulted him. That was as the scriptures say: "When people insulted you, it was as though they were also insulting me."
+\v 3 We should please our fellow believers, since the Messiah has set us an example. He did not do things to please himself. On the contrary, he tried to please God even when others insulted him. That was as the scriptures say: "When people insulted you, it was as though they were also insulting me."
 \v 4 Remember that all the things written in the scriptures are there to teach us, so that we may become patient in hardship. In this way the scriptures will encourage us to expect that God will do for us everything that he has promised.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 5 I pray that God give you patience and encouragement so that you all live in peace with each other, doing as Christ Jesus did.
-\v 6 If you do this, you all will be praising God together, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
+\v 5 I pray that God give you patience and encouragement so that you all live in peace with each other, doing as the Messiah Jesus did.
+\v 6 If you do this, you all will be praising God together, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.
 
 \p
-\v 7 So I say to all of you believers at Rome, accept each other. If you do that, people will praise God as they see you behave like Christ. Accept each other just like Christ accepted you!
+\v 7 So I say to all of you believers at Rome, accept each other. If you do that, people will praise God as they see you behave like the Messiah. Accept each other just like the Messiah accepted you!
 
 \s5
-\v 8 I want you to remember that Christ helped us Jews to know the truth about God. That is, he came to make come true everything that God had promised our ancestors that he would do.
+\v 8 I want you to remember that the Messiah helped us Jews to know the truth about God. That is, he came to make come true everything that God had promised our ancestors that he would do.
 \v 9 But he also came to help the non-Jews, so they would praise God for his mercy. God's mercy has produced what is written in the scriptures that David said to God: "So I will praise you among the non-Jews; I will sing and praise you."
 
 \s5
@@ -944,22 +944,22 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 
 \s5
 \v 15 However, I have written to you quite openly in this letter about some things in order to remind you about them. I have written this because God has made me an apostle, although I did not deserve this.
-\v 16 He did this in order that I should work for Jesus Christ among the non-Jews. God has appointed me to act like a priest as I proclaim his good news in order that he may accept the non-Jews who believe in Christ. They will be like an offering that the Holy Spirit has set completely apart for God only.
+\v 16 He did this in order that I should work for Jesus the Messiah among the non-Jews. God has appointed me to act like a priest as I proclaim his good news in order that he may accept the non-Jews who believe in the Messiah. They will be like an offering that the Holy Spirit has set completely apart for God only.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 17 It follows that, because of my relationship with Christ Jesus, I am happy about my work for God.
-\v 18 I will speak boldly only about the work that Christ has accomplished through me that non-Jews might pay attention to the message about Christ. These accomplishments came because of words and deeds
-\v 19 by showing signs and other things that convince people. I have done those things God's Spirit has enabled me. In this way I have traveled all the way around from Jerusalem to the province of Illyricum, and I have completed my work of proclaiming the message about Christ in those places.
+\v 17 It follows that, because of my relationship with the Messiah Jesus, I am happy about my work for God.
+\v 18 I will speak boldly only about the work that the Messiah has accomplished through me that non-Jews might pay attention to the message about the Messiah. These accomplishments came because of words and deeds
+\v 19 by showing signs and other things that convince people. I have done those things God's Spirit has enabled me. In this way I have traveled all the way around from Jerusalem to the province of Illyricum, and I have completed my work of proclaiming the message about the Messiah in those places.
 
 \s5
-\v 20 As I proclaim that message, I am always eagerly trying to proclaim it in places where people have not already heard about Christ. I do that in order that I might not be simply continuing the work that someone else already started. I do not want to be like a man who builds a house on someone else's foundation.
-\v 21 On the contrary, I teach non-Jews, so that what happens may be like what was written: "The people who have never heard any news about the Christ, they will see him. Those who have never heard of him will understand about him."
+\v 20 As I proclaim that message, I am always eagerly trying to proclaim it in places where people have not already heard about the Messiah. I do that in order that I might not be simply continuing the work that someone else already started. I do not want to be like a man who builds a house on someone else's foundation.
+\v 21 On the contrary, I teach non-Jews, so that what happens may be like what was written: "The people who have never heard any news about the Messiah, they will see him. Those who have never heard of him will understand about him."
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 22 Because I have attempted to preach the message about Christ in places where they have not heard about him, I have been stopped many times from coming to visit you.
-\v 23 But now there are no more places in these regions where people have not heard about Christ. Furthermore, for several years I have wanted to visit you.
+\v 22 Because I have attempted to preach the message about the Messiah in places where they have not heard about him, I have been stopped many times from coming to visit you.
+\v 23 But now there are no more places in these regions where people have not heard about the Messiah. Furthermore, for several years I have wanted to visit you.
 
 \s5
 \v 24 So I hope to go to Spain, and I hope that you will help me on my journey. And I would like to pause on my journey for a while in order to enjoy being with you.
@@ -967,15 +967,15 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 
 \s5
 \v 26 The believers in the provinces of Macedonia and Achaia decided to contribute money to help the believers in Jerusalem, God's own people, who are poor.
-\v 27 They themselves decided to do this, but truly they owe something to God's people in Jerusalem. The non-Jewish believers benefited spiritually from Jewish believers because they heard the message about Christ from them, so the non-Jews should also help the Jewish believers in Jerusalem by giving them material things.
+\v 27 They themselves decided to do this, but truly they owe something to God's people in Jerusalem. The non-Jewish believers benefited spiritually from Jewish believers because they heard the message about the Messiah from them, so the non-Jews should also help the Jewish believers in Jerusalem by giving them material things.
 
 \s5
 \v 28 When I finish this task of delivering all this money that the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have given, I will leave Jerusalem and visit you in Rome while I am on my way to Spain.
-\v 29 And I know that when I visit you, Christ will abundantly bless us.
+\v 29 And I know that when I visit you, the Messiah will abundantly bless us.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 30 Because we belong to our Lord Jesus Christ and because the Spirit of God causes us to love each other, I urge you all that you help me by fervently praying to God for me.
+\v 30 Because we belong to our Lord Jesus the Messiah and because the Spirit of God causes us to love each other, I urge you all that you help me by fervently praying to God for me.
 \v 31 Pray that God will protect me from the unbelieving Jews while I am in Judea. And pray that the believers in Jerusalem will be glad to receive the money that I am bringing them.
 \v 32 Pray these things in order that God may be pleased for me to come to you, and that I may be able to rest among you—and you rest with me—for a while.
 
@@ -991,18 +991,18 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 3 Tell Priscilla and her husband Aquila that I send greetings to them. They worked with me for Christ Jesus,
+\v 3 Tell Priscilla and her husband Aquila that I send greetings to them. They worked with me for the Messiah Jesus,
 \v 4 and they were even willing to die for me. I thank them, and the non-Jewish congregations also thank them for saving my life.
-\v 5 Also tell the congregation that meets in their house that I send my greetings to them. Tell my dear friend Epaenetus the same thing. He is the first man in the province of Asia to believe in Christ.
+\v 5 Also tell the congregation that meets in their house that I send my greetings to them. Tell my dear friend Epaenetus the same thing. He is the first man in the province of Asia to believe in the Messiah.
 
 \s5
-\v 6 Tell Mary, who has worked hard for Christ in order to help you, that I send my greetings to her.
+\v 6 Tell Mary, who has worked hard for the Messiah in order to help you, that I send my greetings to her.
 \v 7 Tell the same thing to Andronicus and his wife Junia, fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are well known among the apostles, and they became Christians before I did.
 \v 8 I also send my greetings to Ampliatus, who is a dear friend and is joined to the Lord.
 
 \s5
-\v 9 I also send my greetings to Urbanus, who works for Christ with us, and to my dear friend Stachys.
-\v 10 I also send my greetings to Apelles, of whom Christ has approved because he successfully endured trials. Tell the believers who live in the house of Aristobulus that I send my greetings to them.
+\v 9 I also send my greetings to Urbanus, who works for the Messiah with us, and to my dear friend Stachys.
+\v 10 I also send my greetings to Apelles, of whom the Messiah has approved because he successfully endured trials. Tell the believers who live in the house of Aristobulus that I send my greetings to them.
 \v 11 Also tell Herodion, who is my fellow Jew, that I send my greetings to him. Tell the same thing to those who live in the house of Narcissus, those who belong to the Lord.
 
 \s5
@@ -1012,15 +1012,15 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 
 \s5
 \v 15 I also send my greetings to Philologus, to his wife Julia, to Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas, and to all God's people who meet with them.
-\v 16 Greet one another affectionately in a pure way, when you gather together. The believers in all the assemblies joined to Christ greet you.
+\v 16 Greet one another affectionately in a pure way, when you gather together. The believers in all the assemblies joined to the Messiah greet you.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 17 My fellow believers, I tell you that you must be careful about the people who are causing divisions among you and who cause people to stop honoring God. Keep away from such people!
-\v 18 They do not serve our Lord Christ! On the contrary, they only want to satisfy their own desires. They deceive the people using smooth talk and praise so the people do not realize that these troublemakers are teaching false things.
+\v 18 They do not serve our Lord the Messiah! On the contrary, they only want to satisfy their own desires. They deceive the people using smooth talk and praise so the people do not realize that these troublemakers are teaching false things.
 
 \s5
-\v 19 Believers everywhere know that you have obeyed what Christ says in the good news. So I rejoice about you. But I also want you to be smart enough to recognize what is good and stay away from what is evil.
+\v 19 Believers everywhere know that you have obeyed what the Messiah says in the good news. So I rejoice about you. But I also want you to be smart enough to recognize what is good and stay away from what is evil.
 \v 20 If you do all these things, God, who gives us his peace, will soon smash the work of Satan because of your authority! I pray that our Lord Jesus will continue to act kindly toward you.
 
 \s5
@@ -1032,9 +1032,9 @@ in those same places they are told that they will become children of the true Go
 \v 23-24 I, Paul, am staying in the house of Gaius, and the whole assembly here meets in his house. He also wants you to know that he is sending his greetings to you. Erastus, who manages the city's money, sends his greetings to you also, along with our brother Quartus.
 \s5
 \p
-\v 25 Now to God, the one who is able to strengthen you spiritually by my proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ that God did not reveal in any age before our own time —
-\v 26 but now God has made it known by means of what the scriptures said would happen — so that people in all the people groups in the world may believe in Christ and obey him.
+\v 25 Now to God, the one who is able to strengthen you spiritually by my proclamation of the good news of Jesus the Messiah that God did not reveal in any age before our own time —
+\v 26 but now God has made it known by means of what the scriptures said would happen — so that people in all the people groups in the world may believe in the Messiah and obey him.
 
 \s5
-\v 27 May God, who alone is wise, be praised forever, because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. May it be so!
+\v 27 May God, who alone is wise, be praised forever, because of what Jesus the Messiah has done for us. May it be so!
 

47-1CO.usfm

@@ -8,29 +8,29 @@
 \s5
 \c 1
 \p
-\v 1 I, Paul, am writing this letter. Sosthenes, our fellow believer, is with me as I write this letter to you. God appointed me to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and God chose me to serve him.
-\v 2 This letter is to the church of God in Corinth, to those whom Christ Jesus has set apart for God, with everyone else—everywhere—who calls on God to save them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
+\v 1 I, Paul, am writing this letter. Sosthenes, our fellow believer, is with me as I write this letter to you. God appointed me to be an apostle of the Messiah Jesus, and God chose me to serve him.
+\v 2 This letter is to the church of God in Corinth, to those whom the Messiah Jesus has set apart for God, with everyone else—everywhere—who calls on God to save them in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, their Lord and ours.
 \p
-\v 3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ love you and give you peace.
+\v 3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus the Messiah love you and give you peace.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 4 I thank my God every day for you because of the many costly gifts that Christ Jesus has given to you because he loves you.
-\v 5 Christ has given you so many things. He helped you in all your speaking and in all your knowledge.
-\v 6 You yourselves are the proof that these statements about Christ are true.
+\v 4 I thank my God every day for you because of the many costly gifts that the Messiah Jesus has given to you because he loves you.
+\v 5 The Messiah has given you so many things. He helped you in all your speaking and in all your knowledge.
+\v 6 You yourselves are the proof that these statements about the Messiah are true.
 
 \s5
-\v 7 That is the reason you do not lack any gift from the Spirit of God while you wait for the day when God will make the Lord Jesus Christ known and will show him to everyone.
-\v 8 God will also make you strong so you can serve him to the very end, so you will bring no shame upon yourselves on the day that our Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth.
-\v 9 God is keeping his promise to do that. God called you, so you can know and love his Son, Jesus Christ, who is our Lord.
+\v 7 That is the reason you do not lack any gift from the Spirit of God while you wait for the day when God will make the Lord Jesus the Messiah known and will show him to everyone.
+\v 8 God will also make you strong so you can serve him to the very end, so you will bring no shame upon yourselves on the day that our Lord Jesus the Messiah returns to earth.
+\v 9 God is keeping his promise to do that. God called you, so you can know and love his Son, Jesus the Messiah, who is our Lord.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 10 My brothers and sisters, I beg you by the authority of Jesus, that you come to an agreement and that you settle your disagreements, and that you no longer divide yourselves into groups. Learn to see things from the same point of view and to work together to accomplish the same task.
 \v 11 Those in Chloe's house have reported to me that there are divisions and disagreements among some of you.
 \s5
-\v 12 This is the problem. Each of you claims to have loyalty to one leader or another. One says, "I am loyal to Paul." Another says, "I am loyal to Apollos." Someone else says, "I am loyal to Peter." And the last one says, "But I am loyal to Christ."
-\v 13 But Christ does not divide his loyalty. Paul was not crucified for you. The person who baptized you did not baptize you in the name of Paul.
+\v 12 This is the problem. Each of you claims to have loyalty to one leader or another. One says, "I am loyal to Paul." Another says, "I am loyal to Apollos." Someone else says, "I am loyal to Peter." And the last one says, "But I am loyal to the Messiah."
+\v 13 But the Messiah does not divide his loyalty. Paul was not crucified for you. The person who baptized you did not baptize you in the name of Paul.
 
 \s5
 \v 14 I thank God that I baptized only a few people there; among them I baptized Crispus and Gaius.
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@
 \v 16 (Now I remember that I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but other than those people, I do not remember baptizing anyone else in Corinth.)
 
 \s5
-\v 17 The most important work Christ sent me to do was to tell everyone the good news about him, not to baptize people. I did not proclaim the good news using human wisdom or clever words so instead I could use the power of the work of Christ dying on the cross.
+\v 17 The most important work the Messiah sent me to do was to tell everyone the good news about him, not to baptize people. I did not proclaim the good news using human wisdom or clever words so instead I could use the power of the work of the Messiah dying on the cross.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 18 For those who are dead to the things of God cannot understand him. Christ died for them on the cross, but this message is pointless to them. However, for those of us whom God has rescued and brought to life, this message allows God to powerfully work in us.
+\v 18 For those who are dead to the things of God cannot understand him. The Messiah died for them on the cross, but this message is pointless to them. However, for those of us whom God has rescued and brought to life, this message allows God to powerfully work in us.
 \v 19 A prophet wrote in the scriptures:
 \q "The wisdom of those who think they are wise,
 \q I will destroy,
@@ -57,10 +57,10 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 22 The Jews wanted public displays of miraculous power before they would follow anyone. The Greeks are looking for wisdom through new and fresh ways of thinking about spiritual ideas.
-\v 23 But we proclaim a message about Christ, who died on a cross. For the Jews this message about the cross of Christ is something they cannot receive because death on a cross brings a curse with it. To the Greeks it is too foolish to deserve their attention.
+\v 23 But we proclaim a message about the Messiah, who died on a cross. For the Jews this message about the cross of the Messiah is something they cannot receive because death on a cross brings a curse with it. To the Greeks it is too foolish to deserve their attention.
 
 \s5
-\v 24 But for us, we whom God called so we can know him, that message shows that God acted powerfully and wisely by sending Christ to die for us. The good news is not tied to any race or philosophy; in Christ there is no distinction between Jews and all the other nations and races on earth.
+\v 24 But for us, we whom God called so we can know him, that message shows that God acted powerfully and wisely by sending the Messiah to die for us. The good news is not tied to any race or philosophy; in the Messiah there is no distinction between Jews and all the other nations and races on earth.
 \v 25 For the things of God that appears foolish are really wiser that the most brilliant ideas human beings can imagine. And the things of God that appear weakest are stronger than the strongest and greatest human being who ever lived.
 \s5
 \p
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
 \v 28 God chose what the unbelievers think is of no importance in order to show that the things they consider to be important have no value.
 \v 29 God did this so that no human being could have any reason to praise himself and he should offer God all praise instead.
 \s5
-\v 30 Because of what God has done, you are now joined to Christ Jesus, who has made clear to us how wise God is. He has put us right with God, he has set us apart for God, and he has rescued us and brought us to safety.
+\v 30 Because of what God has done, you are now joined to the Messiah Jesus, who has made clear to us how wise God is. He has put us right with God, he has set us apart for God, and he has rescued us and brought us to safety.
 \v 31 So, as the scriptures say:
 \q "The one who praises himself should praise himself only in what the Lord has done for him."
 
@@ -79,14 +79,14 @@
 \c 2
 \p
 \v 1 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not make beautiful speeches, nor did I repeat to you the things that wise men said. I told you the hidden truths about God.
-\v 2 I decided not to talk to you about anything other than Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.
+\v 2 I decided not to talk to you about anything other than Jesus the Messiah and his death on the cross.
 \s5
 \v 3 You know how weak I was when I was with you. You know that fear filled my heart, and that you saw me trembling in terror.
 \v 4 But you heard my message, and you know that when I spoke to you I did not give carefully planned speeches. Instead, the Spirit of God showed you that I was speaking the truth because of the power of the miracles he did through me.
 \v 5 I taught this way so you might trust in God because of his power, and not because of anything having to do with human wisdom.
 \s5
 \p
-\v 6 Now it is to those who trust fully in Christ that we speak. You now have wisdom, and that wisdom has nothing to do with the kings and governors in this life, all of whom will soon pass away.
+\v 6 Now it is to those who trust fully in the Messiah that we speak. You now have wisdom, and that wisdom has nothing to do with the kings and governors in this life, all of whom will soon pass away.
 \v 7 No, we proclaim wisdom that God has kept hidden until now; that wisdom is the wise things God decided to do before he created the world, and he decided to do those things so that he and other beings would someday honor us.
 
 \s5
@@ -113,12 +113,12 @@
 \q "It is impossible for anyone to know all that is in the mind of the Lord.
 \q No one is able to teach God."
 \m
-But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
+But we can know the very thoughts of the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \c 3
 \p
-\v 1 My brothers and sisters, when I was with you, you were not ready to hear the difficult truths about God. I could speak to you only as if you were little children who are joined to Christ.
+\v 1 My brothers and sisters, when I was with you, you were not ready to hear the difficult truths about God. I could speak to you only as if you were little children who are joined to the Messiah.
 \v 2 I taught you things that were easy to understand, as a mother feeds milk to her babies. You were not ready for solid food. And even now, you are not ready.
 
 \s5
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \s5
 \p
 \v 10 God generously gave me the skills so I can do this task for him. I worked among you like an expert builder with great care. But after me, someone else will build on what I began. Everyone builds on what others did before. But each one must be careful how they build.
-\v 11 For no other foundation can be laid other than the one that has already been set in place. That foundation is Jesus Christ.
+\v 11 For no other foundation can be laid other than the one that has already been set in place. That foundation is Jesus the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \v 12 We are like builders who choose what to put on top of that foundation. Builders can chose to use valuable materials like gold, silver, and precious stones, or they can choose to use worthless materials like wood, hay, and straw.
@@ -165,12 +165,12 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \p
 \v 21 So stop boasting about how good one Christian leader is or how good another Christian leader is. For God has given you all things.
 \v 22 God gave you Paul, and he gave you Apollos, and Peter. And God gave you this world, and your life, and his victory over death. And God gives you everything that exists and everything that will exist in the future—they are all yours;
-\v 23 and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
+\v 23 and you are the Messiah's, and the Messiah is God's.
 
 \s5
 \c 4
 \p
-\v 1 A person should consider us as servants of Christ, and as those to whom God entrusted the hidden truths in the good news.
+\v 1 A person should consider us as servants of the Messiah, and as those to whom God entrusted the hidden truths in the good news.
 \v 2 We must faithfully do the work that God has given us to do because he trusts us to do it.
 
 \s5
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \v 9 But in reality, it seems that God has put us apostles on display at the end of a line of prisoners being paraded after a battle. We are like men who have been sentenced to death; we have been put on display for the whole world to see, both angels and human beings.
 
 \s5
-\v 10 Others think of us apostles as fools because we live for Christ, and yet you see yourselves as wise people. We appear weak, but you seem to be the strong ones! You praise and honor yourselves, but we apostles are the ones whom other people hate.
+\v 10 Others think of us apostles as fools because we live for the Messiah, and yet you see yourselves as wise people. We appear weak, but you seem to be the strong ones! You praise and honor yourselves, but we apostles are the ones whom other people hate.
 \v 11 Up to this present time we apostles go around hungry and thirsty. We have been so poor we could not afford our own clothing. Officials have brutally beaten us again and again. We have no place to call our home.
 \s5
 \v 12 We work hard with our hands to make a living. When others curse us, we bless them in return. When others make us suffer, we endure it.
@@ -200,11 +200,11 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \s5
 \p
 \v 14 I am not trying to shame you, but I want to correct you as a loving parent would correct a child.
-\v 15 If you had ten thousand teachers telling you about Christ, you would still have only one spiritual father. I became your father in Christ when you believed the good news that I preached to you.
+\v 15 If you had ten thousand teachers telling you about the Messiah, you would still have only one spiritual father. I became your father in the Messiah when you believed the good news that I preached to you.
 \v 16 So I urge you to follow my example.
 
 \s5
-\v 17 That is why I sent Timothy to you. I love him, and he is my faithful child. He will remind you of how I live as I am joined to Christ. I teach the same things everywhere we go and in every church we visit.
+\v 17 That is why I sent Timothy to you. I love him, and he is my faithful child. He will remind you of how I live as I am joined to the Messiah. I teach the same things everywhere we go and in every church we visit.
 \p
 \v 18 Some of you have become proud. You live as though I might not come back to you soon.
 \s5
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \s5
 \p
 \v 6 It is not good that you are praising yourselves. Surely you know that evil is like yeast: A little yeast makes the whole loaf rise.
-\v 7 Sin is like that yeast. You must clean out the old yeast and throw it away so that it cannot infect the whole batch of dough. You are like an unleavened batch of dough. As in the Passover Festival, the yeast must be kept away from the bread. For Christ is our Passover lamb: He became the sacrifice for us.
+\v 7 Sin is like that yeast. You must clean out the old yeast and throw it away so that it cannot infect the whole batch of dough. You are like an unleavened batch of dough. As in the Passover Festival, the yeast must be kept away from the bread. For the Messiah is our Passover lamb: He became the sacrifice for us.
 \v 8 So let us celebrate the Passover Festival, and let us follow all the rules of purification. We must throw out the old yeast, which stands for disobedience and wickedness, and we must celebrate the festival by obeying God and speaking truth to each other. If we do that, we will be like the bread that has no yeast.
 
 \s5
@@ -234,8 +234,8 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \v 9 I wrote to you, that you must not keep company with sexually immoral people.
 \v 10 Of course, I did not mean that you should not associate with unbelievers who are immoral, or who selfishly desire many things, or who trick and cheat to take from others, or who worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid all people like that.
 \s5
-\v 11 Instead, I mean that you are not to be close friends with a fellow believer who is living in sexual immorality. We must include other sins, such as greed, or idolatry, or one who is abusive in the way he talks to others, or a drunkard, or a swindler. You must not even eat with these people who claim to trust in Christ, yet they do these terrible things.
-\v 12 For I have no obligation to judge those who are outside the church of Christ. Your duty is to judge those who are in it.
+\v 11 Instead, I mean that you are not to be close friends with a fellow believer who is living in sexual immorality. We must include other sins, such as greed, or idolatry, or one who is abusive in the way he talks to others, or a drunkard, or a swindler. You must not even eat with these people who claim to trust in the Messiah, yet they do these terrible things.
+\v 12 For I have no obligation to judge those who are outside the church of the Messiah. Your duty is to judge those who are in it.
 \v 13 God is the one who will judge those who are outside the church. The scriptures command us,
 \q "You must take away the evil person who is among you!"
 
@@ -260,16 +260,16 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \p
 \v 9 Surely you understand that the wicked will not come under God's rule. Do not believe them when they tell you otherwise. The truth is that the sexually immoral, those who worship anything or anyone other than God, those who break their marriage vows, those who engage in perverse acts of so-called worship involving sex, and those who engage in the practice of homosexuality,
 \v 10 those who steal, the ones who are greedy for more, those who get drunk, those who tell lies about others, and those who trick and cheat to steal from others—these will never come under Gods' rule.
-\v 11 Some of you used to do these things. But God has made you clean from your sins, he has set you apart for himself, and he has made you right with himself. He has done all this through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God.
+\v 11 Some of you used to do these things. But God has made you clean from your sins, he has set you apart for himself, and he has made you right with himself. He has done all this through the power of the Lord Jesus the Messiah and the Spirit of our God.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 12 Some say this: "I am free to do anything I want, because I am joined to Christ." Yes, but because something is permitted does not mean it is good for me. "I am free to do anything I want"—but I will not allow anything to become my master.
+\v 12 Some say this: "I am free to do anything I want, because I am joined to the Messiah." Yes, but because something is permitted does not mean it is good for me. "I am free to do anything I want"—but I will not allow anything to become my master.
 \v 13 People also say, "Food is made for a person's body to digest, and a person's body is made to digest food"—but God will soon do away with both food and the body's normal functions. Of course, they are really talking about sleeping with people. However, God did not make our bodies so we could be sexually immoral. But the body is to serve the Lord, and the Lord will provide for the body.
 \s5
 \v 14 God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will also raise us up by his power to live again.
 \p
-\v 15 You should know that your bodies are joined to Christ. Should you take away that which is a part of Christ and join it together with a prostitute? Never!
+\v 15 You should know that your bodies are joined to the Messiah. Should you take away that which is a part of the Messiah and join it together with a prostitute? Never!
 \s5
 \v 16 You understand that anyone who sleeps with a prostitute becomes united with her. It is like the scriptures say about marriage: "The two will become one."
 \v 17 And those who are joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \p
 \v 12 And I have this to say—and this is my advice, not the Lord's command—to you who have a wife who is not a believer: If she is content to stay with you, do not divorce her.
 \v 13 And if you are a woman with a husband who does not believe, and if he is content to stay with you, do not divorce him.
-\v 14 The unbelieving husband is set apart in a special way because the wife trusts in God. It is the same for an unbelieving woman with a husband who trusts in God. It is the same for your children: They are set apart in a special way to God, because one parent believes in Christ.
+\v 14 The unbelieving husband is set apart in a special way because the wife trusts in God. It is the same for an unbelieving woman with a husband who trusts in God. It is the same for your children: They are set apart in a special way to God, because one parent believes in the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -324,11 +324,11 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \v 19 Circumcision or uncircumcision—these are not important to us. But what is important is that we obey what God commands us to do.
 
 \s5
-\v 20 So continue to live and work as you did when God called you to trust in Christ.
+\v 20 So continue to live and work as you did when God called you to trust in the Messiah.
 \v 21 If you were a slave when God saved you, do not worry about it. Of course, if you have the chance to gain your freedom, take advantage of the opportunity.
 \v 22 This is because anyone who the Lord calls a slave is a free person because of the Lord. In the same way, you become God's slave when he calls you, even if you were never a slave to anyone.
 \v 23 God bought you with the price of his Son; your freedom is precious. So do not become slaves of humans.
-\v 24 Brothers and sisters in Christ, whatever you were when God called you, whether you were slave or free, remain in that same position.
+\v 24 Brothers and sisters in the Messiah, whatever you were when God called you, whether you were slave or free, remain in that same position.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -377,21 +377,21 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \v 6 Yet even so, we say,
 \q "There is one God, the Father,
 \q1 from him come all things, and for him we live.
-\q And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ;
+\q And there is only one Lord, Jesus the Messiah;
 \q1 he made everything there is, and he is the one who gives us life."
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 7 But not everyone knows this. Some worshiped an idol in earlier times, and, now, if they eat food sacrificed to an idol, they worry that they are still worshiping a god. They are torn between two opinions, and they are weak in their faith in Christ, so they feel they are honoring an idol when they eat food that has been offered to it.
+\v 7 But not everyone knows this. Some worshiped an idol in earlier times, and, now, if they eat food sacrificed to an idol, they worry that they are still worshiping a god. They are torn between two opinions, and they are weak in their faith in the Messiah, so they feel they are honoring an idol when they eat food that has been offered to it.
 
 \s5
 \v 8 We know that the food we eat does not make us better or worse before God.
-\v 9 But what is important is your brothers and sisters in Christ. You are free to eat that food, but you should not cause people to fall down in their faith because you have the freedom to eat it.
+\v 9 But what is important is your brothers and sisters in the Messiah. You are free to eat that food, but you should not cause people to fall down in their faith because you have the freedom to eat it.
 \v 10 You know that idols were never alive, nor were they gods at all. But if brothers and sisters who do not know the difference between right and wrong see you eating in an idol's temple, they would think you were encouraging them to turn back to their idolatry.
 
 \s5
-\v 11 As a result, if your weaker brother or sister sees you eat meat offered to idols because you have freedom in your mind to eat that food but they did not have the same freedom—you by acting as a free person could destroy your fellow believer for whom Christ died.
-\v 12 So, you sin against your weaker brothers and sisters when you encourage them to do something that their sense of right and wrong tells them not to do. This is sinning against Christ.
+\v 11 As a result, if your weaker brother or sister sees you eat meat offered to idols because you have freedom in your mind to eat that food but they did not have the same freedom—you by acting as a free person could destroy your fellow believer for whom the Messiah died.
+\v 12 So, you sin against your weaker brothers and sisters when you encourage them to do something that their sense of right and wrong tells them not to do. This is sinning against the Messiah.
 \v 13 Therefore, if my brother or sister are unable to serve God well because they have seen me eat something, I will never eat meat again! I do not want to do anything that causes them to fall.
 
 \s5
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 
 \s5
 \v 12 Others received this kind of help from you, and we have certainly proven that we deserve it even more than they do.
-\p However, we have not accepted anything from you, even though we were entitled to it. Instead, we endure all kinds of hardships so that we do not make it more difficult for people to believe in the good news about Christ.
+\p However, we have not accepted anything from you, even though we were entitled to it. Instead, we endure all kinds of hardships so that we do not make it more difficult for people to believe in the good news about the Messiah.
 \v 13 Certainly you know that those who helped carry out the sacrifices offered to God in the temple received some of those offerings for their own needs. They received some of the food offered to God.
 \v 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who proclaim the good news are to receive their living wages from the good news. They receive part of what is given to God for their needs.
 \s5
@@ -431,13 +431,13 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 19 I am not obligated to anyone, but I am a servant to everyone, so that I might persuade more and more people to trust in Christ.
-\v 20 When working with Jewish people, I become like a Jew, so that I may win them to Christ. To those who were living under the law I lived as they lived, in order that those living under the law may trust in Christ as I trust in him. I lived as they lived, even though I am not living my life by the law's demands.
+\v 19 I am not obligated to anyone, but I am a servant to everyone, so that I might persuade more and more people to trust in the Messiah.
+\v 20 When working with Jewish people, I become like a Jew, so that I may win them to the Messiah. To those who were living under the law I lived as they lived, in order that those living under the law may trust in the Messiah as I trust in him. I lived as they lived, even though I am not living my life by the law's demands.
 
 \s5
-\v 21 When I am with those who are non-Jews, those who live apart from the law of Moses, I became like them (though I myself am not outside God's law, and I am obedient to the law of Christ), so that I can persuade those apart from the law to trust in Christ.
-\v 22 To those who are weak about rules and laws, I lived as they did, so I could persuade them to trust in Christ. I have lived under rules and with many life-styles and with all kinds of people so that in any way God chooses to work, God will rescue some of them.
-\v 23 I do all this so I may proclaim the good news about Christ, so that I will also experience the good things the good news brings to us.
+\v 21 When I am with those who are non-Jews, those who live apart from the law of Moses, I became like them (though I myself am not outside God's law, and I am obedient to the law of the Messiah), so that I can persuade those apart from the law to trust in the Messiah.
+\v 22 To those who are weak about rules and laws, I lived as they did, so I could persuade them to trust in the Messiah. I have lived under rules and with many life-styles and with all kinds of people so that in any way God chooses to work, God will rescue some of them.
+\v 23 I do all this so I may proclaim the good news about the Messiah, so that I will also experience the good things the good news brings to us.
 \s5
 \p
 \v 24 You know when people run in a race, they all run, but only one of them wins the prize. So you also should run to win the prize.
@@ -449,9 +449,9 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \c 10
 \p
 \v 1 I want you to remember, brothers and sisters, that our Jewish ancestors were following God, who led them out of Egypt by means of a cloud during the day, and that they passed through the Sea of Reeds on dry land.
-\v 2 And as we have been baptized into Christ, so the Israelites were to follow Moses as he followed God in the cloud and across the sea.
+\v 2 And as we have been baptized into the Messiah, so the Israelites were to follow Moses as he followed God in the cloud and across the sea.
 \v 3 They all ate the supernatural manna that God gave them from heaven,
-\v 4 and they all drank the supernatural water that God gave them when Moses struck the rock. The rock was Christ.
+\v 4 and they all drank the supernatural water that God gave them when Moses struck the rock. The rock was the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \v 5 But God was angry with most of them because they worshiped other gods and rebelled against him, so their dead bodies lay on the ground all across the wilderness.
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \v 7 Some of our ancestors also worshiped idols. As the scripture says, "The people sat down to eat and drink and then they rose up to dance wildly in a sexual way."
 \v 8 Twenty-three thousand of our Jewish ancestors died in one day because of their sexual immorality.
 \s5
-\v 9 Let us not test the authority of Christ by disobeying him, as some of our ancestors did, and poisonous snakes killed them.
+\v 9 Let us not test the authority of the Messiah by disobeying him, as some of our ancestors did, and poisonous snakes killed them.
 \v 10 Do not grumble about what God provides, as some our ancestors did, and an angel destroyed them.
 
 \s5
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \p
 \v 14 Therefore, my loved ones, run away as fast as you can from idol worship.
 \v 15 I speak to you as people who consider carefully how you live; think about what I am saying here.
-\v 16 When we drink the cup of wine that we bless, we share in the blood of Christ. When we break the bread, we share in the body of Christ.
+\v 16 When we drink the cup of wine that we bless, we share in the blood of the Messiah. When we break the bread, we share in the body of the Messiah.
 \v 17 There is only one loaf of bread, and we, although we are many, all make up just one body together, and we all take and eat from the one loaf of bread together.
 
 \s5
@@ -512,10 +512,10 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \s5
 \c 11
 \p
-\v 1 Follow my example, just like I follow the example of Christ.
+\v 1 Follow my example, just like I follow the example of the Messiah.
 \p
 \v 2 I praise you because you remember me in all you do, and you hold tight to all the important teachings that I have passed down to you and you have kept them just as I taught them to you.
-\v 3 I want you to understand that Christ has authority over every man, and that a man has authority over a woman, and that God has authority over Christ.
+\v 3 I want you to understand that the Messiah has authority over every man, and that a man has authority over a woman, and that God has authority over the Messiah.
 \v 4 So if any man covers his head when he prays or when he proclaims a message from God, he brings disgrace on himself.
 
 \s5
@@ -579,11 +579,11 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \p
 \v 1 And now let me teach you about spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters. I want you to know how to use them.
 \v 2 You may recall how, when you worshiped idols—idols that could not even speak a word—they led you astray.
-\v 3 The Spirit of God helps you declare, "Jesus Christ is Lord." No one who is filled with the Holy Spirit would ever say, "Jesus is accursed!"
+\v 3 The Spirit of God helps you declare, "Jesus the Messiah is Lord." No one who is filled with the Holy Spirit would ever say, "Jesus is accursed!"
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 4 The Spirit gives many different gifts to the people of Christ, but he is the same Spirit.
+\v 4 The Spirit gives many different gifts to the people of the Messiah, but he is the same Spirit.
 \v 5 There are also many different ways to serve God, but there is only one Lord.
 \v 6 There are also many ways for people to work in God's kingdom, but it is God who gives the power to his people to work for him.
 \s5
@@ -597,8 +597,8 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 12 As the human body is a union of many parts, and every part of the body makes the whole, so it is with Christ.
-\v 13 For it is by the Spirit of Christ that, when we were baptized, we were each joined together into the body of Christ. It made no difference what our background was, either Jew or Greek, slave or free, but each of us received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
+\v 12 As the human body is a union of many parts, and every part of the body makes the whole, so it is with the Messiah.
+\v 13 For it is by the Spirit of the Messiah that, when we were baptized, we were each joined together into the body of the Messiah. It made no difference what our background was, either Jew or Greek, slave or free, but each of us received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -618,10 +618,10 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \v 23 The parts that we would be ashamed for others to see, we take more care to cover them. In this way we show more respect for them.
 \v 24 but God has joined the distinguished parts with the less important ones. And God gives honor to those less presentable parts, because they are part of the body.
 \s5
-\v 25 God honors the entire body in this way so there is no division in the church, and that members of the body of Christ might care for every member of the body with the same affection, no matter what their purpose or role, gifting or abilities.
-\v 26 Because we are one body, when one member suffers, we all suffer. When one member is given honor for something they accomplished for Christ, the entire body rejoices together.
+\v 25 God honors the entire body in this way so there is no division in the church, and that members of the body of the Messiah might care for every member of the body with the same affection, no matter what their purpose or role, gifting or abilities.
+\v 26 Because we are one body, when one member suffers, we all suffer. When one member is given honor for something they accomplished for the Messiah, the entire body rejoices together.
 \p
-\v 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and individually, you are all members of it.
+\v 27 Now you are the body of the Messiah, and individually, you are all members of it.
 \s5
 \v 28 God has also given people as gifts to the church. He gave to the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then those who do powerful deeds, those who perform healing, those who provide helps, those who do work of administration, and those who have various kinds of languages that the Spirit has given them.
 \v 29 Not all of us are apostles. Not all are prophets. Not all are teachers. Not all do powerful deeds.
@@ -652,8 +652,8 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 
 \s5
 \v 11 When I was a small child, I talked as a child talks, I thought as a child thinks, and I made decisions as a child makes decision. But when I became an adult, I stopped acting like a child, and I started acting like an adult.
-\v 12 What we understand about Christ now, we understand very imperfectly, not well at all. But when Christ returns, we will see him face to face. Now we know only part of what is true. But then we will know him fully, just as he knows us fully.
-\v 13 It is important that we trust in Christ now. It is important that we are certain that he will do for us everything that he has promised. And it is important that we love him and each other. But the greatest of these three things is love.
+\v 12 What we understand about the Messiah now, we understand very imperfectly, not well at all. But when the Messiah returns, we will see him face to face. Now we know only part of what is true. But then we will know him fully, just as he knows us fully.
+\v 13 It is important that we trust in the Messiah now. It is important that we are certain that he will do for us everything that he has promised. And it is important that we love him and each other. But the greatest of these three things is love.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 \v 11 But if I do not understand someone's language, I will be like a foreigner to him, and he will be like one to me.
 
 \s5
-\v 12 So because you want very much for the Spirit to work in you, try to help the believers in the church to trust Christ and obey him.
+\v 12 So because you want very much for the Spirit to work in you, try to help the believers in the church to trust the Messiah and obey him.
 \p
 \v 13 For that reason, pray that God will enable you to interpret what you say in a language that God has given you.
 \v 14 If anyone prays in such a language, his spirit certainly prays, but his mind does not.
@@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ But we can know the very thoughts of Christ.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 26 Brothers and sisters, it should be this way when you worship God together. Each of you should come with a psalm to sing, or something to teach from the scriptures, or something that God has told you, or with a message in a language that God has given, or with an interpretation of such a message. Everything you do together should encourage each other, for you are Christ's church.
+\v 26 Brothers and sisters, it should be this way when you worship God together. Each of you should come with a psalm to sing, or something to teach from the scriptures, or something that God has told you, or with a message in a language that God has given, or with an interpretation of such a message. Everything you do together should encourage each other, for you are the Messiah's church.
 \v 27 If there are any who wish to speak a message in a language from the Spirit, there should be no more than two or three such persons. They should speak one at a time, and someone should interpret the messages.
 \v 28 However, if there is no one able to interpret those messages, then those who speak in languages from the Spirit should keep silent and speak only to God.
 
@@ -750,51 +750,51 @@ This next question is answered the same way in all the churches of God's people.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 3 For I have passed on to you what others first told me, that Christ died for our sins, as the scripture foretold he would;
+\v 3 For I have passed on to you what others first told me, that the Messiah died for our sins, as the scripture foretold he would;
 \v 4 also that they buried him, and that God raised him to life on the third day, all just the way the scriptures said it would happen.
 
 \s5
-\v 5 Then Christ appeared to Cephas (known as Peter), and then he appeared to the rest of the apostles.
+\v 5 Then the Messiah appeared to Cephas (known as Peter), and then he appeared to the rest of the apostles.
 \v 6 He later appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters in the Lord when they were all together. Some of them have since died, but most are still alive and can verify this.
 \v 7 Then he appeared to James, and then again to all the apostles.
 
 \s5
 \v 8 Last of all he appeared to me, although I am very unlike the other apostles.
-\v 9 For I am the least of the apostles. I made the church of Christ suffer greatly, so I do not deserve to be an apostle.
+\v 9 For I am the least of the apostles. I made the church of the Messiah suffer greatly, so I do not deserve to be an apostle.
 
 \s5
 \v 10 But God has been very kind to me, so I am an apostle, and he has done much good through me. Really, I have worked harder than all the other apostles. Still, it was not really I who worked, but God, who gave me the strength.
-\v 11 So whether it is the other apostles or I who preached to you, we proclaimed the good news about Christ, and you believed us.
+\v 11 So whether it is the other apostles or I who preached to you, we proclaimed the good news about the Messiah, and you believed us.
 \s5
 \p
-\v 12 Now some of you are saying that those who are now dead will not rise anymore. This cannot be true, because we have announced to you that Christ rose from the dead.
-\v 13 If no one rises from the dead, then God certainly has not raised Christ.
-\v 14 And if he has not raised Christ from the dead, then what we preach makes no sense at all, and what you believe about Christ can do nothing for you in your life or in your death.
+\v 12 Now some of you are saying that those who are now dead will not rise anymore. This cannot be true, because we have announced to you that the Messiah rose from the dead.
+\v 13 If no one rises from the dead, then God certainly has not raised the Messiah.
+\v 14 And if he has not raised the Messiah from the dead, then what we preach makes no sense at all, and what you believe about the Messiah can do nothing for you in your life or in your death.
 \s5
 \v 15 In addition, people will see that we have told lies about God, if the dead really do not rise again.
-\v 16 Again I say, if no one rises from the dead, then God has not even raised Christ.
-\v 17 And if he has not raised Christ, then what you believe is useless, and God still condemns you because you have sinned.
+\v 16 Again I say, if no one rises from the dead, then God has not even raised the Messiah.
+\v 17 And if he has not raised the Messiah, then what you believe is useless, and God still condemns you because you have sinned.
 
 \s5
-\v 18 If that is the case, then all those who have died trusting in Christ have also died with no hope of resurrection.
-\v 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, and we expect him to do nothing for us after we die, then of all people we most deserve the pity of others, for we have believed in a lie.
+\v 18 If that is the case, then all those who have died trusting in the Messiah have also died with no hope of resurrection.
+\v 19 If in this life only we have hope in the Messiah, and we expect him to do nothing for us after we die, then of all people we most deserve the pity of others, for we have believed in a lie.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 20 But in fact, God has raised Christ from the dead, and he is only the first of the many people that he will raise.
-\v 21 For everyone in the world dies because of what one man, Adam, did. However, those who have died will live again—also because of what one person has done; that is, the man Christ Jesus.
+\v 20 But in fact, God has raised the Messiah from the dead, and he is only the first of the many people that he will raise.
+\v 21 For everyone in the world dies because of what one man, Adam, did. However, those who have died will live again—also because of what one person has done; that is, the man the Messiah Jesus.
 
 \s5
-\v 22 Because, just as all die because Adam sinned, in the same way, all will live again because of what Christ has done.
-\v 23 But they will rise from the dead in a certain order: Christ is the first to have risen from the dead; then those who are joined to Christ will live again when he returns to earth.
+\v 22 Because, just as all die because Adam sinned, in the same way, all will live again because of what the Messiah has done.
+\v 23 But they will rise from the dead in a certain order: the Messiah is the first to have risen from the dead; then those who are joined to the Messiah will live again when he returns to earth.
 
 \s5
-\v 24 Then the world will come to an end, when Christ will present all the world to God the Father, for him to rule. This is when Christ will bring to an end all who have the status of rulers, and everything that has reigning authority and all seats of power in this world.
-\v 25 For Christ must rule until God has conquered every one of his enemies, and placed them under Christ's feet to show that they have no more power.
+\v 24 Then the world will come to an end, when the Messiah will present all the world to God the Father, for him to rule. This is when the Messiah will bring to an end all who have the status of rulers, and everything that has reigning authority and all seats of power in this world.
+\v 25 For the Messiah must rule until God has conquered every one of his enemies, and placed them under the Messiah's feet to show that they have no more power.
 \v 26 The final enemy that God will destroy is death itself.
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-\v 27 For the scriptures say, "God has placed everything under his feet," that is, Christ's feet. But it is clear that this does not include God himself.
-\v 28 After God has placed all things into Christ's power, then the Son also will place himself in the power of God the Father, so that God may be the same in relation to everyone and everything.
+\v 27 For the scriptures say, "God has placed everything under his feet," that is, the Messiah's feet. But it is clear that this does not include God himself.
+\v 28 After God has placed all things into the Messiah's power, then the Son also will place himself in the power of God the Father, so that God may be the same in relation to everyone and everything.
 
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@@ -802,7 +802,7 @@ This next question is answered the same way in all the churches of God's people.
 \v 30 And we apostles would have no reason to risk our lives every day, as we do, to proclaim the good news if there is no resurrection from the dead.
 
 \s5
-\v 31 My brothers and sisters, I am so proud of you; you are like my possessions that I show off to Christ Jesus our Lord. Every day I am in danger of dying!
+\v 31 My brothers and sisters, I am so proud of you; you are like my possessions that I show off to the Messiah Jesus our Lord. Every day I am in danger of dying!
 \v 32 If God will not raise the dead, then I fought with those wild animals at Ephesus for nothing. What the poets wrote would in that case be true: "Let us eat food and drink wine today, because we will die tomorrow."
 
 \s5
@@ -829,11 +829,11 @@ This next question is answered the same way in all the churches of God's people.
 
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 \p
-\v 45 So the scriptures say, "The first man, Adam, was a living being who gave his children and descendants life." But Christ, the second Adam, gave people God's power to live forever.
+\v 45 So the scriptures say, "The first man, Adam, was a living being who gave his children and descendants life." But the Messiah, the second Adam, gave people God's power to live forever.
 \v 46 What belongs to the earth came first, the natural, and then came what belongs to God, that is the spiritual.
 \s5
-\v 47 The first man, Adam, belonged to the earth, for he was made from dust. But the second man, Christ, belongs to heaven.
-\v 48 All those who are made from dust are just like Adam, the one who was made from dust. All those who belong to heaven are just like Christ, the man from heaven.
+\v 47 The first man, Adam, belonged to the earth, for he was made from dust. But the second man, the Messiah, belongs to heaven.
+\v 48 All those who are made from dust are just like Adam, the one who was made from dust. All those who belong to heaven are just like the Messiah, the man from heaven.
 \v 49 Just as God made us like the man who was made from dust, so he will also make us be like the man from heaven.
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@@ -853,7 +853,7 @@ This next question is answered the same way in all the churches of God's people.
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 \p
 \v 56 It is sin that brings such pain to us when we are dying. And sin's power comes into our lives because of the law.
-\v 57 But now we thank God because he gives us victory over death through our Lord Jesus Christ!
+\v 57 But now we thank God because he gives us victory over death through our Lord Jesus the Messiah!
 
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@@ -906,5 +906,5 @@ This next question is answered the same way in all the churches of God's people.
 \v 21 I, Paul, am writing this sentence with my own hand.
 \v 22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let a curse be on him. O Lord, come!
 \v 23 May the kindness we do not deserve that comes from the Lord Jesus be with you.
-\v 24 I send you this reminder that I love all of you, as you all are joined together in Christ Jesus.
+\v 24 I send you this reminder that I love all of you, as you all are joined together in the Messiah Jesus.
 

48-2CO.usfm

@@ -8,23 +8,23 @@
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-\v 1 I, Paul, together with Timothy our brother, write this letter to you. Christ Jesus sent me to serve him and to obey God's will. We are sending this letter to those who come together as God's people in the city of Corinth; we are also sending it to the all Christians who live in the region of Achaia—people whom God has set apart for himself.
-\v 2 May God give you the free gifts of his love and peace—these things that come from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
+\v 1 I, Paul, together with Timothy our brother, write this letter to you. The Messiah Jesus sent me to serve him and to obey God's will. We are sending this letter to those who come together as God's people in the city of Corinth; we are also sending it to the all the Christians who live in the region of Achaia—people whom God has set apart for himself.
+\v 2 May God give you the free gifts of his love and peace—these things that come from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus the Messiah.
 
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 3 May we always praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ—he is the one who does us acts of kindness and who always comforts us.
+\v 3 May we always praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah—he is the one who does us acts of kindness and who always comforts us.
 \v 4 God comforts us when we go through any painful trial. His comfort heals our lives so we can give away that very same comfort to other people who are suffering.
 
 \s5
-\v 5 Just as we experience the sufferings of Christ which are beyond all measure, we also experience through Christ comfort that cannot be measured.
+\v 5 Just as we experience the sufferings of the Messiah which are beyond all measure, we also experience through the Messiah comfort that cannot be measured.
 \v 6 So whenever we experience sufferings, it is so God may comfort you and rescue you from danger. Whenever God comforts us, it is so you can be comforted even more, so he can teach you to wait for God, when you suffer in the same way we suffered.
 \v 7 We are certain about what will happen to you; because you suffer like we suffer, God will also comfort you, as he does us.
 
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-\v 8 Brothers and sisters in Christ, we want you to know about the trouble we had in the province of Asia. That trouble gave us such pain that we could not bear it. We were almost certain that we were going to die.
+\v 8 Brothers and sisters in the Messiah, we want you to know about the trouble we had in the province of Asia. That trouble gave us such pain that we could not bear it. We were almost certain that we were going to die.
 \v 9 They pronounced the sentence of death on us; we were waiting to be killed. That sentence of death taught us not to rely on our own strength but on God, who raises the dead and brings them back to life.
 \v 10 But God rescued us from those terrible dangers, and he promises to rescue us in the future.
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@@ -44,10 +44,10 @@
 \v 17 My mind was made up that this would be the plan. I was not telling you "Yes" and then telling you "No." I was not making my plans like unbelievers often make plans.
 \v 18 But God is faithful in guiding us, and we do not confuse you, either. We are making our plans and staying with them.
 \s5
-\v 19 Our "Yes" comes from the Son of God, Jesus Christ—the one we proclaimed to you; and there has never been any confusion in him—with him there is no "Yes and then No." Instead, it has always been simply "Yes" in him.
+\v 19 Our "Yes" comes from the Son of God, Jesus the Messiah—the one we proclaimed to you; and there has never been any confusion in him—with him there is no "Yes and then No." Instead, it has always been simply "Yes" in him.
 \v 20 For the promises of God are "Yes" because they come from him. And we add our confirmation to his "Yes." And we say about God's honor: "It is True! Yes!"
 \s5
-\v 21 God makes the bond between us Christians strong because we both are joined to Christ, and he is the one who sends us out to tell people the good news.
+\v 21 God makes the bond between us Christians strong because we both are joined to the Messiah, and he is the one who sends us out to tell people the good news.
 \v 22 He put his official seal on us, so people will know he approves of us. And he gave us the Spirit who lives within us, as an unbreakable promise that he will do even more things for us.
 
 \s5
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
 \v 9 I wrote you to see if you would obey God and deal with this problem.
 
 \s5
-\v 10 So the man you forgave, I also forgive. Whatever I have forgiven—even the smallest matters—I have forgiven out of my love for you, and I forgive as though Christ were standing in front of me.
+\v 10 So the man you forgave, I also forgive. Whatever I have forgiven—even the smallest matters—I have forgiven out of my love for you, and I forgive as though the Messiah were standing in front of me.
 \v 11 By forgiving this man, we made it so Satan could not trick us into doing something worse. We know all about his tricks and his lies.
 
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@@ -85,11 +85,11 @@
 \v 13 I was worried about our brother Titus, because I did not find him there. So I left the believers in Troas and returned to Macedonia to look for him.
 
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-\v 14 We thank God that we are joined together with Christ, and Christ always leads us in his march of victory. Through our lives and our message, everywhere we go, we are like those who have been near burning incense; but our fragrance does not come from real incense, but it comes from knowing Christ, and because we know him we have his fragrant aroma.
-\v 15 God smells this same fragrance, and it reminds him of Christ. And those who God rescues smell this same fragrance in us. Even the people whom God does not rescue smell that aroma that reminds them of Christ.
+\v 14 We thank God that we are joined together with the Messiah, and the Messiah always leads us in his march of victory. Through our lives and our message, everywhere we go, we are like those who have been near burning incense; but our fragrance does not come from real incense, but it comes from knowing the Messiah, and because we know him we have his fragrant aroma.
+\v 15 God smells this same fragrance, and it reminds him of the Messiah. And those who God rescues smell this same fragrance in us. Even the people whom God does not rescue smell that aroma that reminds them of the Messiah.
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-\v 16 To those people that God does not rescue, that aroma of Christ is like the smell of a dead person dying once again. But to those whom God is rescuing—they smell Christ, who is alive, coming to make them alive, too. Indeed, no one is able by himself to spread this fragrance!
-\v 17 You know that many people go from city to city selling the word of God for money. But we are not like them. We work hard to please God and we do what he wants. And we speak about Christ because we know God sees everything we do, and we announce Christ because we are joined to him.
+\v 16 To those people that God does not rescue, that aroma of the Messiah is like the smell of a dead person dying once again. But to those whom God is rescuing—they smell the Messiah, who is alive, coming to make them alive, too. Indeed, no one is able by himself to spread this fragrance!
+\v 17 You know that many people go from city to city selling the word of God for money. But we are not like them. We work hard to please God and we do what he wants. And we speak about the Messiah because we know God sees everything we do, and we announce the Messiah because we are joined to him.
 
 
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@@ -97,10 +97,10 @@
 \p
 \v 1 You know us well, and you should trust us. A stranger might need someone you know to write you a letter to introduce him to you, but you know us very well.
 \v 2 You yourselves are like a letter that introduces us to other people, because everyone who knows you can see how much you trust us.
-\v 3 The way you live is like a letter that Christ himself has written and that we brought to you. Of course, it is not a letter written with ink or on stone tablets. No, it is a letter that the Spirit of the true God has written on your own hearts.
+\v 3 The way you live is like a letter that the Messiah himself has written and that we brought to you. Of course, it is not a letter written with ink or on stone tablets. No, it is a letter that the Spirit of the true God has written on your own hearts.
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 \p
-\v 4 This is how we trust God, because we are joined to Christ.
+\v 4 This is how we trust God, because we are joined to the Messiah.
 \v 5 We are not able to do anything for God in our own strength, so we cannot claim to be able to. Instead, it is God who gives us all we need to serve him.
 \v 6 God gave us what we needed to be servants of the new covenant. This covenant does not get its strength from the law that was written down, but from the Spirit of God. The written letter of the law brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@
 \v 13 We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the children of Israel would not have to look at the fading light from God.
 
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-\v 14 Long ago, the children of Israel refused to believe God's message. Even today, when the old law is read, they wear that same veil. Only when we are joined with Christ does God take the veil away.
+\v 14 Long ago, the children of Israel refused to believe God's message. Even today, when the old law is read, they wear that same veil. Only when we are joined with the Messiah does God take the veil away.
 \v 15 Yes, even today, whenever they read the law of Moses, it is as if they had a veil over their minds.
 \v 16 But when a person turns to the Lord, God removes that veil.
 
@@ -139,11 +139,11 @@
 
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 \v 3 If the good news is hidden with a veil, it is hidden from those who are dying apart from God.
-\v 4 For them, the god of this world has made them blind to the truth because they do not trust the good news about the wonderful honor of Christ—for it is Christ who shows us what God is like.
+\v 4 For them, the god of this world has made them blind to the truth because they do not trust the good news about the wonderful honor of the Messiah—for it is the Messiah who shows us what God is like.
 
 \s5
-\v 5 We do not proclaim ourselves to you as people who can rescue you from any evil. Instead, we proclaim Christ Jesus as our Master, and we are your servants because we are joined to Jesus.
-\v 6 For God is the one who said, "Light will shine out of the darkness." He has shone his light into our hearts, so that when we trust in Jesus Christ, we can learn how wonderful God is.
+\v 5 We do not proclaim ourselves to you as people who can rescue you from any evil. Instead, we proclaim the Messiah Jesus as our Master, and we are your servants because we are joined to Jesus.
+\v 6 For God is the one who said, "Light will shine out of the darkness." He has shone his light into our hearts, so that when we trust in Jesus the Messiah, we can learn how wonderful God is.
 
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@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@
 
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 \v 9 Therefore we make it our goal to obey him, whether we are here or in heaven. 
-\v 10 For we will all stand before Christ when he sits as the judge of all. He will judge what we did when we were in this life. Christ will give us what we deserve, and he will judge what was good or bad.
+\v 10 For we will all stand before the Messiah when he sits as the judge of all. He will judge what we did when we were in this life. The Messiah will give us what we deserve, and he will judge what was good or bad.
 
 
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@@ -197,21 +197,21 @@
 
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 \v 13 If people think we are crazy, well, we are serving God. But if we are in our right minds, it is to help you.
-\v 14 Our love for Christ drives us on. We are sure of this: Christ died for all, therefore we all have died with him.
-\v 15 Christ died for all, so that those who live should not live for themselves, but should live for Christ, who died for their sins; and he is the one whom God raised from the dead.
+\v 14 Our love for the Messiah drives us on. We are sure of this: the Messiah died for all, therefore we all have died with him.
+\v 15 The Messiah died for all, so that those who live should not live for themselves, but should live for the Messiah, who died for their sins; and he is the one whom God raised from the dead.
 
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-\v 16 Since we live no longer for ourselves, we judge no one according to the way the unbelievers judge. We once even viewed Christ by these human standards. But as Christians, now we judge no one like this.
-\v 17 When anyone is joined with Christ and trusts in him, he becomes a new person. Everything from the past is gone—See!— God makes everything in you new.
+\v 16 Since we live no longer for ourselves, we judge no one according to the way the unbelievers judge. We once even viewed the Messiah by these human standards. But as Christians, now we judge no one like this.
+\v 17 When anyone is joined with the Messiah and trusts in him, he becomes a new person. Everything from the past is gone—See!— God makes everything in you new.
 
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-\v 18 All these gifts come from God. He made peace with us so that we are no longer enemies of God. Now we have peace with God through the cross of Christ. Also, God has given us the responsibility of announcing that he is bringing people and himself together.
-\v 19 That message brings God and people together and is how God made peace with the world by what Christ did. God is not applying their sins to their account. Instead, Christ has taken our sins away and has given us this message that makes peace and brings God and people together.
+\v 18 All these gifts come from God. He made peace with us so that we are no longer enemies of God. Now we have peace with God through the cross of the Messiah. Also, God has given us the responsibility of announcing that he is bringing people and himself together.
+\v 19 That message brings God and people together and is how God made peace with the world by what the Messiah did. God is not applying their sins to their account. Instead, the Messiah has taken our sins away and has given us this message that makes peace and brings God and people together.
 
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-\v 20 So God has appointed us to represent Christ. God pleads with you through us. So we plead with you on Christ's behalf: Through Christ, let him make peace with you and bring you to himself.
-\v 21 God made Christ the offering for sin—the one who never sinned—so that when we trust in Christ and believe in him, God makes us right with himself.
+\v 20 So God has appointed us to represent the Messiah. God pleads with you through us. So we plead with you on the Messiah's behalf: Through the Messiah, let him make peace with you and bring you to himself.
+\v 21 God made the Messiah the offering for sin—the one who never sinned—so that when we trust in the Messiah and believe in him, God makes us right with himself.
 
 
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@@ -228,12 +228,12 @@
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 \v 4 We have proved again and again that we are God's true servants. We endure great suffering, we face with courage people who hurt us, and we live through hard times.
 \v 5 People have beaten us very badly; others have locked us up in prisons; we were the cause for people to riot; we have done hard physical labor; we have passed many long nights without sleep, and we have often gone with very little food.
-\v 6 But in all this, our lives are pure, our knowledge is deep, and we are able to wait until God ends our suffering. We know how kind Christ is to us; we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and we love others.
-\v 7 We live according to God's true Word, and we have God's power. By means of Christ, God has put us right with himself. This is the truth that we continuously believe; it is like armor that a soldier wears, and like weapons for both of his hands.
+\v 6 But in all this, our lives are pure, our knowledge is deep, and we are able to wait until God ends our suffering. We know how kind the Messiah is to us; we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and we love others.
+\v 7 We live according to God's true Word, and we have God's power. By means of the Messiah, God has put us right with himself. This is the truth that we continuously believe; it is like armor that a soldier wears, and like weapons for both of his hands.
 
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 \v 8 Sometimes people honor us; at other times, they dishonor us. Sometimes they say many evil things about us; at other times, they praise us. They accuse us of lying, even though we tell the truth.
-\v 9 We live like persons whom nobody knows, but some people know us very well. Some try to kill us for announcing the message about Christ, even though no one legally ever condemns us to death.
+\v 9 We live like persons whom nobody knows, but some people know us very well. Some try to kill us for announcing the message about the Messiah, even though no one legally ever condemns us to death.
 \v 10 We live with great sorrow but we always rejoice. We live as some of the poorest people, but we have the treasure of the good news that makes many rich. You can see that we own nothing, but the truth is that all things belong to us.
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@@ -243,8 +243,8 @@
 \p
 
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-\v 14 Do not work in unsuitable ways with people who do not trust Christ. What do people who live by God's measure and rules have in common with those who break his laws and do what they want? Darkness and light cannot be together.
-\v 15 How can Christ agree in any way with the demon Beliar? What does a person who trusts in God have in common with another person who does not trust in God?
+\v 14 Do not work in unsuitable ways with people who do not trust the Messiah. What do people who live by God's measure and rules have in common with those who break his laws and do what they want? Darkness and light cannot be together.
+\v 15 How can the Messiah agree in any way with the demon Beliar? What does a person who trusts in God have in common with another person who does not trust in God?
 \v 16 How right would it be to bring pagan idols into the temple of God? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said:
 \q "I will have my home among my people.
 \q I will live my life among them.
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@
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 \v 8 I am not giving you an order, but I want you to prove how much you love the Lord by comparing how you give to how others give to people in need.
-\v 9 I say this, because you know how kind Jesus Christ has been to you. Although he possessed everything, he gave it all up and became poor. He did this in order to make you rich.
+\v 9 I say this, because you know how kind Jesus the Messiah has been to you. Although he possessed everything, he gave it all up and became poor. He did this in order to make you rich.
 
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 \v 10 And in this I have some encouragement to give you: You started this ministry of help a year ago, and when you began it you were eager to do it.
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@
 
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 \v 22 And with these brothers we are sending to you, we are adding still one more brother. We have seen that this brother does important work in a very faithful manner. He now desires even more to help you because he trusts you very much.
-\v 23 As for Titus himself, he is my partner; he works alongside me. The other brothers—it is the churches in our region who have chosen them to go with us to Jerusalem. When other people see them, they will praise Christ very much because of them.
+\v 23 As for Titus himself, he is my partner; he works alongside me. The other brothers—it is the churches in our region who have chosen them to go with us to Jerusalem. When other people see them, they will praise the Messiah very much because of them.
 \v 24 So show these brothers how you love them; show them why we spoke so well about you, and why we could not stop telling all the churches how proud we are of you.
 
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 \v 12 We receive this money, not only to help our Christian brothers and sisters in need; we also do it so that many, many believers will thank God.
-\v 13 Because you began this task, you have shown what kind of people you are. You honor God by obeying him and believing what he says in the good news about Christ. You also honor him by giving generously.
+\v 13 Because you began this task, you have shown what kind of people you are. You honor God by obeying him and believing what he says in the good news about the Messiah. You also honor him by giving generously.
 \v 14 The ones to whom you will give will greatly desire to see you; they will pray for you, because of the wonderful way in which God has been kind to you.
 \v 15 We give thanks to God for this gift from him—his gift is so great we cannot express it in words.
 
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-\v 1 Now I, Paul, beg of you—and I am humble and gentle as I do so, because Christ has made me that way: I, who was shy when I was in front of you, but forceful when I am writing you a letter from far away:
+\v 1 Now I, Paul, beg of you—and I am humble and gentle as I do so, because the Messiah has made me that way: I, who was shy when I was in front of you, but forceful when I am writing you a letter from far away:
 \v 2 I beg of you that, when I come, I will not have to be harsh with you. I am afraid, however, that I will have to be, in order to speak against the people who think that we work with human standards.
 
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@@ -397,12 +397,12 @@
 \v 4 And we are fighting with weapons, but these weapons are not designed by human beings, but by God. These weapons are powerful, so powerful that they can tear apart any false arguments.
 
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-\v 5 In this way we can tear apart every false argument and all those who rise up against God. Those are the ones who try to keep people from knowing him. We keep and hold every thought that people have and we take those thoughts as our prisoners. God would work in those who did not obey him, and they will turn to him, and one day they will obey Christ.
-\v 6 When you completely obey Christ yourselves, we will be ready to punish any who remain disobedient to him.
+\v 5 In this way we can tear apart every false argument and all those who rise up against God. Those are the ones who try to keep people from knowing him. We keep and hold every thought that people have and we take those thoughts as our prisoners. God would work in those who did not obey him, and they will turn to him, and one day they will obey the Messiah.
+\v 6 When you completely obey the Messiah yourselves, we will be ready to punish any who remain disobedient to him.
 
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-\v 7 You should look at the clear facts. If anyone has faith that he belongs to Christ, remind him that just as he belongs to Christ, so do we!
+\v 7 You should look at the clear facts. If anyone has faith that he belongs to the Messiah, remind him that just as he belongs to the Messiah, so do we!
 \v 8 When I praised myself about our authority as apostles, that may have been too much for you. But the Lord gave that authority to me not to destroy you, but to help you and make you strong. So I am not ashamed of the authority the Lord gave me.
 
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 \v 13 We will praise ourselves only about what God has given us to do. And we will work only as he has told us to work; our work, however, includes you also.
-\v 14 When we reached out to you, we did not go beyond where God assigned us to work. He assigned your region to us, and we were the first to tell you the good news about Christ.
+\v 14 When we reached out to you, we did not go beyond where God assigned us to work. He assigned your region to us, and we were the first to tell you the good news about the Messiah.
 
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 \c 11
 \p
 \v 1 It is foolish for a person to praise himself, but that is what I am doing. Please allow me to continue a little.
-\v 2 For I want to guard you carefully. I want to guard you the way God himself would guard you. I am like a father who promised you in marriage to only one husband and who wants to be the one who presents you, as a pure virgin bride, to Christ.
+\v 2 For I want to guard you carefully. I want to guard you the way God himself would guard you. I am like a father who promised you in marriage to only one husband and who wants to be the one who presents you, as a pure virgin bride, to the Messiah.
 
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-\v 3 But as I think about you, I have become afraid that someone has tricked you, like the devil tricked Eve. I am afraid that someone has convinced you to stop loving Christ with an honest heart.
+\v 3 But as I think about you, I have become afraid that someone has tricked you, like the devil tricked Eve. I am afraid that someone has convinced you to stop loving the Messiah with an honest heart.
 \v 4 I say this because you do not seem to mind if someone else comes and tells you different things about Jesus than what we told you, or if he wants you to receive a different spirit from the Spirit of God, or a different kind of good news.
 
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 \v 9 There was a time when I was with you that I needed many things, but I did not ask you for any money at all. The brothers who came from Macedonia provided all I needed, instead. I have done everything I could for you not to be in hardship because of me, and this I will continue to do.
 
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-\v 10 I am telling the complete truth about Christ and how I have worked for him. So I will continue to let everyone in all the region of Achaia know about this.
+\v 10 I am telling the complete truth about the Messiah and how I have worked for him. So I will continue to let everyone in all the region of Achaia know about this.
 \v 11 You do not really think that I refused your money because I did not love you, do you? Far from it! God knows I love you.
 
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 \v 12 I will continue to serve you in this same way, so that I stop those who say that they are equal to us. They will have no excuse to offer for how they boast.
-\v 13 Such people are false apostles claiming that God has sent them. They are workers who always tell lies, and they are pretending to be apostles of Christ.
+\v 13 Such people are false apostles claiming that God has sent them. They are workers who always tell lies, and they are pretending to be apostles of the Messiah.
 
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 \v 14 They should not surprise us. Even Satan pretends to be an angel shining with the light of God's presence.
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@
 
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 \v 22 Are those people Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
-\v 23 Are they servants of Christ?—I speak like a man who is out of his mind! I worked harder than any of them; I have been in more prisons than they; I have had more severe beatings than they, and I have faced death more times that than they have.
+\v 23 Are they servants of the Messiah?—I speak like a man who is out of his mind! I worked harder than any of them; I have been in more prisons than they; I have had more severe beatings than they, and I have faced death more times that than they have.
 
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 \v 24 Five times the Jews punished me with the thirty-nine lashes, beating me each time until I nearly died.
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@
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 \p
 \v 30 If I must boast, I will boast only about things like these, things that show how weak I am.
-\v 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ—may everyone and everything give him praise!—he knows I am not lying!
+\v 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus the Messiah—may everyone and everything give him praise!—he knows I am not lying!
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@
 \c 12
 \p
 \v 1 Even though it does no good, I must continue to defend myself, so I will continue by boasting about some visions that the Lord gave me.
-\v 2 Fourteen years ago God took me, a man who is joined to Christ, up to the highest heaven—although only God knows whether he took me up only in my spirit or in my body, too.
+\v 2 Fourteen years ago God took me, a man who is joined to the Messiah, up to the highest heaven—although only God knows whether he took me up only in my spirit or in my body, too.
 
 \s5
 \v 3 And I—whether in my body or only in my spirit, God alone knows—
@@ -514,13 +514,13 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 8 I prayed three times to the Lord about this matter; each time I begged him to take this away from me.
-\v 9 But he said to me, "No, I will not take this away from you. All you need is for me to love you and be with you, because I do my most powerful work in you when you are weak." That is why I would rather be proud of my weakness, so that Christ's power can come and make me strong.
-\v 10 I can face anything because Christ is with me. It may be that I must be weak, or that others might treat me with scorn, or that I must have great hardships, or that others will try to kill me. It may be that I will continue to suffer hardships of various kinds. In any case, when my power is gone, then I am at my strongest.
+\v 9 But he said to me, "No, I will not take this away from you. All you need is for me to love you and be with you, because I do my most powerful work in you when you are weak." That is why I would rather be proud of my weakness, so that the Messiah's power can come and make me strong.
+\v 10 I can face anything because the Messiah is with me. It may be that I must be weak, or that others might treat me with scorn, or that I must have great hardships, or that others will try to kill me. It may be that I will continue to suffer hardships of various kinds. In any case, when my power is gone, then I am at my strongest.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 11 When I write this way, I am praising myself. But I had to do so, because you should have had confidence in me. I am just as good as these "super-apostles," even though I am really nothing at all.
-\v 12 I gave you the true signs of being an authentic apostle—miracles that I did very patiently among you: Wonderful miracles that proved that I truly serve Jesus Christ.
+\v 12 I gave you the true signs of being an authentic apostle—miracles that I did very patiently among you: Wonderful miracles that proved that I truly serve Jesus the Messiah.
 \v 13 You certainly were just as important as all the other churches! The only way you were different was that I received no money from you as I did from them. Forgive me that I did not ask this from you!
 
 \s5
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 19 You do not really think that I have been trying to defend myself in this letter, do you? God knows that I am joined to Christ, and that I have written everything in order to strengthen you in trusting him.
+\v 19 You do not really think that I have been trying to defend myself in this letter, do you? God knows that I am joined to the Messiah, and that I have written everything in order to strengthen you in trusting him.
 
 \s5
 \v 20 But when I come to you, I may not find you as I wished. When I come you may not want to listen to me. I fear that you are arguing a lot among yourselves, that some of you are jealous of one another, and that some of you become very angry with each other. I fear that some of you are putting yourselves first, that you are talking about each other, and that some of you are very selfish.
@@ -549,13 +549,13 @@
 \v 2 When I was there on the second visit I said to those who had sinned and who had been charged before the church, and to the entire church, and I will say it again: I will not overlook these charges.
 
 \s5
-\v 3 I tell you this because you are looking for proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you; instead, he is working in you by his great power.
-\v 4 We learn from Christ's example, because they crucified him when he was weak, yet God has made him alive again. And we, too, are weak as we live and follow his example, but with him, God will strengthen us as we talk with you about these sins that some of you have committed.
+\v 3 I tell you this because you are looking for proof that the Messiah is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you; instead, he is working in you by his great power.
+\v 4 We learn from the Messiah's example, because they crucified him when he was weak, yet God has made him alive again. And we, too, are weak as we live and follow his example, but with him, God will strengthen us as we talk with you about these sins that some of you have committed.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 5 It is yourselves whom you must examine and see how you live. You must look for evidence that you trust in how God loves you and has mercy on you. It is you whom you must put yourself to the test and ask if Jesus Christ lives within you? He lives in every one of you, unless, of course, you fail this test.
-\v 6 And I hope that you will find that we pass the test and Christ lives in us.
+\v 5 It is yourselves whom you must examine and see how you live. You must look for evidence that you trust in how God loves you and has mercy on you. It is you whom you must put yourself to the test and ask if Jesus the Messiah lives within you? He lives in every one of you, unless, of course, you fail this test.
+\v 6 And I hope that you will find that we pass the test and the Messiah lives in us.
 
 \s5
 \v 7 Now we pray to God that you may not do anything that is wrong. We pray for this, not because we want to seem better than you by passing that test. Instead, we want you to know and do the right things. Even if we seem to have failed, we want you to succeed.
@@ -572,5 +572,5 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 13 All of us here, whom God has set apart for himself, greet you.
-\v 14 May the Lord Jesus Christ act kindly toward you, may God love you, and may the Holy Spirit be with you all.
+\v 14 May the Lord Jesus the Messiah act kindly toward you, may God love you, and may the Holy Spirit be with you all.
 

49-GAL.usfm

@@ -8,27 +8,27 @@
 \s5
 \c 1
 \p
-\v 1-2 I, Paul, am writing to my dear brothers and sisters in the province of Galatia. I am Paul, the apostle. No group of people made me an apostle, and God did not tell anybody to make me one. Instead, I am an apostle because Jesus Christ and God the Father have sent me as one—yes, God the Father, who made Christ live again after he had died! I and all the fellow believers who are here with me greet you all in the churches in the province of Galatia.
+\v 1-2 I, Paul, am writing to my dear brothers and sisters in the province of Galatia. I am Paul, the apostle. No group of people made me an apostle, and God did not tell anybody to make me one. Instead, I am an apostle because Jesus the Messiah and God the Father have sent me as one—yes, God the Father, who made the Messiah live again after he had died! I and all the fellow believers who are here with me greet you all in the churches in the province of Galatia.
 
 \s5
-\v 3 I pray that God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ will kindly help you and give you peace.
-\v 4 Christ sacrificed himself to God for our sins, in order to take us away from this world in which people act in such evil ways. He did this because God, our Father, wanted him to.
+\v 3 I pray that God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus the Messiah will kindly help you and give you peace.
+\v 4 The Messiah sacrificed himself to God for our sins, in order to take us away from this world in which people act in such evil ways. He did this because God, our Father, wanted him to.
 \v 5 Because that is true, let us now praise God forever and ever.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 6 As you know, Christ called you in his kindness to trust in him. But now I am amazed that you have stopped trusting in him! Now you believe a different message, which some people say is the true good news about God.
-\v 7 Christ never told us another good news, but other people are confusing you. They want to change the good news about Christ; they want you to believe that Christ actually said something different.
+\v 6 As you know, the Messiah called you in his kindness to trust in him. But now I am amazed that you have stopped trusting in him! Now you believe a different message, which some people say is the true good news about God.
+\v 7 The Messiah never told us another good news, but other people are confusing you. They want to change the good news about the Messiah; they want you to believe that the Messiah actually said something different.
 
 \s5
 \v 8 But even if we apostles or an angel from heaven should tell you a good news that is not the same as what we told you before, God should punish that person forever.
 \v 9 As we have already told you, so now I say to you again that someone is telling you a form of the good news that he says is good, but it is not the same as what you believed. So I ask God that he condemn that person forever.
-\v 10 I do not need people to like me, because it is God who approves of me. I am not trying to please people. If I were still trying to please people, then I would not really be serving Christ.
+\v 10 I do not need people to like me, because it is God who approves of me. I am not trying to please people. If I were still trying to please people, then I would not really be serving the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 11 My fellow believers, I want you to know that the message about Christ that I proclaim to people is not one that some person created.
-\v 12 I did not learn this good news from any ordinary human being, and no such person taught it to me. Instead, it was Jesus Christ himself who taught me.
+\v 11 My fellow believers, I want you to know that the message about the Messiah that I proclaim to people is not one that some person created.
+\v 12 I did not learn this good news from any ordinary human being, and no such person taught it to me. Instead, it was Jesus the Messiah himself who taught me.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@
 \v 2 We did this because God had told me we should go. I explained privately to the most important leaders of the believers the content of the good news that I had been proclaiming in the regions of the non-Jews. I did this because I wanted to make sure that they approved of what I had been preaching. I wanted to make sure that I had not been working uselessly.
 \s5
 \v 3 But those leaders did not even require Titus, who was with me and was an uncircumcised Gentile, to be circumcised.
-\v 4 The people who would have required him to be circumcised were not true believers, but they pretended that they were fellow believers. They watched us closely to see how we obey God without following all the Jewish laws and rituals, since we know that Christ Jesus has freed us from those things. These false believers would like to make us like slaves to the law.
-\v 5 But not even briefly did we agree with them about circumcision. We resisted them in order that the true good news about Christ might continue to benefit you.
+\v 4 The people who would have required him to be circumcised were not true believers, but they pretended that they were fellow believers. They watched us closely to see how we obey God without following all the Jewish laws and rituals, since we know that the Messiah Jesus has freed us from those things. These false believers would like to make us like slaves to the law.
+\v 5 But not even briefly did we agree with them about circumcision. We resisted them in order that the true good news about the Messiah might continue to benefit you.
 
 \s5
 \v 6 But those who others said were the leaders did not add anything to what I proclaim. Those leaders are important men, but they do not matter to me, because God does not favor certain persons more than others.
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
 \v 8 That is, just as God had empowered Peter to go as an apostle to take God's message to the Jews, he also empowered me to go as an apostle to take his message to the non-Jews.
 
 \s5
-\v 9 Those leaders understood that God had kindly given to me this special mission. So James, Peter, and John, the leaders of the believers in Christ—the same leaders that many people knew and honored—they were the ones who shook hands with us because we were fellow workers with them. We agreed that God had sent us to the non-Jews, that is, to those who were not circumcised, and that God had sent them to the Jews, that is, to those who were circumcised.
+\v 9 Those leaders understood that God had kindly given to me this special mission. So James, Peter, and John, the leaders of the believers in the Messiah—the same leaders that many people knew and honored—they were the ones who shook hands with us because we were fellow workers with them. We agreed that God had sent us to the non-Jews, that is, to those who were not circumcised, and that God had sent them to the Jews, that is, to those who were circumcised.
 \v 10 They only urged us to still remember to help the poor among the fellow believers who live in Jerusalem. That is exactly what I have been eager to do.
 
 \s5
@@ -77,52 +77,52 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 13 Also, the other Jewish believers in Antioch joined in Peter's hypocrisy by separating themselves from the non-Jewish believers. Even Barnabas thought he had to stop associating with the non-Jews!
-\v 14 But when I realized that they were not following the truth of the good news about Christ, and when all the fellow believers had come together, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are Jewish, but you have been living like a non-Jew who does not follow the law. So how can you possibly persuade the non-Jews to live like Jews?"
+\v 14 But when I realized that they were not following the truth of the good news about the Messiah, and when all the fellow believers had come together, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are Jewish, but you have been living like a non-Jew who does not follow the law. So how can you possibly persuade the non-Jews to live like Jews?"
 
 \s5
 \v 15 We were born as Jews, not as non-Jewish sinners who know nothing about God's law.
-\v 16 But we now know that it is not because a person obeys the law that God gave to Moses that God makes a person right in his sight. God does that only if that person trusts in Jesus Christ. Even some of us Jews have trusted Christ Jesus. We did that so God would declare us good in his sight, because we trust Christ, and not because we try to obey the law that God gave to Moses. God has said that he will not declare anyone good in his sight just because they obey the law.
+\v 16 But we now know that it is not because a person obeys the law that God gave to Moses that God makes a person right in his sight. God does that only if that person trusts in Jesus the Messiah. Even some of us Jews have trusted the Messiah Jesus. We did that so God would declare us good in his sight, because we trust the Messiah, and not because we try to obey the law that God gave to Moses. God has said that he will not declare anyone good in his sight just because they obey the law.
 
 \s5
-\v 17 But when we asked God to make us right in his sight by trusting in Christ, we stopped trying to obey the law, so the law proved us to be sinners for doing that. But this certainly does not mean that Christ is in favor of sin. Certainly not!
+\v 17 But when we asked God to make us right in his sight by trusting in the Messiah, we stopped trying to obey the law, so the law proved us to be sinners for doing that. But this certainly does not mean that the Messiah is in favor of sin. Certainly not!
 \p
 \v 18 If I again believed that God would make me right in his sight because I obey his law, I would be like a man who rebuilds a shaky old building that he had once torn down. Everyone would see that I was breaking God's law.
 \v 19 As I was trying to obey God's law, I became like a dead man; it was as if the law had killed me. This happened so that I might live to worship God.
 \s5
-\v 20 It is as though my old way of life ended when Christ died on the cross. I no longer direct my life. Christ who lives in my heart now directs how I live. And whatever I do now while I live, I do it trusting in God's Son. He is the one who loved me and offered himself as the sacrifice to provide God's forgiveness to me.
-\v 21 I do not set aside God's kindness, as if keeping the law could make us right with God. Otherwise, Christ would have died on the cross for nothing.
+\v 20 It is as though my old way of life ended when the Messiah died on the cross. I no longer direct my life. The Messiah who lives in my heart now directs how I live. And whatever I do now while I live, I do it trusting in God's Son. He is the one who loved me and offered himself as the sacrifice to provide God's forgiveness to me.
+\v 21 I do not set aside God's kindness, as if keeping the law could make us right with God. Otherwise, the Messiah would have died on the cross for nothing.
 
 \s5
 \c 3
 \p
-\v 1 You fellow believers there in Galatia are very foolish! Someone must have bewitched you with their evil eye! I told you exactly how they had crucified Jesus Christ, did I not?
-\v 2 So I want you to tell me only one thing: When the Holy Spirit came to you, did he come because you were obeying the law of Moses? Or did the Spirit come to you because you had heard the good news and trusted in Christ? Certainly this is what happened.
+\v 1 You fellow believers there in Galatia are very foolish! Someone must have bewitched you with their evil eye! I told you exactly how they had crucified Jesus the Messiah, did I not?
+\v 2 So I want you to tell me only one thing: When the Holy Spirit came to you, did he come because you were obeying the law of Moses? Or did the Spirit come to you because you had heard the good news and trusted in the Messiah? Certainly this is what happened.
 \v 3 You are very foolish! You first became Christians because God's Spirit enabled you. But now you think you will continue until you die by trying as hard as possible to obey the law.
 
 \s5
-\v 4 All the difficult things you have experienced after you believed in Christ would have been of no value at all if you had not been trusting in him. 
-\v 5 When God now generously gives to you his Spirit and performs mighty deeds among you, do you think that it is because you obey God's law? Surely you know it is because when you heard the good news about Christ, you trusted in him!
+\v 4 All the difficult things you have experienced after you believed in the Messiah would have been of no value at all if you had not been trusting in him. 
+\v 5 When God now generously gives to you his Spirit and performs mighty deeds among you, do you think that it is because you obey God's law? Surely you know it is because when you heard the good news about the Messiah, you trusted in him!
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 6 What you have experienced is just as Moses had written in the scriptures about Abraham. He wrote that Abraham trusted God, and as a result God declared Abraham good in his sight.
-\v 7 You should realize, therefore, that it is those who trust in Christ to save them whom God has made into descendants of Abraham.
+\v 7 You should realize, therefore, that it is those who trust in the Messiah to save them whom God has made into descendants of Abraham.
 \v 8 Even before God began to make non-Jews good in his sight when they trusted in him, men wrote in the scriptures that he would do this. God announced this good news to Abraham, as we read in the scriptures, "Because of what you have done, I will bless all the people groups in the world."
-\v 9 So, we know by this that it is all those who trust in Christ whom God blesses along with Abraham, who also trusted in God.
+\v 9 So, we know by this that it is all those who trust in the Messiah whom God blesses along with Abraham, who also trusted in God.
 \s5
 \v 10 God curses all those who think they can please God by obeying his law. It is just as you can read in the scriptures, "God will eternally punish everyone who does not continuously and completely obey all the laws that Moses wrote in the book of the law."
 \v 11 But God has said that if he declares any people good in his sight, it will not be because they obeyed his law. You can read in the scriptures, "Every person whom God declares to be good will live because he trusts God."
-\v 12 Whoever tries to obey the law is not trusting in Christ, "Whoever starts to do the things in the law must obey them all."
+\v 12 Whoever tries to obey the law is not trusting in the Messiah, "Whoever starts to do the things in the law must obey them all."
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 13 Christ stopped God from having to curse us as they wrote in the law he must. This happened when God cursed Christ in our place. You can read in the scripture, "God curses everyone whom they hang on a tree."
-\v 14 God cursed Christ in order to bless the non-Jews who believe in Christ just as he blessed Abraham. And he blessed the non-Jews so that we might receive the Spirit, whom he promised to all who trust in Christ.
+\v 13 The Messiah stopped God from having to curse us as they wrote in the law he must. This happened when God cursed the Messiah in our place. You can read in the scripture, "God curses everyone whom they hang on a tree."
+\v 14 God cursed the Messiah in order to bless the non-Jews who believe in the Messiah just as he blessed Abraham. And he blessed the non-Jews so that we might receive the Spirit, whom he promised to all who trust in the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 15 My fellow believers, God's promise is like a contract between two people. After they sign it, no one can cancel it, nor can they add anything to it.
-\v 16 God promised to bless Abraham and his special descendant. The scriptures do not say, "your descendants," that is, many people, but instead "your descendant," meaning just one person, Christ.
+\v 16 God promised to bless Abraham and his special descendant. The scriptures do not say, "your descendants," that is, many people, but instead "your descendant," meaning just one person, the Messiah.
 \s5
 \v 17 This is what I am saying. God established an agreement with Abraham that the law which he gave to Moses 430 years later could not cancel.
 \v 18 This is because if what God is giving to us forever comes because we keep his law, then he would not be giving it because he had promised to do so. In reality, however, God gave Abraham this gift because he had freely promised to give it.
@@ -135,19 +135,19 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 21 So do the words of the law speak against what God promises? Certainly not. If we could obey the law and then live forever with God, then he certainly would have regarded us as good in his sight.
-\v 22 But that was impossible. Instead, because we sin, the law in the scriptures controls us—and all things—just as if we were in prison. So when God promised to free us from that prison, he was speaking about anyone who believes in Jesus Christ.
+\v 22 But that was impossible. Instead, because we sin, the law in the scriptures controls us—and all things—just as if we were in prison. So when God promised to free us from that prison, he was speaking about anyone who believes in Jesus the Messiah.
 
 \s5
-\v 23 Before God revealed the good news about how people should trust in Christ, his law was like a soldier who kept us in prison, unable to move about.
-\v 24 Like a father protects his small child by telling a slave to take care of him, God was supervising us by his law until Christ came. He did this so that he might now declare us good in his sight, if we trust in Christ.
-\v 25 But now that we can trust in Christ, we no longer need God's law to supervise us.
+\v 23 Before God revealed the good news about how people should trust in the Messiah, his law was like a soldier who kept us in prison, unable to move about.
+\v 24 Like a father protects his small child by telling a slave to take care of him, God was supervising us by his law until the Messiah came. He did this so that he might now declare us good in his sight, if we trust in the Messiah.
+\v 25 But now that we can trust in the Messiah, we no longer need God's law to supervise us.
 \p
-\v 26 I say this because you are all God's children because you have trusted in Christ Jesus.
+\v 26 I say this because you are all God's children because you have trusted in the Messiah Jesus.
 
 \s5
-\v 27 All of you who trust in Christ and were baptized so that you are joined to him, have taken on the characteristics of Christ's life. 
-\v 28 If you are believers, it does not matter to God if you are Jews or non-Jews, slaves or free persons, males or females, because all of you are together joined to Christ Jesus.
-\v 29 Furthermore, since you belong to Christ, he makes you into descendants of Abraham, and you will receive everything that God has promised him and us.
+\v 27 All of you who trust in the Messiah and were baptized so that you are joined to him, have taken on the characteristics of the Messiah's life. 
+\v 28 If you are believers, it does not matter to God if you are Jews or non-Jews, slaves or free persons, males or females, because all of you are together joined to the Messiah Jesus.
+\v 29 Furthermore, since you belong to the Messiah, he makes you into descendants of Abraham, and you will receive everything that God has promised him and us.
 
 \s5
 \c 4
@@ -177,18 +177,18 @@
 \v 12 My fellow believers, I strongly urge you to become like me, because I do not let the law control me. I became like you non-Jews when I became free from the law, so you too should free yourselves from the gods. When I first went to you, you did not harm me at all, but now you are making me worry about you very much.
 \p
 \v 13 You remember that the first time I told you the good news, I did it because I was sick.
-\v 14 Although you might have despised me because I was sick, you did not reject me. Instead, you welcomed me like you would welcome an angel that came from God. You welcomed me like you would welcome Christ Jesus himself!
+\v 14 Although you might have despised me because I was sick, you did not reject me. Instead, you welcomed me like you would welcome an angel that came from God. You welcomed me like you would welcome the Messiah Jesus himself!
 
 \s5
 \v 15 But now you are no longer happy! I know for certain that you would have done anything to help me. You would have torn out your own eyes and given them to me, if that would have helped me!
-\v 16 That is why I have become so sad now. You seem to think that I have become your enemy because I have continued to tell the truth about Christ to you.
+\v 16 That is why I have become so sad now. You seem to think that I have become your enemy because I have continued to tell the truth about the Messiah to you.
 
 \s5
 \v 17 Those who are insisting on obeying the Jewish laws are trying to get you to follow them, but they are not doing it for your good. They want to keep you away from me, because they want you to follow them, not me.
 \v 18 Well, it is good to insist on doing the right things; you should do this always, and not only when I am with you. But make sure it is the right people who are teaching you what to do!
 
 \s5
-\v 19 You who are like my children, once again I am very worried about you, and I will continue to be worried until you become like Christ.
+\v 19 You who are like my children, once again I am very worried about you, and I will continue to be worried until you become like the Messiah.
 \v 20 But I do wish that I could be with you now and that I might talk more gently with you, because right now I do not know what to do about you.
 
 \s5
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@
 \v 25 So Hagar symbolizes Mount Sinai, in the land of Arabia. But Hagar also symbolizes the city of Jerusalem as it is today. This is because Jerusalem is like a slave mother: She and all her children—that is, her people—are like slaves, because they all must obey the law that God gave to Israel at Mount Sinai.
 
 \s5
-\v 26 But there is a new Jerusalem in heaven, and that city is like a mother of all us who believe in Christ, and that city is free!
+\v 26 But there is a new Jerusalem in heaven, and that city is like a mother of all us who believe in the Messiah, and that city is free!
 \v 27 That new Jerusalem will have many more people than the old Jerusalem. This is because the prophet Isaiah wrote,
 \q "You who live in Jerusalem, you must rejoice!
 \q Now you have no children,
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 28 Now, my fellow believers, you have become children of God because you believed in what God promised to give to us. You are like Isaac, who was born because Abraham had believed in what God promised to give to him.
-\v 29 But long ago Abraham's son Ishmael, who was born naturally, caused trouble for Abraham's son Isaac, who was born because the Holy Spirit made it happen. It is the same way now. The people who are slaves to God's law persecute those of us who trust in what Christ has promised to give us.
+\v 29 But long ago Abraham's son Ishmael, who was born naturally, caused trouble for Abraham's son Isaac, who was born because the Holy Spirit made it happen. It is the same way now. The people who are slaves to God's law persecute those of us who trust in what the Messiah has promised to give us.
 
 \s5
 \v 30 But these are the words in the scriptures: "The son of the woman who was not a slave will inherit what his father owns. The slave boy will inherit nothing. So send away from this place the female slave and her son!"
@@ -226,18 +226,18 @@
 \s5
 \c 5
 \p
-\v 1 Christ set us free from the law so that it may control us no longer. So stop anyone who says you are still slaves to the law, and do not let the law control you like slaves again.
-\v 2 Consider very carefully what I, Paul, an apostle, now tell you. If you let anyone circumcise you, what Christ has done for you will not help you at all!
+\v 1 The Messiah set us free from the law so that it may control us no longer. So stop anyone who says you are still slaves to the law, and do not let the law control you like slaves again.
+\v 2 Consider very carefully what I, Paul, an apostle, now tell you. If you let anyone circumcise you, what the Messiah has done for you will not help you at all!
 
 \s5
 \v 3 Once again I solemnly declare to every man whom they have circumcised, that he must obey the law perfectly, for God to declare him good in his sight.
-\v 4 If you expect God to declare you good in his sight because you try to keep the law, you have separated yourself from Christ; God will no longer act kindly toward you.
+\v 4 If you expect God to declare you good in his sight because you try to keep the law, you have separated yourself from the Messiah; God will no longer act kindly toward you.
 
 \s5
-\v 5 We whom God's Spirit enables to trust in Christ are confidently waiting for the time when God will declare us good in His sight.
-\v 6 God is not concerned whether we are circumcised or not circumcised. Instead, God is concerned about whether we trust in Christ, with the result that we love others because we trust in him.
+\v 5 We whom God's Spirit enables to trust in the Messiah are confidently waiting for the time when God will declare us good in His sight.
+\v 6 God is not concerned whether we are circumcised or not circumcised. Instead, God is concerned about whether we trust in the Messiah, with the result that we love others because we trust in him.
 \p
-\v 7 You were following Christ so well! Who stopped you from obeying his true message?
+\v 7 You were following the Messiah so well! Who stopped you from obeying his true message?
 \v 8 God, the one who chose you, is not the one who is persuading you to think like this!
 
 \s5
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@
 \v 10 I am certain that the Lord Jesus will keep you from believing in anything else except his true good news. God will certainly punish anyone who is confusing you by teaching this false message, whoever he is.
 
 \s5
-\v 11 But, my fellow believers, maybe someone is saying that I still teach that you must let them circumcise you. I certainly taught that before I followed Christ, but I am not teaching that any longer. But what they are saying cannot be true; otherwise, no one would be persecuting me now. No, I tell you that if people think they have to be circumcised to follow Christ, then the fact that Christ died on the cross no longer make any difference to them.
+\v 11 But, my fellow believers, maybe someone is saying that I still teach that you must let them circumcise you. I certainly taught that before I followed the Messiah, but I am not teaching that any longer. But what they are saying cannot be true; otherwise, no one would be persecuting me now. No, I tell you that if people think they have to be circumcised to follow the Messiah, then the fact that the Messiah died on the cross no longer make any difference to them.
 \v 12 I wish that those who are confusing you would go all the way and castrate themselves!
 
 \s5
@@ -267,9 +267,9 @@
 \v 21 People want what others have. People get drunk. People get drunk and riot. And they do other things like these. I warn you now, just like I warned you previously, that the ones who constantly act and think like this will not receive what God has for his own people when he reveals himself to everyone as king.
 
 \s5
-\v 22 But as we grow in trusting Christ, God's Spirit starts causing us to love others. We are joyful. We are peaceful. We are patient. We are kind. We are good. We are ones whom others can trust.
+\v 22 But as we grow in trusting the Messiah, God's Spirit starts causing us to love others. We are joyful. We are peaceful. We are patient. We are kind. We are good. We are ones whom others can trust.
 \v 23 We are gentle. We control our behavior. There is no law that says people should not think and act in such ways.
-\v 24 Furthermore, we who belong to Christ Jesus have stopped allowing ourselves to do the evil things that we did in the past. It is as though we had nailed them to a cross and killed these evil things!
+\v 24 Furthermore, we who belong to the Messiah Jesus have stopped allowing ourselves to do the evil things that we did in the past. It is as though we had nailed them to a cross and killed these evil things!
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@
 \c 6
 \p
 \v 1 My fellow believers, if you discover that a brother or sister is doing wrong, those of you whom God's Spirit is directing should gently correct that person. Furthermore, as you correct another person, you should be very careful so that you do not sin either.
-\v 2 When there are brothers or sisters who have problems, you should help each other. By doing that, you will do what Christ commands.
+\v 2 When there are brothers or sisters who have problems, you should help each other. By doing that, you will do what the Messiah commands.
 
 \s5
 \v 3 I say this because people who think more highly of themselves than they should merely fool themselves.
@@ -300,11 +300,11 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 11 I am now writing this last part of this letter to you in my own handwriting. Notice the large letters with which I am now writing.
-\v 12 Some Jewish believers want to circumcise you so that the other Jews will think highly of them for making converts to Judaism. But they are doing this just so that the others will not persecute them for believing that Christ died on the cross to save us.
+\v 12 Some Jewish believers want to circumcise you so that the other Jews will think highly of them for making converts to Judaism. But they are doing this just so that the others will not persecute them for believing that the Messiah died on the cross to save us.
 \v 13 The reason that I say this is that not even those people keep the law of God; instead, they want to circumcise you so they can boast that they have made more converts to the Jewish faith.
 
 \s5
-\v 14 I myself, however, desire very much never to boast about anything like that. The only thing I will be proud about is our Lord Jesus Christ and his dying on the cross. When he died on the cross, he made everything the unbelievers wish for to be nothing in my sight, and he made what I wish for to be nothing in their sight.
+\v 14 I myself, however, desire very much never to boast about anything like that. The only thing I will be proud about is our Lord Jesus the Messiah and his dying on the cross. When he died on the cross, he made everything the unbelievers wish for to be nothing in my sight, and he made what I wish for to be nothing in their sight.
 \v 15 I will be very proud about that, because God does not care whether people are circumcised or not. Instead, he cares only that he changes them into new people.
 \v 16 May God give peace and act kindly toward all who live like this. These believers are the true nation of Israel that belongs to God!
 
@@ -312,5 +312,5 @@
 \p
 \v 17 I say that people have persecuted me for declaring the truth about Jesus, and as a result I have scars on my body, unlike your new teachers. So let no one trouble me about these matters again!
 \p
-\v 18 My fellow believers, may our Lord Jesus Christ kindly be good to all of you. Amen!
+\v 18 My fellow believers, may our Lord Jesus the Messiah kindly be good to all of you. Amen!
 

50-EPH.usfm

@@ -8,16 +8,16 @@
 \s5
 \c 1
 \p
-\v 1 I, Paul, write this letter to my dear fellow believers whom God has set apart for himself, and who are loyal to Christ Jesus—I am writing to the fellow believers who are living in the city of Ephesus. I am Paul, whom God chose and whom God sent to you as an apostle of Christ Jesus.
-\v 2 I pray that God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord will give you his kindness and peace.
+\v 1 I, Paul, write this letter to my dear fellow believers whom God has set apart for himself, and who are loyal to the Messiah Jesus—I am writing to the fellow believers who are living in the city of Ephesus. I am Paul, whom God chose and whom God sent to you as an apostle of the Messiah Jesus.
+\v 2 I pray that God our Father and Jesus the Messiah our Lord will give you his kindness and peace.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 3 Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He has caused us great joy through every kind of heavenly spiritual blessing that Christ gives to us.
-\v 4 Before God created the world he chose us to be his people through Christ, who set us apart for God to live blamelessly in his sight.
+\v 3 Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah! He has caused us great joy through every kind of heavenly spiritual blessing that the Messiah gives to us.
+\v 4 Before God created the world he chose us to be his people through the Messiah, who set us apart for God to live blamelessly in his sight.
 
 \s5
-\v 5 Because he loves us, God planned long ago to adopt us as his own children because of what Jesus Christ has done. He planned to adopt us because it pleased him to have us as his children, so he did what he wanted to do.
+\v 5 Because he loves us, God planned long ago to adopt us as his own children because of what Jesus the Messiah has done. He planned to adopt us because it pleased him to have us as his children, so he did what he wanted to do.
 \v 6 Because of this we now praise God for his amazing kindness given to us by his Son whom he loves, kindness that we did not deserve.
 
 \s5
@@ -26,15 +26,15 @@
 \v 8 He has been very kind to us, and he has given us every kind of wisdom.
 
 \s5
-\v 9 God has now explained the secret of his plan. He has helped us to know the great work of Christ that he had planned. He did that because he chose to do it in that way, and he showed us what Christ would do for us.
-\v 10 God planned that at the time that he appointed he would unite all things in heaven and all things on earth, and Christ would be the one who will rule them.
+\v 9 God has now explained the secret of his plan. He has helped us to know the great work of the Messiah that he had planned. He did that because he chose to do it in that way, and he showed us what the Messiah would do for us.
+\v 10 God planned that at the time that he appointed he would unite all things in heaven and all things on earth, and the Messiah would be the one who will rule them.
 
 \s5
-\v 11 Long ago God chose to unite us to Christ. He planned to do this, and he always does exactly what he wishes to do.
-\v 12 God did that so that we who believe in Christ would live to give praise to God's glory. We were the first ones to trust in Christ. 
+\v 11 Long ago God chose to unite us to the Messiah. He planned to do this, and he always does exactly what he wishes to do.
+\v 12 God did that so that we who believe in the Messiah would live to give praise to God's glory. We were the first ones to trust in the Messiah. 
 
 \s5
-\v 13 It was in Christ that you also, after you had heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation—it was in him that you also have believed and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.
+\v 13 It was in the Messiah that you also, after you had heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation—it was in him that you also have believed and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.
 \v 14 The Holy Spirit is proof that we will receive all that God has promised. All this is great reason to praise him!
 
 \s5
@@ -42,48 +42,48 @@
 \v 15 Because God has done so much for you, and because I heard how you trust in the Lord Jesus and love all whom God has chosen for himself,
 \v 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you and praying for you often.
 \s5
-\v 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father who lives in shining light, may help you think wisely and understand everything about what he reveals to you.
+\v 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, the Father who lives in shining light, may help you think wisely and understand everything about what he reveals to you.
 \v 18 I pray that God may teach you about what he wants to do for us, and why we know he is speaking the truth. I pray that we may know how great are the things he promises to give to us and to everyone whom he will choose to belong to himself.
 
 \s5
-\v 19 And I pray that you will know how very powerfully God acts for us who are trusting in Christ. He works powerfully for us,
-\v 20 just like he acted powerfully for Christ when he caused Christ to become alive again after he died, and raised him to the place of highest honor in heaven.
-\v 21 In that place, Christ rules as supreme over every powerful spirit on every level of authority and over every name that exists. Jesus is much higher than any other being, not only now, but forever.
+\v 19 And I pray that you will know how very powerfully God acts for us who are trusting in the Messiah. He works powerfully for us,
+\v 20 just like he acted powerfully for the Messiah when he caused the Messiah to become alive again after he died, and raised him to the place of highest honor in heaven.
+\v 21 In that place, the Messiah rules as supreme over every powerful spirit on every level of authority and over every name that exists. Jesus is much higher than any other being, not only now, but forever.
 
 \s5
-\v 22 God has put all beings under the rule of Christ, as if they were all under his feet. And God has appointed Christ as the ruler over everything among all believers everywhere.
-\v 23 It is as if all believers together were Christ's own body. He fills all believers everywhere with his power, just as he fills all the universe with his power.
+\v 22 God has put all beings under the rule of the Messiah, as if they were all under his feet. And God has appointed the Messiah as the ruler over everything among all believers everywhere.
+\v 23 It is as if all believers together were the Messiah's own body. He fills all believers everywhere with his power, just as he fills all the universe with his power.
 
 
 \s5
 \c 2
 \p
-\v 1 Before you trusted Christ you were powerless to obey God. You were as helpless as a person who is dead.
+\v 1 Before you trusted the Messiah you were powerless to obey God. You were as helpless as a person who is dead.
 \v 2 You were like most people in the world today, and you, too, did what Satan wants—Satan is the ruler the evil spirits who have such power over the world. Satan is the evil spirit who is at work in the lives of people who disobey God.
 \v 3 We were at one time among those who disobeyed God; we did the evil things that we desired, things that would bring pleasure to our bodies and our minds. So God was very angry with us, just as with the others.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 4 But God acts very mercifully, and he loves us very much.
-\v 5 We were like dead people, powerless to obey God, but then he made us live again by joining us to Christ. God has saved us because he has been very, very kind to us.
-\v 6 He raised us up from among those who are like dead people, and he gave us seats of honor to rule with Christ Jesus in heavenly places.
-\v 7 He did this to show in future times how kind he has been to us, for we are joined to Christ Jesus.
+\v 5 We were like dead people, powerless to obey God, but then he made us live again by joining us to the Messiah. God has saved us because he has been very, very kind to us.
+\v 6 He raised us up from among those who are like dead people, and he gave us seats of honor to rule with the Messiah Jesus in heavenly places.
+\v 7 He did this to show in future times how kind he has been to us, for we are joined to the Messiah Jesus.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 8 For God has saved you from his punishment by his extreme kindness given to you because you trust Jesus. You have not saved yourselves; this is a gift from God—
 \v 9 a gift that no one can earn, so no one can boast and say that he has saved himself.
-\v 10 So God has created us as new people joined to Christ Jesus, so we can do good things—things that God planned long ago for us to do.
+\v 10 So God has created us as new people joined to the Messiah Jesus, so we can do good things—things that God planned long ago for us to do.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 11 Do not forget that you non-Jewish believers were previously called Gentiles because you were not born as Jews. The Jews insulted you by calling you "uncircumcised pagans." They call themselves "the circumcision"; by this they mean that they, not you, are God's people, although circumcision is something that only humans do, not God.
-\v 12 At that time, you did not have any part of Christ and you were not part of his people Israel. You did not know God's promises and law. You did not have confidence in the future that God promised you, and as you lived your lives, you did not know God.
+\v 12 At that time, you did not have any part of the Messiah and you were not part of his people Israel. You did not know God's promises and law. You did not have confidence in the future that God promised you, and as you lived your lives, you did not know God.
 
 \s5
-\v 13 But now because of what Christ Jesus has done, you have been able to trust in him because Christ agreed to die on the cross.
+\v 13 But now because of what the Messiah Jesus has done, you have been able to trust in him because the Messiah agreed to die on the cross.
 \p
-\v 14 Christ has brought peace and unity between Jews and non-Jews by destroying the barrier between us, as if he had destroyed a wall of hate that separated our peoples from one another.
+\v 14 The Messiah has brought peace and unity between Jews and non-Jews by destroying the barrier between us, as if he had destroyed a wall of hate that separated our peoples from one another.
 \v 15 He made it no longer necessary for us to obey all the Jewish laws and commandments. He made Jews and non-Jews into one people instead of two because he made peace between us.
 \v 16 Jesus caused Jews and non-Jews together to both become friends with God in one new group of believers. By dying on the cross, Jesus made it possible for them to stop hating each other.
 
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 19 Therefore now you non-Jews are no longer strangers and foreigners to God's people, but instead you are fellow members with those whom God has set apart for himself, and you belong to God's family for whom God is the Father.
-\v 20 You are like stones that God has made to be part of his building, and the building is built on what the apostles and prophets taught. The most important stone, the cornerstone, of the building is Christ Jesus himself.
+\v 20 You are like stones that God has made to be part of his building, and the building is built on what the apostles and prophets taught. The most important stone, the cornerstone, of the building is the Messiah Jesus himself.
 \v 21 Jesus is increasing his family of believers and fitting them together like a temple of stones is built and fit together, increasing as the Lord joins new believers to himself.
 \v 22 Jesus is building you up together, both Jews and non-Jews, into one family in which God lives by means of his Spirit.
 
@@ -102,25 +102,25 @@
 \s5
 \c 3
 \p
-\v 1 Because God has done all this for you non-Jews, Christ Jesus has put me, Paul, in prison for your sake.
+\v 1 Because God has done all this for you non-Jews, the Messiah Jesus has put me, Paul, in prison for your sake.
 \v 2 I assume that you know that God has honored me by giving me a certain task to do for your sake.
 
 \s5
 \v 3 He gave me this task because of the secret truth about which I wrote to you briefly;
-\v 4 when you read what I have already written briefly about that, you will be able to understand that I clearly understand the truth about Christ.
+\v 4 when you read what I have already written briefly about that, you will be able to understand that I clearly understand the truth about the Messiah.
 \v 5 Formerly, God did not fully reveal the good news that was to come to anyone. It was something that no one understood, but now his Spirit has revealed the good news to his apostles and prophets whom the Spirit called to serve God.
 
 \s5
-\v 6 This hidden truth is that the non-Jews now share together with Jews the spiritual riches of God, and belong to the same group of God's people, and will share all the things God has promised them because they are joined to Christ Jesus—this is the good news.
+\v 6 This hidden truth is that the non-Jews now share together with Jews the spiritual riches of God, and belong to the same group of God's people, and will share all the things God has promised them because they are joined to the Messiah Jesus—this is the good news.
 \v 7 I am now God's servant to spread the good news, a work I did not deserve to do, but which God gave me working in me with his power.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 8 Although I am the least worthy of all God's people, God has enabled me by his kindness and mercy to proclaim to non-Jews the good news about what Christ has done for us, which is so much that no one can learn all about it.
+\v 8 Although I am the least worthy of all God's people, God has enabled me by his kindness and mercy to proclaim to non-Jews the good news about what the Messiah has done for us, which is so much that no one can learn all about it.
 \v 9 My mission is to explain to everyone what God's plan is, something that God has kept hidden from long ago, from the time when he created everything.
 \s5
-\v 10 What God has wisely planned, he has even shown to powerful angels in heaven through his people who trust in Christ.
-\v 11 That is what God had always planned for eternity, and it is what he accomplished through the work of Christ Jesus our Lord.
+\v 10 What God has wisely planned, he has even shown to powerful angels in heaven through his people who trust in the Messiah.
+\v 11 That is what God had always planned for eternity, and it is what he accomplished through the work of the Messiah Jesus our Lord.
 \s5
 \v 12 So now when we pray, we can come to God confidently and without being afraid, because we trust in Jesus, who has fulfilled God's plan.
 \v 13 So I ask that you do not be discouraged because of my suffering many things for you here in prison, which actually end up honoring you.
@@ -131,14 +131,14 @@
 \v 15 He is the one who gives every family in heaven and on the earth their name.
 \v 16 I pray because of his great power that God will give you power and will strengthen you by his Spirit who lives in your spirits.
 \s5
-\v 17 I pray that Christ may live in your hearts because you trust in him, and that you will be like a firmly rooted tree and a building founded upon stone,
-\v 18 so that you may be fully able to understand, along with the all those set apart for God, how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.
+\v 17 I pray that the Messiah may live in your hearts because you trust in him, and that you will be like a firmly rooted tree and a building founded upon stone,
+\v 18 so that you may be fully able to understand, along with the all those set apart for God, how wide and long and high and deep is the love of the Messiah.
 \v 19 For this love is so great that we cannot understand it, but because of this love, I pray that God may fill you all with himself.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 20 God is able to do much greater things than we usually ask him to do, or even that we might think that he can do, because of his power that is working within us.
-\v 21 May all believers assembled to worship God, and Christ Jesus himself, honor God more than they honor anything else. May all believers from all generations of history praise him forever and ever! So let it be done.
+\v 21 May all believers assembled to worship God, and the Messiah Jesus himself, honor God more than they honor anything else. May all believers from all generations of history praise him forever and ever! So let it be done.
 
 
 
@@ -151,12 +151,12 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 4 All believers form one group, and there is only one Holy Spirit, and you were chosen to confidently wait for God to fulfill His promises to you.
-\v 5 There is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, and there is one faith, that is the trust we have in God; and there is only one true Christian baptism.
+\v 5 There is only one Lord, Jesus the Messiah, and there is one faith, that is the trust we have in God; and there is only one true Christian baptism.
 \v 6 There is one God, the true Father of all. He rules over everyone, and he is working through all events, and he is working within everything that happens. 
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 7 God has generously given to each believer spiritual gifts that Christ has measured out to us as he wishes.
+\v 7 God has generously given to each believer spiritual gifts that the Messiah has measured out to us as he wishes.
 \v 8 This is similar to what the psalmist said about God receiving tribute money from those whom he had conquered,
 \q When he ascended to his city at the top of the mountain,
 \q he led the captives into captivity
@@ -164,16 +164,16 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 9 The words "he ascended" certainly make us know that Christ had also previously descended to the earth from heaven, like God's anointed king coming down from Jerusalem to fight.
-\v 10 Christ, who descended to earth to conquer evil, is also the one who was crucified for our sins, came back to life, and ascended to the most exalted position in heaven, in order that he might control everything.
+\v 9 The words "he ascended" certainly make us know that the Messiah had also previously descended to the earth from heaven, like God's anointed king coming down from Jerusalem to fight.
+\v 10 The Messiah, who descended to earth to conquer evil, is also the one who was crucified for our sins, came back to life, and ascended to the most exalted position in heaven, in order that he might control everything.
 
 \s5
 \v 11 He appointed some believers to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some to lead and others to teach the groups of believers.
-\v 12 This was to prepare God's people to do God's work and serve others, so that all the people who belong to Christ might become spiritually strong
+\v 12 This was to prepare God's people to do God's work and serve others, so that all the people who belong to the Messiah might become spiritually strong
 \v 13 He wants all of us believers to be united together as we all trust in him and grow to fully understand him. He wants us to become mature believers, together, growing to become perfect, as he himself is perfect.
 \s5
 \v 14 Once we are mature, we will no longer be ignorant of what is true, like little children. We will no longer follow every new teaching, like a boat is blown around by the wind and waves. We will not allow people who teach what is false to trick us and deceive us.
-\v 15 Instead, we will live by loving God and trusting his true teachings, and we will become more and more like Christ in every way. He controls his people like a person's head controls his body.
+\v 15 Instead, we will live by loving God and trusting his true teachings, and we will become more and more like the Messiah in every way. He controls his people like a person's head controls his body.
 \v 16 He enables all believers everywhere to grow together and love each other, like a person's body fits together and holds together by the joints that connect the body together, which allows the body to grow and build itself up because the parts of body depend upon each other.
 
 \s5
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 20 But when you learned about Christ you did not learn to live like that. 
+\v 20 But when you learned about the Messiah you did not learn to live like that. 
 \v 21 Now that you have heard about Jesus and he has taught you, you know that his way is the true way to live.
 \v 22 Jesus taught that you must stop living the way you used to live. You were like corpses that were decaying because you were deceiving yourselves with what you desired.
 
@@ -204,18 +204,18 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 31 Do not be resentful at all toward others. Do not become angry in any way or shout abusively at others. Never slander others. Never plan evil toward others.
-\v 32 Be kind to one another. Act mercifully toward each other. Forgive each other, just like God forgave you because of what Christ has done.
+\v 32 Be kind to one another. Act mercifully toward each other. Forgive each other, just like God forgave you because of what the Messiah has done.
 
 \s5
 \c 5
 \p
 \v 1 Imitate God because he loves us, because you are his children.
-\v 2 Live by loving others just like Christ loved us when he gave himself up on the cross as the offering and sacrifice to God for our sins, which was very pleasing to God.
+\v 2 Live by loving others just like the Messiah loved us when he gave himself up on the cross as the offering and sacrifice to God for our sins, which was very pleasing to God.
 \s5
 \v 3 Do not suggest any kind of immoral act and do not desire what others have or wrong things others do. Such sins can cause people to say bad things about God's people, who are together set apart for God, not for sin.
 \v 4 Do not tell obscene stories to others or say foolish things or joke about committing sins. Such things are not what people who belong to God talk about. Instead, thank God for his love when you talk to others.
 \s5
-\v 5 You can be sure of this: No person who is sexually immoral or indecent, or who is greedy (for this is the same as worshiping idols) will be among God's people over whom Christ rules as king.
+\v 5 You can be sure of this: No person who is sexually immoral or indecent, or who is greedy (for this is the same as worshiping idols) will be among God's people over whom the Messiah rules as king.
 \v 6 Do not let anyone deceive you with false arguments. Because they do these sinful things, God will be angry with the people who disobey him.
 \p
 \v 7 So do not join with those who do these kinds of sins.
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@
 \v 14 because the light shows what it truly is. It is like when God's word explains the sins that destroy people and Jesus who forgives and renews people. So believers say,
 \q "Wake up from your sleep
 \q and arise from living like dead people.
-\q Christ will enable you to understand
+\q The Messiah will enable you to understand
 \q his forgiveness and new life."
 \s5
 \p
@@ -240,26 +240,26 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 18 Do not become drunk by drinking alcoholic drinks, which can ruin your life. Instead, let God's Spirit control what you do at all times.
-\v 19 Sing to each other Psalms, and sing songs about Christ, and sing songs that God's Spirit gives you. Sing these Psalms and other songs from your hearts to praise the Lord Jesus.
-\v 20 At all times thank God the Father for everything because of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for you.
-\v 21 Humbly submit yourselves to each other because you honor Christ.
+\v 19 Sing to each other Psalms, and sing songs about the Messiah, and sing songs that God's Spirit gives you. Sing these Psalms and other songs from your hearts to praise the Lord Jesus.
+\v 20 At all times thank God the Father for everything because of what the Lord Jesus the Messiah has done for you.
+\v 21 Humbly submit yourselves to each other because you honor the Messiah.
 \s5
 \p
-\v 22-23 Wives should submit to their own husband's leadership as they do to the Lord Jesus, because the husband is the leader of the wife as also Christ is the leader of the worldwide assembly of believers. He is the Savior who has saved all believers from being condemned for their sins.
-\v 24 Just as all believers submit themselves to the authority of Christ, the women must submit themselves completely to the authority of their husbands.
+\v 22-23 Wives should submit to their own husband's leadership as they do to the Lord Jesus, because the husband is the leader of the wife as also the Messiah is the leader of the worldwide assembly of believers. He is the Savior who has saved all believers from being condemned for their sins.
+\v 24 Just as all believers submit themselves to the authority of the Messiah, the women must submit themselves completely to the authority of their husbands.
 \s5
 \p
-\v 25 Each of you husbands, love your wife as Christ loved all believers and gave up his own life for us on the cross,
+\v 25 Each of you husbands, love your wife as the Messiah loved all believers and gave up his own life for us on the cross,
 \v 26 so that he might set us apart for himself. By the power of his word Jesus purified believers by removing the punishment for our sins, as if he had washed us with water.
-\v 27 Now Christ can present all believers to himself as a completely clean, forgiven, faultless group, without sin.
+\v 27 Now the Messiah can present all believers to himself as a completely clean, forgiven, faultless group, without sin.
 \s5
 \v 28 Each man should love his wife as he loves his own body. When men love their wives, it is as though they loved themselves,
-\v 29-30 because no one ever hated his own body. Instead, he feeds his own body and cares for it, just like Christ also cares for all us believers in his worldwide assembly. We have become one group of believers that belongs to him.
+\v 29-30 because no one ever hated his own body. Instead, he feeds his own body and cares for it, just like the Messiah also cares for all us believers in his worldwide assembly. We have become one group of believers that belongs to him.
 \s5
 \v 31 The scriptures say this about people who marry:
 \q "When a man and a woman marry, they should permanently leave their fathers and mothers. They should be joined as husband and wife, and the two of them will become as though they were one person."
 \p
-\v 32 It is difficult to understand the meaning of these things that God has now revealed, but I am telling you about Christ's love for his worldwide assembly of believers.
+\v 32 It is difficult to understand the meaning of these things that God has now revealed, but I am telling you about the Messiah's love for his worldwide assembly of believers.
 \v 33 However, as for you, each man must love his wife just as he loves himself, and each woman must respect her husband.
 
 \s5
@@ -277,8 +277,8 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 5 You slaves, obey those who are your masters here on the earth. Obey them very respectfully and sincerely just like you obey Christ.
-\v 6 Obey them not only when they are watching you. Instead, obey them as though you were slaves of Christ, not slaves of your masters. Do enthusiastically what God wants you to do.
+\v 5 You slaves, obey those who are your masters here on the earth. Obey them very respectfully and sincerely just like you obey the Messiah.
+\v 6 Obey them not only when they are watching you. Instead, obey them as though you were slaves of the Messiah, not slaves of your masters. Do enthusiastically what God wants you to do.
 \v 7 Happily serve your masters, as you would serve the Lord Jesus, not as you would serve ordinary people.
 \v 8 Do this because you know that one day the Lord Jesus will reward each person for whatever good deeds that person has done. It makes no difference whether that person was slave or free.
 
@@ -306,8 +306,8 @@
 \v 18 And let God's Spirit direct you in how you pray and what you pray for. Keep praying to God at all times and keep asking God to meet the needs that other people have. If you are going to be effective in your prayers, you must keep spiritually alert. Take special care to pray for all God's holy people.
 
 \s5
-\v 19 And pray for me. Pray that God will tell me what I should say whenever I speak, in order that I may boldly tell others the good news about Christ. People did not know that message before, but God has now revealed it to me.
-\v 20 I am a representative of Christ because of that, here in prison. Pray that when I tell others about Christ, I may speak without being afraid, because that is how I ought to speak.
+\v 19 And pray for me. Pray that God will tell me what I should say whenever I speak, in order that I may boldly tell others the good news about the Messiah. People did not know that message before, but God has now revealed it to me.
+\v 20 I am a representative of the Messiah because of that, here in prison. Pray that when I tell others about the Messiah, I may speak without being afraid, because that is how I ought to speak.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -316,6 +316,6 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 23 I pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ may cause all of you fellow believers to have inner peace, to love each other, and to have faith in God.
-\v 24 May God give his grace to all people who love our Lord Jesus Christ without ceasing.
+\v 23 I pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus the Messiah may cause all of you fellow believers to have inner peace, to love each other, and to have faith in God.
+\v 24 May God give his grace to all people who love our Lord Jesus the Messiah without ceasing.
 

51-PHP.usfm

@@ -8,66 +8,66 @@
 \s5
 \c 1
 \p
-\v 1 I, Paul, am writing this to the dear fellow believers who live in the city of Philippi. We, Paul and Timothy, are sending this letter to all of you in Philippi whom God has set apart for himself, you who are joined to Christ Jesus. We are also sending this letter to the overseers and deacons who are serving there.
-\v 2 We pray that God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord will be kind to you and give you peace.
+\v 1 I, Paul, am writing this to the dear fellow believers who live in the city of Philippi. We, Paul and Timothy, are sending this letter to all of you in Philippi whom God has set apart for himself, you who are joined to the Messiah Jesus. We are also sending this letter to the overseers and deacons who are serving there.
+\v 2 We pray that God our Father and Jesus the Messiah our Lord will be kind to you and give you peace.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 3 I thank my God as I pray to him, whenever I think about you.
 \v 4 I am constantly praying for you with joy
 \v 5 and thanking God because you are working with Timothy, me, and others in proclaiming the good news from the first day you believed until now.
-\v 6 I know that God is doing very good things among you. I am completely confident that he will finish those things at the time when Jesus Christ returns.
+\v 6 I know that God is doing very good things among you. I am completely confident that he will finish those things at the time when Jesus the Messiah returns.
 
 \s5
 \v 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you because I love you from my heart. You have been partners with me in carrying out the work that God kindly gave me to do, whether now as I am in prison, or when I speak in public about the good news and show people that it is true.
-\v 8 God sees how deeply I desire to be with you, just as I deeply love you all, just as Christ Jesus tenderly loves us all.
+\v 8 God sees how deeply I desire to be with you, just as I deeply love you all, just as the Messiah Jesus tenderly loves us all.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 9 I am praying for you, that you might love each other more and more, and that you might know and understand why God wants you to do so.
-\v 10 I also pray that God will enable you to know what you should believe and the best ways in which you should act. I pray for this so that you might be honest and blameless at the time when Christ returns.
-\v 11 I also pray that you will always do the things that you can do because God has declared you good in his sight because of Jesus Christ. Then other people will see how you honor God.
+\v 10 I also pray that God will enable you to know what you should believe and the best ways in which you should act. I pray for this so that you might be honest and blameless at the time when the Messiah returns.
+\v 11 I also pray that you will always do the things that you can do because God has declared you good in his sight because of Jesus the Messiah. Then other people will see how you honor God.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 12 My fellow believers, I want you to know that the hard things I have suffered have not prevented me from proclaiming the good news to people. Instead, my hardships have enabled even more people to hear the good news about Christ.
-\v 13 In particular, all the military guards here and many other people in this city now know that I am a prisoner because I proclaim the good news about Christ.
+\v 12 My fellow believers, I want you to know that the hard things I have suffered have not prevented me from proclaiming the good news to people. Instead, my hardships have enabled even more people to hear the good news about the Messiah.
+\v 13 In particular, all the military guards here and many other people in this city now know that I am a prisoner because I proclaim the good news about the Messiah.
 \v 14 Also, most of the believers here now proclaim the good news about Jesus more courageously and fearlessly because they trust the Lord more firmly to help them. They speak about Jesus more confidently because they have seen the Lord help me in prison to speak the good news.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 15 Some people are proclaiming the good news because they are jealous and they want believers to honor them rather than me. But others are proclaiming the good news because they love Christ and they want people who have not heard the good news to hear it.
-\v 16 Those who proclaim the good news because they love Christ know that God appointed me to speak in public and explain why the good news is true.
-\v 17 But those who are proclaiming the good news about Christ for selfish reasons do not have good reasons for doing so. They believe they are causing me more suffering while I am here in prison.
+\v 15 Some people are proclaiming the good news because they are jealous and they want believers to honor them rather than me. But others are proclaiming the good news because they love the Messiah and they want people who have not heard the good news to hear it.
+\v 16 Those who proclaim the good news because they love the Messiah know that God appointed me to speak in public and explain why the good news is true.
+\v 17 But those who are proclaiming the good news about the Messiah for selfish reasons do not have good reasons for doing so. They believe they are causing me more suffering while I am here in prison.
 \s5
-\v 18 But it does not matter! People are proclaiming the good news about Christ, either for good reasons or for bad reasons. So I am rejoicing that people are spreading the message about Jesus Christ! And I will continue to rejoice in that!
+\v 18 But it does not matter! People are proclaiming the good news about the Messiah, either for good reasons or for bad reasons. So I am rejoicing that people are spreading the message about Jesus the Messiah! And I will continue to rejoice in that!
 \p
-\v 19 I will rejoice because I know that God will free me from prison. He will do this because you are praying for me and because the Spirit of Jesus Christ is helping me.
+\v 19 I will rejoice because I know that God will free me from prison. He will do this because you are praying for me and because the Spirit of Jesus the Messiah is helping me.
 
 \s5
-\v 20 I eagerly and confidently expect that in no way will I fail to do what I should do. Instead, I will have courage now, just as in the past. I will honor Christ with my body, whether I live or die.
+\v 20 I eagerly and confidently expect that in no way will I fail to do what I should do. Instead, I will have courage now, just as in the past. I will honor the Messiah with my body, whether I live or die.
 \p
-\v 21 As for me, I live to honor Christ. But if I die, it will be even better for me.
+\v 21 As for me, I live to honor the Messiah. But if I die, it will be even better for me.
 
 \s5
-\v 22 On the other hand, if I continue to live here in my body in this world, I will be able to serve Christ here. So I do not know whether I prefer to live or to die.
-\v 23 I cannot choose which I prefer, living or dying. I long to die and leave this world and go to be with Christ, because to be with Christ would be very much better for anyone.
+\v 22 On the other hand, if I continue to live here in my body in this world, I will be able to serve the Messiah here. So I do not know whether I prefer to live or to die.
+\v 23 I cannot choose which I prefer, living or dying. I long to die and leave this world and go to be with the Messiah, because to be with the Messiah would be very much better for anyone.
 \v 24 But it is more necessary that I remain alive here on earth because you still need me to help you.
 
 \s5
-\v 25 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain alive with you all to help you rejoice and trust Christ more.
-\v 26 So you should be happy about me because of Christ Jesus when I am once again with you.
+\v 25 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain alive with you all to help you rejoice and trust the Messiah more.
+\v 26 So you should be happy about me because of the Messiah Jesus when I am once again with you.
 \p
-\v 27 Most importantly, behave in front of the people who live around you in a way that shows that you honor the good news about Christ. Do this so that whether or not I come and see you, how you live will make me happy. They should tell me that you together are doing your best to believe and live as the good news teaches us.
+\v 27 Most importantly, behave in front of the people who live around you in a way that shows that you honor the good news about the Messiah. Do this so that whether or not I come and see you, how you live will make me happy. They should tell me that you together are doing your best to believe and live as the good news teaches us.
 \s5
 \v 28 Do not let any of those people who are against you frighten you! When you are courageous and resist them, this will show them that God will destroy them but will save you.
-\v 29 God is kind to you: He is allowing you to suffer for Christ as well as to trust in him.
+\v 29 God is kind to you: He is allowing you to suffer for the Messiah as well as to trust in him.
 \v 30 You are having to resist those who oppose the good news, just like you saw that I had to resist such people there in Philippi, and just like you hear that I still have to resist such people here now.
 
 \s5
 \c 2
 \p
-\v 1 Since Christ encourages us, since he loves us and comforts us, since God's Spirit fellowships with us, and since Christ is very merciful to us,
+\v 1 Since the Messiah encourages us, since he loves us and comforts us, since God's Spirit fellowships with us, and since the Messiah is very merciful to us,
 \v 2 make me completely happy by doing the following things: Agree with one another, love one another, act together as one person, and try to accomplish the same things.
 
 \s5
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 5 Think the same way as Christ Jesus thinks:
+\v 5 Think the same way as the Messiah Jesus thinks:
 \q
 \v 6 Although he is deserving of all the honors that God should receive, 
 \q he took his honors and laid them down, and did not hold on to them.
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \q1
-\v 9 Because of Christ's obedience to him, God honored him very much;
+\v 9 Because of the Messiah's obedience to him, God honored him very much;
 \q he honored him more than anyone else who has ever lived,
 \q
 \v 10 so that when everyone hears the name "Jesus"
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
 \q people who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth;
 \q
 \v 11 so that everyone will say the same praises, 
-\q that Jesus Christ is Lord,
+\q that Jesus the Messiah is Lord,
 \q and they will praise God the Father because of him.
 
 \s5
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@
 \p
 \v 14 Do everything without complaining or arguing,
 \v 15 so that you neither do nor think of anything wrong as you live among unbelievers, since many of these are wicked people who call evil good. Among these wicked people you should be like the stars at night that shine in the midst of darkness.
-\v 16 Keep trusting in the message that can make you live forever. If you do this, I will rejoice at the time when Christ returns, because then I will know that I did not work among you uselessly.
+\v 16 Keep trusting in the message that can make you live forever. If you do this, I will rejoice at the time when the Messiah returns, because then I will know that I did not work among you uselessly.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@
 \p
 \v 19 I am trusting in the Lord Jesus to be able to send Timothy to you soon. I hope that when he returns, he will encourage me by telling me about what God is doing in your lives.
 \v 20 I have no one else like Timothy who genuinely cares for you.
-\v 21 All the others whom I might send to you are concerned only about their own matters. They are not concerned enough about what Jesus Christ considers important.
+\v 21 All the others whom I might send to you are concerned only about their own matters. They are not concerned enough about what Jesus the Messiah considers important.
 
 \s5
 \v 22 But you know Timothy's proven character, because as a son with a father he served me in the good news. 
@@ -131,14 +131,14 @@
 \v 24 And because I believe that the Lord wants this to happen, I am confident that they will soon release me, and that I will come to you myself.
 \s5
 \p
-\v 25 I believe that I must send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a fellow believer and my fellow worker and soldier for Christ, and your messenger and servant whom you sent to help me in my need.
+\v 25 I believe that I must send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a fellow believer and my fellow worker and soldier for the Messiah, and your messenger and servant whom you sent to help me in my need.
 \v 26 When Epaphroditus learned that you heard he was sick, he became very worried and began longing to be there with all of you at Philippi.
 \v 27 Indeed, he was so sick that he almost died, but he did not die. Instead, God was very kind to him and also to me, so that I would not have a reason to grieve much.
 
 \s5
 \v 28 So I am sending him back to you as quickly as possible. I will do this in order that you may rejoice when you see him again, and that I might grieve less.
 \v 29 Welcome Epaphroditus with the great joy we have because the Lord Jesus loves us. Honor him and other believers like him.
-\v 30 As he was working for Christ, he almost died. He ran the risk of dying in order to supply the things that I needed, something you could not do because you are far away from me.
+\v 30 As he was working for the Messiah, he almost died. He ran the risk of dying in order to supply the things that I needed, something you could not do because you are far away from me.
 
 \s5
 \c 3
@@ -146,40 +146,40 @@
 \v 1 Finally, my fellow believers, continue to rejoice because you belong to the Lord. Though I will now write to you about those same matters that I mentioned to you before, this does not make me tired, and it will protect you from those who would like to harm you.
 \p
 \v 2 Beware of those people who are as dangerous to you as wild dogs. They just mutilate men's bodies so they will become Jews.
-\v 3 But as for us—the Spirit of God enables us to truly worship God; we rejoice because we trust in Christ Jesus; and the rituals or ceremonies that people perform mean nothing to us. Therefore we ourselves are what it truly means to be circumcised.
+\v 3 But as for us—the Spirit of God enables us to truly worship God; we rejoice because we trust in the Messiah Jesus; and the rituals or ceremonies that people perform mean nothing to us. Therefore we ourselves are what it truly means to be circumcised.
 
 \s5
 \v 4 If anyone could have done enough things to please God, it would have been me.
 \p
 \v 5 They circumcised me seven days after I was born. I was born as one of the people of Israel. I am from the tribe of Benjamin. You cannot find a person more Hebrew than myself! My ancestors were all Hebrews. And it was as a Pharisee that I obeyed all the laws of Moses and what our ancestors taught about them.
 \s5
-\v 6 I was so passionate to make people obey the law that I caused believers in Christ to suffer. No one could say that I ever disobeyed the law.
+\v 6 I was so passionate to make people obey the law that I caused believers in the Messiah to suffer. No one could say that I ever disobeyed the law.
 \p
-\v 7 But everything that I then considered to be important I now consider to be worthless, because Christ has changed me.
+\v 7 But everything that I then considered to be important I now consider to be worthless, because the Messiah has changed me.
 
 \s5
-\v 8 Instead, even more I now consider all things as not only worthless, but as useless garbage to throw away, compared to how great it is to know Christ Jesus my Lord. I have removed from my life everything worthless, in order to benefit from Christ.
-\v 9 I now belong completely to Christ. I know that I cannot make myself good in God's sight by keeping the law. Instead I trust totally in Christ, so God has declared me good in His sight.
-\v 10 When God declared me good in his sight, he did this so that I could begin to know Christ; so that God could begin to work in me with the same power with which he raised Christ from the dead; so that I could begin to suffer along with Christ as he suffered; and so that Christ could make me more like him when he died.
+\v 8 Instead, even more I now consider all things as not only worthless, but as useless garbage to throw away, compared to how great it is to know the Messiah Jesus my Lord. I have removed from my life everything worthless, in order to benefit from the Messiah.
+\v 9 I now belong completely to the Messiah. I know that I cannot make myself good in God's sight by keeping the law. Instead I trust totally in the Messiah, so God has declared me good in His sight.
+\v 10 When God declared me good in his sight, he did this so that I could begin to know the Messiah; so that God could begin to work in me with the same power with which he raised the Messiah from the dead; so that I could begin to suffer along with the Messiah as he suffered; and so that the Messiah could make me more like him when he died.
 \v 11 All of this is because I fully expect that God will cause me to live again, as he has promised.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 12 I do not claim that all of these things have fully happened to me yet. But I keep trying to receive these things, because these things are why Christ Jesus took possession of me.
+\v 12 I do not claim that all of these things have fully happened to me yet. But I keep trying to receive these things, because these things are why the Messiah Jesus took possession of me.
 \v 13 My fellow believers, I certainly do not yet think that all these things have completely happened to me. But I am like a runner, because I do not look backward as I run toward the finish line.
-\v 14 Instead, I keep running toward the finish line, in order to win the prize, which is to live forever with God. This is what God has called me for, and what Christ Jesus has made possible.
+\v 14 Instead, I keep running toward the finish line, in order to win the prize, which is to live forever with God. This is what God has called me for, and what the Messiah Jesus has made possible.
 
 \s5
 \v 15 So all of us who have become strong believers should think this same way. But if any of you do not think this same way, God will reveal this to you.
-\v 16 Whatever is true about us now, however far we have come, let us trust Christ more and more in the same way we have done until now.
+\v 16 Whatever is true about us now, however far we have come, let us trust the Messiah more and more in the same way we have done until now.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 17 My fellow believers, join with me and imitate me, and observe closely those people who live as I do, and imitate our example.
-\v 18 There are many people who say that they believe in Christ, but they really oppose what he did on the cross for us. I have told you about those people many times before, and now I am sad, even crying, as I tell you about them again.
+\v 18 There are many people who say that they believe in the Messiah, but they really oppose what he did on the cross for us. I have told you about those people many times before, and now I am sad, even crying, as I tell you about them again.
 \v 19 God will destroy them in the end because their god is their desire to eat, and they live shamefully and think about things of the earth.
 \s5
-\v 20 As for us, we are citizens of heaven. It is from heaven that we are eagerly awaiting our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to return.
+\v 20 As for us, we are citizens of heaven. It is from heaven that we are eagerly awaiting our Lord and Savior Jesus the Messiah to return.
 \v 21 He will change the bodies we have now, weak and humble bodies, into bodies like his own powerful body. He will do this with the same power with which he controls all things.
 
 \s5
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@
 \v 4 Always rejoice for the Lord Jesus! I say again, rejoice!
 \v 5 All people must see that you are gentle because the Lord is near.
 \v 6 Do not worry about anything. Instead, in every situation pray to God, tell him exactly what you need, and ask him to help you. And thank God for all he does for you.
-\v 7 Then God's peace, which is much greater than we can understand, will be like a soldier that is guarding how you feel and how you think, as we are joined to Christ Jesus.
+\v 7 Then God's peace, which is much greater than we can understand, will be like a soldier that is guarding how you feel and how you think, as we are joined to the Messiah Jesus.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@
 \v 10 I rejoice greatly and thank the Lord because now, after some time, you sent money to me, and so you have once again shown that you are concerned about me. Indeed, you were concerned about me all the time, but you had no opportunity to show it.
 \v 11 I am not saying this because I need certain things. In fact, I have learned to be content with whatever I have.
 \v 12 I am able to be needy or to have plenty. I have learned how to be satisfied in all circumstances. I know the secret of how to be happy at all times.
-\v 13 I am able to do everything because Christ makes me strong.
+\v 13 I am able to do everything because the Messiah makes me strong.
 
 \s5
 \v 14 Nevertheless, you did the right thing to share with me in my hardship.
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 18 I have plenty of things now. I have so many things that you sent me through Epaphroditus. These things are like when priests burn an animal sacrifice to God and it smells good to him.
-\v 19 God, whom I serve, will supply everything you need because you belong to Jesus Christ, who owns the splendor and wealth of heaven.
+\v 19 God, whom I serve, will supply everything you need because you belong to Jesus the Messiah, who owns the splendor and wealth of heaven.
 \v 20 So people should praise God our Father, who will rule forever and ever in brilliant light! Amen!
 
 \s5
@@ -227,5 +227,5 @@
 \v 21 Greet for me all the believers. They all belong to God! The believers with me greet you, as well.
 \v 22 All of God's people here send their greetings to you. Especially the fellow believers who work in the palace of Caesar, the emperor, send their greetings to you.
 \p
-\v 23 My desire is that our Lord Jesus Christ will continue to act kindly toward you all.
+\v 23 My desire is that our Lord Jesus the Messiah will continue to act kindly toward you all.
 

52-COL.usfm

@@ -9,18 +9,18 @@
 \s5
 \c 1
 \p
-\v 1 I, Paul, write this to the dear fellow believers in the city of Colossae. This is from Paul, whom God chose to send to you as an apostle of Christ Jesus, and this letter is also from Timothy, our fellow believer joined to Christ. We are sending this letter to all of you.
-\v 2 We send this letter to those God has set apart for himself—those who are faithful believers who belong to Christ. We pray that God our Father will give you his kindness and peace.
+\v 1 I, Paul, write this to the dear fellow believers in the city of Colossae. This is from Paul, whom God chose to send to you as an apostle of the Messiah Jesus, and this letter is also from Timothy, our fellow believer joined to the Messiah. We are sending this letter to all of you.
+\v 2 We send this letter to those God has set apart for himself—those who are faithful believers who belong to the Messiah. We pray that God our Father will give you his kindness and peace.
 \p
-\v 3 We often thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, while we are praying for you.
+\v 3 We often thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, while we are praying for you.
 
 \s5
-\v 4 We give God thanks because we have heard that you trust in Christ Jesus and that you love all those whom God has set apart for himself.
-\v 5 You love our fellow believers because you confidently are waiting for the things God is reserving for you in heaven. You first heard about these things when you heard the true message, the good news about Christ.
+\v 4 We give God thanks because we have heard that you trust in the Messiah Jesus and that you love all those whom God has set apart for himself.
+\v 5 You love our fellow believers because you confidently are waiting for the things God is reserving for you in heaven. You first heard about these things when you heard the true message, the good news about the Messiah.
 \v 6 Believers are proclaiming this good news that you heard in Colossae to everyone in the world. It is just as it has worked in you also, from the first day you heard it and understood how truly kind God is. The good news is like a field planted with crops that are growing and will give a very large harvest.
 
 \s5
-\v 7 Epaphras taught you the good news. We love him because he serves Christ together with us and works for Christ faithfully in our place.
+\v 7 Epaphras taught you the good news. We love him because he serves the Messiah together with us and works for the Messiah faithfully in our place.
 \v 8 He told us that you love all God's people because God's Spirit has empowered you to love God and others.
 
 \s5
@@ -44,66 +44,66 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 18 He rules all believers—the church—like a person's head rules his body. He rules over the church because he started it. He was the first person to come back to life with a perfect body. So he is greater than every thing.
-\v 19 God the Father was pleased to make everything he is to live in Christ.
+\v 19 God the Father was pleased to make everything he is to live in the Messiah.
 \v 20 It also pleased God to bring everything back to himself in peace through Jesus. God offered peace to all people and all things everywhere on earth and in heaven. He did this by causing the Son to die on the cross as a sacrifice, shedding his blood as he died.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 21 Before you believed in Christ, God considered you his enemies, and you were unfriendly to God because you thought evil thoughts and because you did evil deeds.
+\v 21 Before you believed in the Messiah, God considered you his enemies, and you were unfriendly to God because you thought evil thoughts and because you did evil deeds.
 \v 22 But now God has offered peace between yourselves and himself and has made you his friends. He did this when Jesus gave up his body and life for us by dying. This made it possible for us to belong to God; he finds nothing wrong in us now, nothing to blame us for.
-\v 23 But you must continue to trust Christ completely; then you will be like a house that they built on solid rock. Do not for any reason stop believing in what God has promised to do for you in the good news that people all over the world have heard. This is the same good news that I, Paul, am serving God by proclaiming to people.
+\v 23 But you must continue to trust the Messiah completely; then you will be like a house that they built on solid rock. Do not for any reason stop believing in what God has promised to do for you in the good news that people all over the world have heard. This is the same good news that I, Paul, am serving God by proclaiming to people.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 24 Now I rejoice that I am suffering for your benefit. Yes, in order to help the church, which is like Christ's body, I suffer things that must still happen.
+\v 24 Now I rejoice that I am suffering for your benefit. Yes, in order to help the church, which is like the Messiah's body, I suffer things that must still happen.
 \v 25 God made me his servant and gave to me special work to do, which is to proclaim the full message of God to non-Jewish people like you.
 \v 26 From ancient times, for generations, God did not tell this good news, but now he has revealed this mystery to those whom he has set apart for himself.
-\v 27 It is to these people—Jews and non-Jews like yourselves just as much—that God planned to tell this wonderful secret. It is this: Christ will live in you and make you confidently expect to share in God's glory!
+\v 27 It is to these people—Jews and non-Jews like yourselves just as much—that God planned to tell this wonderful secret. It is this: the Messiah will live in you and make you confidently expect to share in God's glory!
 
 \s5
-\v 28 We are wisely warning and teaching every person about Christ so that we might bring into God's presence each one as knowing God completely, joined to Christ.
-\v 29 It is to do this that I work my hardest, because Christ is giving me strength.
+\v 28 We are wisely warning and teaching every person about the Messiah so that we might bring into God's presence each one as knowing God completely, joined to the Messiah.
+\v 29 It is to do this that I work my hardest, because the Messiah is giving me strength.
 
 \s5
 \c 2
 \p
 \v 1 I want you to realize that I am doing my best to help you and those in Laodicea, and also the believers who have never seen me personally.
-\v 2 I do this so that I might encourage them and you yourselves to love each other and unite yourselves together. I desire that you all confidently and completely understand this secret truth about God and that this truth is Christ!
-\v 3 It is only by means of Christ that we can know what God is thinking and how wise he is.
+\v 2 I do this so that I might encourage them and you yourselves to love each other and unite yourselves together. I desire that you all confidently and completely understand this secret truth about God and that this truth is the Messiah!
+\v 3 It is only by means of the Messiah that we can know what God is thinking and how wise he is.
 
 \s5
 \v 4 I am telling you this in order that no one may deceive you.
-\v 5 Even though I am absent from you physically, I am very much concerned about you, just as if I were indeed with you. Yet I am rejoicing because I know that you follow Christ in a way that no one can stop you, that you trust in Christ without giving up.
+\v 5 Even though I am absent from you physically, I am very much concerned about you, just as if I were indeed with you. Yet I am rejoicing because I know that you follow the Messiah in a way that no one can stop you, that you trust in the Messiah without giving up.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 6 You began to believe in Christ Jesus the Lord by trusting in him, so also live by trusting him.
-\v 7 You should rely completely on Christ Jesus the Lord, just like a tree spreads its roots deep into the ground. You learned to trust Christ very much in this way, like men build a house on a good foundation. And you should always give thanks to God.
+\v 6 You began to believe in the Messiah Jesus the Lord by trusting in him, so also live by trusting him.
+\v 7 You should rely completely on the Messiah Jesus the Lord, just like a tree spreads its roots deep into the ground. You learned to trust the Messiah very much in this way, like men build a house on a good foundation. And you should always give thanks to God.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 8 Do not believe anyone who says that you must obey what people have taught about how to honor God or that you must obey what they worship in this world. Instead, obey Christ,
-\v 9 because the man Jesus Christ is fully God.
+\v 8 Do not believe anyone who says that you must obey what people have taught about how to honor God or that you must obey what they worship in this world. Instead, obey the Messiah,
+\v 9 because the man Jesus the Messiah is fully God.
 
 \s5
-\v 10 Now God has given you everything you need because he has joined you to Christ, and he rules over every other person, spirit, and angel.
-\v 11 It is as if God has also circumcised you. But this was not as though a piece of human being cut flesh from your body. Instead, Jesus took away the power of sin that was within you, and this "circumcision" is the one that Christ does when he conquered your sinful nature and took it away from you.
-\v 12 Because they have baptized you, God considers that when men buried Christ, they buried you along with him. He considers that when he made Christ come alive again, he made you come alive also, because you trusted that he could make you live again.
+\v 10 Now God has given you everything you need because he has joined you to the Messiah, and he rules over every other person, spirit, and angel.
+\v 11 It is as if God has also circumcised you. But this was not as though a piece of human being cut flesh from your body. Instead, Jesus took away the power of sin that was within you, and this "circumcision" is the one that the Messiah does when he conquered your sinful nature and took it away from you.
+\v 12 Because they have baptized you, God considers that when men buried the Messiah, they buried you along with him. He considers that when he made the Messiah come alive again, he made you come alive also, because you trusted that he could make you live again.
 \s5
-\v 13 God viewed you as being dead, because you were sinning against him, and because you were not Jews, so you did not worship him. But he made you come alive together with Christ; he forgave us of all our sins.
-\v 14 We have all sinned so much, but God has forgiven our sins. It is like a man might forgive people who owe him money, so he tears up the papers they signed when he loaned them the money. But as for God, it is as if he had nailed those papers on which he had written all our sins and all the laws that we had broken to the cross on which Christ died.
+\v 13 God viewed you as being dead, because you were sinning against him, and because you were not Jews, so you did not worship him. But he made you come alive together with the Messiah; he forgave us of all our sins.
+\v 14 We have all sinned so much, but God has forgiven our sins. It is like a man might forgive people who owe him money, so he tears up the papers they signed when he loaned them the money. But as for God, it is as if he had nailed those papers on which he had written all our sins and all the laws that we had broken to the cross on which the Messiah died.
 \v 15 Moreover, God defeated the evil spirit beings who rule people in this world, and he let everybody know that he had defeated them. It was just as if he had paraded them around in the streets as prisoners.
 \s5
 \p
 \v 16 So disregard anyone who says that God will punish you because you eat certain foods and drink certain drinks or because you do not celebrate special yearly festivals or when the new moon appears or weekly Sabbaths.
-\v 17 These kinds of rules and events only picture what is truly coming. What is truly coming is Christ himself.
+\v 17 These kinds of rules and events only picture what is truly coming. What is truly coming is the Messiah himself.
 \s5
-\v 18 Those same people pretend to be humble, and they love to worship angels. Do not let them convince you to do the same. If you do, you will lose what Christ has promised you. These people are always talking about visions they say God has made them see. They boast about these things because they think like people everywhere think who do not honor God.
-\v 19 Such persons are not joined to Christ. Christ is the head of the body, and that body is all those who believe in him. The whole body depends upon the head. The head takes care of each part and puts together all the bones and ligaments so they work together, and it is God who makes it grow.
+\v 18 Those same people pretend to be humble, and they love to worship angels. Do not let them convince you to do the same. If you do, you will lose what the Messiah has promised you. These people are always talking about visions they say God has made them see. They boast about these things because they think like people everywhere think who do not honor God.
+\v 19 Such persons are not joined to the Messiah. The Messiah is the head of the body, and that body is all those who believe in him. The whole body depends upon the head. The head takes care of each part and puts together all the bones and ligaments so they work together, and it is God who makes it grow.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 20 God considers that you died with Christ when he died. So now the spirits and all the rules that people make for how to please God—none of these things rule you anymore. So why are you still living as if these things were real? Why do you still obey those things?
+\v 20 God considers that you died with the Messiah when he died. So now the spirits and all the rules that people make for how to please God—none of these things rule you anymore. So why are you still living as if these things were real? Why do you still obey those things?
 \v 21 These rules are such as: "Do not handle certain things. Do not taste certain things. Do not touch certain things." Do not think you still have to obey such regulations.
 \v 22 These rules are all about things that perish in this world as people use them, and they were made up and taught by men, not by God.
 \v 23 These rules may seem to be good. But people made them because they were trying to honor God in their own way. That is why those people often look so humble; that is why they often hurt their own bodies. But if we obey these rules, we do not really stop wanting to sin.
@@ -111,10 +111,10 @@
 \s5
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-\v 1 God considers that he made you alive again when he made Christ alive after he died. And Christ is in heaven and is sitting at God's right side, the place for the person of greatest honor and power. You also should try to live here as if you were already there.
+\v 1 God considers that he made you alive again when he made the Messiah alive after he died. And the Messiah is in heaven and is sitting at God's right side, the place for the person of greatest honor and power. You also should try to live here as if you were already there.
 \v 2 Desire what Jesus is keeping in heaven to give you; do not desire the things here on earth.
-\v 3 For God considers that you have died and no longer belong to this world. He considers that he has hidden you with Christ to keep you safe.
-\v 4 When God reveals Christ to everyone on earth in his shining light, then he will also reveal you in that same light, because Christ makes you live!
+\v 3 For God considers that you have died and no longer belong to this world. He considers that he has hidden you with the Messiah to keep you safe.
+\v 4 When God reveals the Messiah to everyone on earth in his shining light, then he will also reveal you in that same light, because the Messiah makes you live!
 \s5
 \p
 \v 5 Therefore, think of the desires you have to do evil things in this world as enemies that must die. You must execute them: Do not try to do sexually immoral or impure acts. Do not think in lustful or evil ways. And do not be greedy, because that is the same as worshiping idols.
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@
 \s5
 \v 9 And do not lie to one another. Do not do any of these things, because you have become a new person now, a person who does not do these evil things any more.
 \v 10 You are a new person, and God is always making you to know him better and better and to be like him, as he created you to be.
-\v 11 God has made us into new persons joined to Christ, and he is always making us new. So it is no longer important whether anyone is a non-Jew or a Jew, or whether anyone is circumcised or is not circumcised, or whether anyone is a foreigner, or even uncivilized, or whether anyone is a slave or not a slave. But instead what is important is Christ, who is all things in all of you.
+\v 11 God has made us into new persons joined to the Messiah, and he is always making us new. So it is no longer important whether anyone is a non-Jew or a Jew, or whether anyone is circumcised or is not circumcised, or whether anyone is a foreigner, or even uncivilized, or whether anyone is a slave or not a slave. But instead what is important is the Messiah, who is all things in all of you.
 
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@@ -135,10 +135,10 @@
 
 \s5
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-\v 15 Christ is the one who makes you to live in peace with God and one another, so always behave so as to remain at peace. This is why he has called you to be together. And always thank God for everything.
-\v 16 As you live and serve God, always obey together what Christ has taught you. Teach and instruct each other with wisdom; praise and thank God sincerely as you sing psalms, hymns, and songs that honor him.
+\v 15 The Messiah is the one who makes you to live in peace with God and one another, so always behave so as to remain at peace. This is why he has called you to be together. And always thank God for everything.
+\v 16 As you live and serve God, always obey together what the Messiah has taught you. Teach and instruct each other with wisdom; praise and thank God sincerely as you sing psalms, hymns, and songs that honor him.
 \p
-\v 17 Whatever you say, and whatever you do, do it all to honor the Lord Jesus, and do it while you give thanks to God for what Christ has done for you.
+\v 17 Whatever you say, and whatever you do, do it all to honor the Lord Jesus, and do it while you give thanks to God for what the Messiah has done for you.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@
 \p
 \v 22 Slaves, obey your masters in this world in every way. Do not obey your masters only when they are watching you, like those who merely want their masters to think they always obey. Instead, obey your masters sincerely from the heart because you honor the Lord Jesus.
 \v 23 Whatever work you do, work wholeheartedly for the Lord Jesus rather than for people. Do not work like those who are working merely for their human masters,
-\v 24 because you know the Lord will repay you; you will receive your share of what the Lord has promised you. Jesus Christ is the real master whom you are serving.
+\v 24 because you know the Lord will repay you; you will receive your share of what the Lord has promised you. Jesus the Messiah is the real master whom you are serving.
 \v 25 But God will judge each person in the same way; he will punish those who do wrong as they deserve.
 
 \s5
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 2 Keep praying without stopping. Do not be lazy, but instead keep praying and thanking God.
-\v 3 Pray together for us too, so that God will make it possible for us to freely explain the good news, the secret about Christ that God is now revealing everywhere. It is because we proclaimed this good news that I am now in prison.
+\v 3 Pray together for us too, so that God will make it possible for us to freely explain the good news, the secret about the Messiah that God is now revealing everywhere. It is because we proclaimed this good news that I am now in prison.
 \v 4 Pray that I might be able to fully explain the good news.
 
 \s5
@@ -180,10 +180,10 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 10 Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, and Mark, who is Barnabas' cousin, greet you. I have instructed you about Mark, so if he comes to you, welcome him.
-\v 11 Jesus, who is also named Justus, greets you, too. These three men are the only Jewish believers working with me to proclaim God as king through Christ Jesus. They have greatly helped and encouraged me.
+\v 11 Jesus, who is also named Justus, greets you, too. These three men are the only Jewish believers working with me to proclaim God as king through the Messiah Jesus. They have greatly helped and encouraged me.
 
 \s5
-\v 12 Epaphras, who is your fellow townsman and a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you. He prays earnestly for you very often, that you might be strong and believe everything that God teaches us and promises us.
+\v 12 Epaphras, who is your fellow townsman and a servant of the Messiah Jesus, greets you. He prays earnestly for you very often, that you might be strong and believe everything that God teaches us and promises us.
 \v 13 I can say that he has worked very hard for you, for those who live in the city of Laodicea, and for those who live in the city of Hierapolis.
 \v 14 Luke the doctor, whom I love, and Demas greet you.
 
@@ -195,5 +195,5 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 18 I, Paul, greet you now in my own handwriting. Remember me and pray for me in prison. I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ would continue to act graciously toward you all.
+\v 18 I, Paul, greet you now in my own handwriting. Remember me and pray for me in prison. I pray that our Lord Jesus the Messiah would continue to act graciously toward you all.
 

53-1TH.usfm

@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@
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-\v 1 I, Paul, am writing this letter. Silas and Timothy are with me. We are sending this letter to you who are the group of believers in the city of Thessalonica who are joined to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May God be kind to you and give you peace.
+\v 1 I, Paul, am writing this letter. Silas and Timothy are with me. We are sending this letter to you who are the group of believers in the city of Thessalonica who are joined to God the Father and the Lord Jesus the Messiah. May God be kind to you and give you peace.
 \s5
 \p
 \v 2 We always thank God for you all when we mention you while we pray.
-\v 3 We continually remember that you work for God, who is our Father, because you trust in him and you earnestly help people because you love them. You have a solid confidence in the future, because you know our Lord Jesus Christ!
+\v 3 We continually remember that you work for God, who is our Father, because you trust in him and you earnestly help people because you love them. You have a solid confidence in the future, because you know our Lord Jesus the Messiah!
 
 \s5
 \v 4 My fellow believers whom God loves, we also thank him because we know that he chose you to become his people.
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 5 You know that we never praised you in order to get anything from you. And we never said anything to you to convince you to give us things. God knows that this is true!
-\v 6 We never tried to get you or anyone else to honor us, although we could have demanded that you give us the things we needed to live while we were with you, because Christ had sent us to you.
+\v 6 We never tried to get you or anyone else to honor us, although we could have demanded that you give us the things we needed to live while we were with you, because the Messiah had sent us to you.
 
 \s5
 \v 7 On the contrary, we were gentle when we were among you, as a mother gently takes care of her own children.
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 \v 13 This is why we always thank God, because when you heard the message that we told to you, you accepted it as the true message, the good message that God gave to us. We ourselves did not invent it. We also thank God that he is changing your lives because you trust this message.
 
 \s5
-\v 14 We are certain about these things, because you acted just like the groups of believers in Judea acted. They also are joined to Christ Jesus, and, just as they endured it when their fellow countrymen mistreated them because of Christ, in the same way you have endured it when your own fellow countrymen mistreat you.
+\v 14 We are certain about these things, because you acted just like the groups of believers in Judea acted. They also are joined to the Messiah Jesus, and, just as they endured it when their fellow countrymen mistreated them because of the Messiah, in the same way you have endured it when your own fellow countrymen mistreat you.
 \v 15 Those Jews had killed the Lord Jesus and many prophets, too. Other unbelieving Jews forced us to leave many towns. They really make God angry, and they work against what is best for all human beings!
 \v 16 For example, they try to stop us from telling the good news to non-Jews; they do not want God to save them! They have sinned almost as much as God will allow them to before he punishes them at last!
 
@@ -78,21 +78,21 @@
 \c 3
 \p
 \v 1 As a result of that, when I could no longer endure worrying about you, I decided that Silas and I would stay behind alone in the city of Athens,
-\v 2 and we sent Timothy to you. You know that he is our close associate and also works for God by proclaiming the good news about Christ. Silas and I sent him in order that he would urge you to continue to strongly trust in Christ.
-\v 3 We did not want any of you to turn away from Christ in fear because of what you were suffering. You well know that God knew that others would mistreat us because of Christ.
+\v 2 and we sent Timothy to you. You know that he is our close associate and also works for God by proclaiming the good news about the Messiah. Silas and I sent him in order that he would urge you to continue to strongly trust in the Messiah.
+\v 3 We did not want any of you to turn away from the Messiah in fear because of what you were suffering. You well know that God knew that others would mistreat us because of the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \v 4 Remember that when we were present with you, we kept telling you that others would mistreat us. And that is what happened, as you know.
-\v 5 This is why I sent Timothy to you, because I could wait no longer to know whether you were still trusting in Christ. I was afraid that Satan, the one who tempts us, had caused you to stop trusting in Christ. I was afraid that everything we had done with you was useless.
+\v 5 This is why I sent Timothy to you, because I could wait no longer to know whether you were still trusting in the Messiah. I was afraid that Satan, the one who tempts us, had caused you to stop trusting in the Messiah. I was afraid that everything we had done with you was useless.
 \s5
 \p
-\v 6 But now Timothy has just returned to Silas and me from being with you, and he has told us the good news that you still trust in Christ and that you love him. He told us also that you always happily remember us and that you want very much us to visit you, just as we want to visit you.
-\v 7 My fellow believers, even though we are suffering very much because of what people are doing to us here, we have been comforted because Timothy told us that you still trust in Christ.
+\v 6 But now Timothy has just returned to Silas and me from being with you, and he has told us the good news that you still trust in the Messiah and that you love him. He told us also that you always happily remember us and that you want very much us to visit you, just as we want to visit you.
+\v 7 My fellow believers, even though we are suffering very much because of what people are doing to us here, we have been comforted because Timothy told us that you still trust in the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \v 8 Now it is as if we are living in a new way, because you are trusting very much in the Lord Jesus.
 \v 9 We cannot thank God enough for what he has done for you! We greatly rejoice over you when we pray to our God!
-\v 10 We constantly and fervently ask God that we will be able to visit you, and that we will be able to help you to trust in Christ more strongly!
+\v 10 We constantly and fervently ask God that we will be able to visit you, and that we will be able to help you to trust in the Messiah more strongly!
 
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@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@
 \v 15 I write this because the Lord Jesus revealed to me what I am now telling you. Some of you may think that when the Lord Jesus comes back, we believers who are still living will meet Jesus sooner than those who have already died. That is certainly not true!
 
 \s5
-\v 16 I write this, because it is the Lord Jesus himself who will descend from heaven. When he comes down, he will command all of us believers to rise. The chief angel will shout with a loud voice, and another angel will blow a trumpet for God. Then the first thing that will happen is that the people who are joined to Christ will live again.
+\v 16 I write this, because it is the Lord Jesus himself who will descend from heaven. When he comes down, he will command all of us believers to rise. The chief angel will shout with a loud voice, and another angel will blow a trumpet for God. Then the first thing that will happen is that the people who are joined to the Messiah will live again.
 \v 17 After that, God will take up into the clouds all of us believers who are still living on this earth. He will take us and those other believers who have died, in order that we all might together meet the Lord Jesus in the sky. As a result of that, we all will be with him forever.
 \v 18 Because all this is true, encourage each other by sharing this teaching with each other.
 
@@ -155,11 +155,11 @@
 \v 7 It is at night when people sleep and do not know what is happening, and it is at night when people become drunk.
 
 \s5
-\v 8 But we believers belong to the day, so let us control ourselves. Let us be like soldiers: As they protect their chests with breastplates, let us protect ourselves by trusting in Christ and loving him. As they protect their heads with helmets, let us protect ourselves by expecting Christ to rescue us completely from evil.
+\v 8 But we believers belong to the day, so let us control ourselves. Let us be like soldiers: As they protect their chests with breastplates, let us protect ourselves by trusting in the Messiah and loving him. As they protect their heads with helmets, let us protect ourselves by expecting the Messiah to rescue us completely from evil.
 
 
 \p
-\v 9 When God chose us, he did not plan for us to be people whom he will punish. On the contrary, he decided to save us because we trust in what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us.
+\v 9 When God chose us, he did not plan for us to be people whom he will punish. On the contrary, he decided to save us because we trust in what our Lord Jesus the Messiah has done for us.
 \v 10 Jesus died to atone for our sins in order that we might live together with him, whether we are alive or whether we are dead when he returns to earth.
 \v 11 Because you know that this is true, continue to encourage each other, as indeed you now are doing.
 
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@
 \p
 \v 16 Be joyful at all times,
 \v 17 pray continually,
-\v 18 and thank God in all circumstances. God wants you to behave like that because of what Christ Jesus has done for you.
+\v 18 and thank God in all circumstances. God wants you to behave like that because of what the Messiah Jesus has done for you.
 
 
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@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@
 
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-\v 23 May God give you peace and make you without fault so that you do not sin. May he keep you from sinning in any way until our Lord Jesus Christ comes back to earth.
+\v 23 May God give you peace and make you without fault so that you do not sin. May he keep you from sinning in any way until our Lord Jesus the Messiah comes back to earth.
 \v 24 Because God has called you to be his people, you can certainly trust him to keep on helping you in that way.
 
 
@@ -202,5 +202,5 @@
 \v 25 My fellow believers, pray for me, for Silas, and for Timothy.
 \v 26 When you gather together as believers, greet each other affectionately, as fellow believers should.
 \v 27 Make certain that you read this letter to all the believers who are among you. When I tell you this, it is the same as if the Lord were speaking to you!
-\v 28 May our Lord Jesus Christ continue to act kindly toward you all.
+\v 28 May our Lord Jesus the Messiah continue to act kindly toward you all.
 

54-2TH.usfm

@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
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-\v 1 I, Paul, and Silas and Timothy are writing this letter to you in the city of Thessalonica, who are a group of believers joined to God our Father and to Jesus Christ our Lord.
-\v 2 We pray that God our Father, and Jesus Christ our Lord, will continue to act kindly toward you and that he will continue to give you peace.
+\v 1 I, Paul, and Silas and Timothy are writing this letter to you in the city of Thessalonica, who are a group of believers joined to God our Father and to Jesus the Messiah our Lord.
+\v 2 We pray that God our Father, and Jesus the Messiah our Lord, will continue to act kindly toward you and that he will continue to give you peace.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
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 \v 11 In order that you might praise Jesus like this, we are also always praying for you. We pray that God will make you worthy to live in the new way he has called you to live. We pray also that he will make you able to do good in every way that you desire, and that since he is so powerful, he will also make you able to do every kind of good thing because you trust in him.
-\v 12 We pray this because we want you to praise our Lord Jesus, and we want him to honor you. This will happen because God, whom we worship, and our Lord Jesus Christ keep acting kindly toward you.
+\v 12 We pray this because we want you to praise our Lord Jesus, and we want him to honor you. This will happen because God, whom we worship, and our Lord Jesus the Messiah keep acting kindly toward you.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 
 
 \p
-\v 1 Now I want to write to you about the time when our Lord Jesus Christ will return and when God will gather us together with Jesus. My fellow believers, I urge you
+\v 1 Now I want to write to you about the time when our Lord Jesus the Messiah will return and when God will gather us together with Jesus. My fellow believers, I urge you
 \v 2 to think calmly about any message that may have come to you. It does not matter if it is a message that someone claims God's Spirit revealed to him, or if it comes from some person, or if it is a letter that someone claims that I wrote: I do not want you to believe that the Lord Jesus has already returned to earth.
 
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@@ -68,24 +68,24 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 11 So God will enable this man to easily deceive them, so that they will believe what this man falsely claims that he is.
-\v 12 The result will be that God will judge and condemn all those who refused to believe the truth about Christ, people who instead enjoyed doing everything that is wicked.
+\v 12 The result will be that God will judge and condemn all those who refused to believe the truth about the Messiah, people who instead enjoyed doing everything that is wicked.
 
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 13 Our fellow believers, you whom our Lord Jesus loves, we should always thank God for you. We should do this because he chose you to be among the first people to believe in the truth about Jesus, among the first people that God would save, and to set you apart for himself by means of his Spirit.
 
-\v 14 We thank God that he chose you as a result of our proclaiming the message about Christ to you, in order that God might honor you in some of the same ways that he honors our Lord Jesus Christ.
+\v 14 We thank God that he chose you as a result of our proclaiming the message about the Messiah to you, in order that God might honor you in some of the same ways that he honors our Lord Jesus the Messiah.
 
 
 \p
-\v 15 So, our fellow believers, continue to strongly believe in Christ. Continue believing the true things that we have taught you when we spoke to you and wrote a letter to you.
+\v 15 So, our fellow believers, continue to strongly believe in the Messiah. Continue believing the true things that we have taught you when we spoke to you and wrote a letter to you.
 
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 16 We pray that our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God, our Father—he who loves us and will encourage us forever and who kindly makes us expect to receive good things from him—
-\v 17 may God and Jesus Christ together encourage you! And may they cause you to continue doing and saying good things.
+\v 16 We pray that our Lord Jesus the Messiah himself and God, our Father—he who loves us and will encourage us forever and who kindly makes us expect to receive good things from him—
+\v 17 may God and Jesus the Messiah together encourage you! And may they cause you to continue doing and saying good things.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -102,12 +102,12 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 4 Because we are all joined to our Lord Jesus, we are confident that you are now obeying what we have commanded you, and that you will obey what we are commanding you in this letter.
-\v 5 We pray that our Lord Jesus would continue to help you know how much God loves you and how much Christ has endured for you.
+\v 5 We pray that our Lord Jesus would continue to help you know how much God loves you and how much the Messiah has endured for you.
 
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 6 Our fellow believers, we command you—and it is as if the Lord Jesus Christ himself were saying this—that you stop associating with every fellow believer who is lazy and refuses to work. That is to say, you must stay away from those who are not conducting their lives in the manner that others taught us and that we in turn taught you.
+\v 6 Our fellow believers, we command you—and it is as if the Lord Jesus the Messiah himself were saying this—that you stop associating with every fellow believer who is lazy and refuses to work. That is to say, you must stay away from those who are not conducting their lives in the manner that others taught us and that we in turn taught you.
 \v 7 We tell you this because you yourselves know that you should behave like we behaved. We did not merely sit around without working while we were living among you.
 \v 8 That is to say, we did not eat anyone's food if we did not pay for it. Instead, we worked very hard to support ourselves during the day and the night, in order that we would not have to depend on any of you for what we needed.
 \v 9 We have always had the right to depend on you for money because I am an apostle, but instead, we worked hard in order to be good examples for you, in order that you should behave like we behave.
@@ -138,5 +138,5 @@
 
 \p I pray that our Lord Jesus will continue to help you all.
 \v 17 Now I have taken the pen from my scribe, and I, Paul, am sending this greeting to you as I write this myself. I do this in all my letters in order that you may know that it is truly I who have sent this letter. This is how I always end my letters.
-\v 18 I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ will continue to act kindly to you all.
+\v 18 I pray that our Lord Jesus the Messiah will continue to act kindly to you all.
 

55-1TI.usfm

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
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-\v 1-2 I, Paul, am writing this letter to you, Timothy. You are like a son to me, for you believe the same things about God as I do. God who commanded me to be an apostle is God our Savior and Christ Jesus in whom we have confidence for the future. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord be kind to you, have mercy upon you, and give you peace.
+\v 1-2 I, Paul, am writing this letter to you, Timothy. You are like a son to me, for you believe the same things about God as I do. God who commanded me to be an apostle is God our Savior and the Messiah Jesus in whom we have confidence for the future. May God the Father and the Messiah Jesus our Lord be kind to you, have mercy upon you, and give you peace.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -30,14 +30,14 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 12 I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord who enabled me to do this work, because he considered that I could be trusted. So he appointed me in order that I would serve him.
-\v 13 Formerly I said evil things about him, I caused his people to suffer, and I acted very cruelly toward them. But Christ acted kindly to me since I did not know that I was doing because I did not believe in him. 
-\v 14 Our Lord kindly did very much for me that I did not deserve, so that I now believe in Christ Jesus and I love him because I belong to him.
+\v 12 I am grateful to the Messiah Jesus our Lord who enabled me to do this work, because he considered that I could be trusted. So he appointed me in order that I would serve him.
+\v 13 Formerly I said evil things about him, I caused his people to suffer, and I acted very cruelly toward them. But the Messiah acted kindly to me since I did not know that I was doing because I did not believe in him. 
+\v 14 Our Lord kindly did very much for me that I did not deserve, so that I now believe in the Messiah Jesus and I love him because I belong to him.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 15 Everyone should completely accept this fact, because we know that it is true: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinful people so that God would not punish them for their sins. As for me, I consider that I have sinned more than all others.
-\v 16 Yet Christ Jesus acted mercifully to me who has sinned worse than all the others in order that he might demonstrate to people that he is perfectly patient with them. He wanted what he did for me to be an example to people who would later believe in him and as a result would live forever.
+\v 15 Everyone should completely accept this fact, because we know that it is true: Jesus the Messiah came into the world to save sinful people so that God would not punish them for their sins. As for me, I consider that I have sinned more than all others.
+\v 16 Yet the Messiah Jesus acted mercifully to me who has sinned worse than all the others in order that he might demonstrate to people that he is perfectly patient with them. He wanted what he did for me to be an example to people who would later believe in him and as a result would live forever.
 \p
 \v 17 No one can see the eternal king, and he cannot die. He alone is God. Everyone should honor and praise forever and ever. Amen.
 
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 \v 4 He desires to save all people. He wants everyone to fully know and accept his true message.
 
 \s5
-\v 5 He is the only one true God! And there is only one person who talks to God on behalf of people. That person is Christ Jesus, who himself is a man!
+\v 5 He is the only one true God! And there is only one person who talks to God on behalf of people. That person is the Messiah Jesus, who himself is a man!
 \v 6 He gave his life as a sacrifice in order to ransom all people, which showed at the proper time that God desires to save all people. 
 \v 7 God appointed me to declare this message and to be an apostle. I am telling the truth and am not lying! I teach the Gentiles that they should believe God's true message.
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
 \s5
 \v 11 Their wives likewise must be serious, not talking badly about people, and not doing anything to excess. They must be faithful in everything that they do.
 \v 12 Deacons must be faithful to their wives, and they must lead well and care well for their children and the rest of the people in their houses. 
-\v 13 Because if deacons serve well, people will respect them and they will be able to speak very boldly about what they believe concerning Christ Jesus.
+\v 13 Because if deacons serve well, people will respect them and they will be able to speak very boldly about what they believe concerning the Messiah Jesus.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 16 And we say together that the truth that God has revealed to us is very great, for is shows us how to honor him:
-\q "Christ was God revealed in a human body.
+\q "the Messiah was God revealed in a human body.
 \q The Holy Spirit proved that he was genuine.
 \q Angels saw him.
 \q Believers announced him among the nations.
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@
 \v 5 For by praying to God and by believing his word we make it acceptable to him.
 
 \s5
-\v 6 When you keep teaching these things to your fellow believers, you will be serving Jesus Christ well. You will become strong spiritually by obeying the true message that we all believe.
+\v 6 When you keep teaching these things to your fellow believers, you will be serving Jesus the Messiah well. You will become strong spiritually by obeying the true message that we all believe.
 \v 7 But do not listen to the godless, foolish stories that only old women tell. Instead, train yourself to honor God.
 \v 8 For physical exercise helps you only a little, but if you honor God, you can be sure that this will help you with everything both as you live now on earth and as you live in the future with God.
 
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 7 You should announce these things so that no one can criticize the believers.
-\v 8 If anyone does not take care of his own relatives, and especially those who live in his own house, he has rejected what we believe and we should consider that he is worse than a person who does not believe in Christ.
+\v 8 If anyone does not take care of his own relatives, and especially those who live in his own house, he has rejected what we believe and we should consider that he is worse than a person who does not believe in the Messiah.
 
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 \p
@@ -175,13 +175,13 @@
 \v 10 People must know that she does good deeds: Perhaps she cared for children well; perhaps she welcomed strangers; perhaps she helped the believers; perhaps she helped people who were suffering; or perhaps she is known for doing a large variety of good things.
 
 \s5
-\v 11 But do not put younger widows on the widows' list, because they often want to marry again when they change their minds and put married love ahead of Christ.
+\v 11 But do not put younger widows on the widows' list, because they often want to marry again when they change their minds and put married love ahead of the Messiah.
 \v 12 When they do this, then they become guilty of going back on their prior commitment to being widows.
 \v 13 At the same time, they also go from house to house and get into the habit of doing nothing. In addition, they also begin to talk about people and to meddle in other people's affairs and to say things that they should not say.
 
 \s5
 \v 14 So I prefer that younger widows get married, have children, and manage their homes well, so they give Satan, the enemy, no opportunity to accuse them of doing wrong.
-\v 15 I write these things because some younger widows have already stopped obeying Christ in order to obey Satan.
+\v 15 I write these things because some younger widows have already stopped obeying the Messiah in order to obey Satan.
 \p
 \v 16 If any believing woman has widows among her relatives, let her help them, so those widows will not be a burden to the church. In this way the church will be able to help real widows.
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 21 God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels see me as I solemnly command you to do these things. Do not judge anyone before you should. Do not favor one person over another.
+\v 21 God and the Messiah Jesus and the chosen angels see me as I solemnly command you to do these things. Do not judge anyone before you should. Do not favor one person over another.
 \p
 \v 22 Do not be in a hurry to put your hands on a man to appoint him as an elder. God will consider that you are responsible if you approve as an elder a person who sins. You must keep yourself without fault.
 
@@ -212,11 +212,11 @@
 \p
 \v 1 As for believers who are slaves, they should honor their masters in every way, so that people will not insult God or what we teach.
 \p
-\v 2 Slaves who have masters who believe in Christ should not be disrespectful to them, for they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve their masters even better, because their masters believer in Christ, and God loves them. Teach these things and urge people that they do them.
+\v 2 Slaves who have masters who believe in the Messiah should not be disrespectful to them, for they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve their masters even better, because their masters believer in the Messiah, and God loves them. Teach these things and urge people that they do them.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 3 If anyone teaches false doctrines, and does not accept the reliable teaching about our Lord Jesus Christ nor accept the  teaching about how to conduct our lives in a manner that pleases God,
+\v 3 If anyone teaches false doctrines, and does not accept the reliable teaching about our Lord Jesus the Messiah nor accept the  teaching about how to conduct our lives in a manner that pleases God,
 \v 4 that person is very proud and does not understand anything. Instead, they abnormally desire to argue about unimportant matters and about certain words. People who listen to these things envy others. They quarrel with others, say bad things about others, and suspect that others have evil motives.
 \v 5 They constantly quarrel with people because their whole way of thinking has become completely wrong, and because they have rejected true teaching. As a result, they make the mistake of thinking that they will get a lot of money by doing religious things.
 
@@ -237,8 +237,8 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 13 God, who gives life to all things, knows everything that you do. Christ Jesus also knows everything that you do. He strongly declared what was true when he was on trial before Pontius Pilate.
-\v 14 I command you to hold tightly on to what Christ has commanded us without doing anything wrong so that no one can criticize you. Keep obeying the teaching until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 
+\v 13 God, who gives life to all things, knows everything that you do. The Messiah Jesus also knows everything that you do. He strongly declared what was true when he was on trial before Pontius Pilate.
+\v 14 I command you to hold tightly on to what the Messiah has commanded us without doing anything wrong so that no one can criticize you. Keep obeying the teaching until our Lord Jesus the Messiah comes again. 
 
 \s5
 \v 15 Remember that God will cause Jesus to come again at the proper time. He is awesome and is the only Ruler! He reigns over all other kings and rules over all other people who rule!

56-2TI.usfm

@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
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-\v 1  I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle because Christ Jesus chose me to do what God wanted. God has promised me that Christ Jesus will cause me to live both now and forever.
-\v 2 I am writing to you, Timothy, whom I love as if you were my own son. May God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord act kindly and mercifully and peacefully toward you.
+\v 1  I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle because the Messiah Jesus chose me to do what God wanted. God has promised me that the Messiah Jesus will cause me to live both now and forever.
+\v 2 I am writing to you, Timothy, whom I love as if you were my own son. May God our Father and the Messiah Jesus our Lord act kindly and mercifully and peacefully toward you.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 8 So do not be ashamed to tell people about our Lord. do not be ashamed of me, even though I am a prisoner because I preach about him. Instead, be willing to suffer hardship as you tell others about the good news. God will make you able to suffer these hardships.
-\v 9 He will do this because he saved us and called us to be his own people. God did not save us because of any good works we did. Instead, even before the world began, he saved us because he planned to be kind to us as a result or what Jesus Christ would do for us.
-\v 10 Now, as a result of our Savior Christ Jesus having come, everyone can see that he acts kindly toward us. Specifically, he has declared that we will not remain dead after we die! But he has shown us that because we believed the good news about Christ, we will live forever in bodies that will not decay! 
+\v 9 He will do this because he saved us and called us to be his own people. God did not save us because of any good works we did. Instead, even before the world began, he saved us because he planned to be kind to us as a result or what Jesus the Messiah would do for us.
+\v 10 Now, as a result of our Savior the Messiah Jesus having come, everyone can see that he acts kindly toward us. Specifically, he has declared that we will not remain dead after we die! But he has shown us that because we believed the good news about the Messiah, we will live forever in bodies that will not decay! 
 \v 11 God decided to send me to be preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this good news.
 
 \s5
-\v 12 So, I suffer here in this prison, but I am not ashamed of being here, because I know Christ Jesus, the one whom I have trusted. I am convinced that he is able to keep safe the good message that he has entrusted to me until the day when he returns.
+\v 12 So, I suffer here in this prison, but I am not ashamed of being here, because I know the Messiah Jesus, the one whom I have trusted. I am convinced that he is able to keep safe the good message that he has entrusted to me until the day when he returns.
 \p
-\v 13 Be sure that you tell others the same correct message that you heard from me. And as you tell it, keep trusting in Christ Jesus and keep loving others as Christ Jesus enables you to do.
+\v 13 Be sure that you tell others the same correct message that you heard from me. And as you tell it, keep trusting in the Messiah Jesus and keep loving others as the Messiah Jesus enables you to do.
 \v 14 Do not alter the good message that God has entrusted to you. Allow the Holy Spirit who lives in us to direct what you say.
 
 \s5
@@ -46,12 +46,12 @@
 \s5
 \c 2
 \p
-\v 1 You are like a son to me. So I urge also that you let God empower you spiritually as a result of Christ Jesus acting kindly toward you.
+\v 1 You are like a son to me. So I urge also that you let God empower you spiritually as a result of the Messiah Jesus acting kindly toward you.
 \v 2 Many other people can also testify about the message that you heard from me. Entrust this message to other people whom you can trust, because they will be qualified to teach others.  
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 3 Endure as I do what we suffer for Jesus Christ, like a good soldier endures what he suffers.
+\v 3 Endure as I do what we suffer for Jesus the Messiah, like a good soldier endures what he suffers.
 \v 4 You know that soldiers, in order to please their captain, do not become involved in civilian affairs.
 \v 5 Likewise, athletes competing in games cannot win unless they obey the rules.
 
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@
 \v 7 Think about what I have just written, because, if you do, the Lord will enable you to understand everything that you need to understand.
 
 \s5
-\v 8 As you suffer hardships, remember Jesus Christ, the descendant of King David whom God raised from the dead. This is the good news that I preach.
+\v 8 As you suffer hardships, remember Jesus the Messiah, the descendant of King David whom God raised from the dead. This is the good news that I preach.
 \v 9 For this good news I suffer to the point of being imprisoned as a criminal. But the word of God is not in prison.
-\v 10 Therefore I willingly endure all that I am suffering for the sake of those whom God has chosen. I do this in order that Christ Jesus will save them, too, and that they will be forever with him in the glorious place where he is.
+\v 10 Therefore I willingly endure all that I am suffering for the sake of those whom God has chosen. I do this in order that the Messiah Jesus will save them, too, and that they will be forever with him in the glorious place where he is.
 
 \s5
 \v 11 You can depend on the message that we preach:
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ for he cannot deny himself."
 \p
 \v 16 Stay away from people who talk in ways that insult God, because this kind of talk causes people to dishonor God more and more.
 \v 17 This kind of words will spread like an infectious disease. Hymenaeus and Philetus are two examples of men who talk like this.
-\v 18 These men have stopped believing what is true. They wrongly say that the resurrection of the dead has already happened. In this way they convince some Christians to stop trusting in Christ.
+\v 18 These men have stopped believing what is true. They wrongly say that the resurrection of the dead has already happened. In this way they convince some Christians to stop trusting in the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \v 19 However, the truth about God still exists like . It is like a firm foundation of a building, on which someone has written these words: "The Lord knows those who belong to him" and "Everyone who says he belongs to the Lord must stop doing wicked deeds."
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ for he cannot deny himself."
 \s5
 \c 3
 \p
-\v 1 You need to realize that during the last days before Christ returns, it will be very dangerous.
+\v 1 You need to realize that during the last days before the Messiah returns, it will be very dangerous.
 \v 2 People will love themselves more than anyone else. They will love money. They will boast about themselves. They will be proud. They will insult others. They will not obey their parents. They will not thank anyone for anything. They will not honor God.
 \v 3 They will not love others. They will refuse to be at peace with anyone. They will slander others. They will not control themselves. They will be brutal toward others. They will hate anything that is good.
 \v 4 They will betray the ones they should protect. They will do dangerous things without thinking. They will be proud, and they will do what pleases them instead of loving God.
@@ -125,12 +125,12 @@ for he cannot deny himself."
 \p
 \v 10 Timothy, you have followed what I taught you. You have seen my way of living. You have seen how I want to serve God. You have seen how I trust in him. You have seen how I have peace even when I am suffering. You have seen how I love God and the believers. You have seen how I keep on serving God even when it is very hard to do so.
 \v 11 You have seen how people persecuted me, such as how I suffered when I was in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I suffered very much in those places, but the Lord has taken me out of all that suffering.
-\v 12 Indeed, they will make suffer all the believers who want to live in a way that they honor Christ Jesus.
+\v 12 Indeed, they will make suffer all the believers who want to live in a way that they honor the Messiah Jesus.
 \v 13 Evil men and frauds will continue to become more evil. They will lead people away from what is true, and they will allow others to lead themselves away also.
 
 \s5
 \v 14 But you, in contrast, must continue to believe what you have learned and firmly believe. I know that you are confident about these things because I am one of the people who taught you these things.
-\v 15 From the time when you were a child you have known what God says in the scriptures. These enabled you to understand how God saves us when we trust in Christ Jesus.
+\v 15 From the time when you were a child you have known what God says in the scriptures. These enabled you to understand how God saves us when we trust in the Messiah Jesus.
 
 \s5
 \v 16 All the scriptures come from God's Spirit, so we should read them in order to teach the truth about God. We should also read them in order to persuade people to believe the truth. Also to correct people when they sin. Also to teach people how to do what is right.
@@ -140,8 +140,8 @@ for he cannot deny himself."
 \s5
 \c 4
 \p
-\v 1 When Christ Jesus comes soon to rule, he will judge those who still live and those who died. And now he and God are watching me as I command you
-\v 2 to proclaim the message about Christ. Be ready to do this when it is easy to do so and also when it is not easy. Convince people about what is right when they have done wrong. Warn them not to sin. Encourage them to follow Christ. Do these things as you teach them, and always be willing to wait for them to do better.
+\v 1 When the Messiah Jesus comes soon to rule, he will judge those who still live and those who died. And now he and God are watching me as I command you
+\v 2 to proclaim the message about the Messiah. Be ready to do this when it is easy to do so and also when it is not easy. Convince people about what is right when they have done wrong. Warn them not to sin. Encourage them to follow the Messiah. Do these things as you teach them, and always be willing to wait for them to do better.
 
 \s5
 \v 3 I tell you these things, because the time will come when people will not follow what God truly teaches. Instead, they will find many men who will teach that it is good to do anything they wish to do. In this way, they will always be looking for something new and different to learn.

57-TIT.usfm

@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@
 \c 1
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 \v 1 I, Paul, write this letter to you, Titus. 
-\p I am a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. God sent me to teach the people whom he has chosen as his own to trust him more. I work to help his people to know what is true, so that they can live in a way that pleases God.
+\p I am a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus the Messiah. God sent me to teach the people whom he has chosen as his own to trust him more. I work to help his people to know what is true, so that they can live in a way that pleases God.
 \v 2 His people can learn how to live like this because they are confident that God will cause them to live forever. God tells no lies. Even before the world began, he promised to cause us to live forever.
 \v 3 Then, at the right time, he communicated his plan through this message that he trusted me to preach. I do this in order to obey the command of God, who saves us.
 
 \s5
-\v 4 I am writing to you, Titus; you have become like a real son to me because we both now believe in Jesus Christ. May God the Father and Christ Jesus who saves us continue to be kind to you and to give you peace.
+\v 4 I am writing to you, Titus; you have become like a real son to me because we both now believe in Jesus the Messiah. May God the Father and the Messiah Jesus who saves us continue to be kind to you and to give you peace.
 \v 5 I left you on the Island of Crete for this reason: that you do the work that is still unfinished and also appoint elders for the group of believers in every city, just as I told you to do.
 
 \s5
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
 \p
 \s5
-\v 10 I tell you these things because there are many people who refuse to obey those who are in authority over them. What these people say has no value. They persuade people to believe wrong things. The people who are the most like this are the ones who tell all followers of Christ to become circumcised.
+\v 10 I tell you these things because there are many people who refuse to obey those who are in authority over them. What these people say has no value. They persuade people to believe wrong things. The people who are the most like this are the ones who tell all followers of the Messiah to become circumcised.
 \v 11 You and the leaders whom you appoint should prevent such people from teaching the believers. They are teaching things that they should not teach, causing entire families to believe wrong things. They only do it so that people will give them money. This is very shameful!
 
 \s5
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 \v 14 They should stop living according to stories invented by the Jews and commandments that came from people, not God, people who have stopped obeying what is true.
 
 \s5
-\v 15 If some people do not have sinful thoughts or desires, then for those people everything is good. But if people are wicked and do not believe in Christ Jesus, everything that they do makes them unclean. Such people's way of thinking has been ruined. They do not even feel guilty when they do what is evil.
+\v 15 If some people do not have sinful thoughts or desires, then for those people everything is good. But if people are wicked and do not believe in the Messiah Jesus, everything that they do makes them unclean. Such people's way of thinking has been ruined. They do not even feel guilty when they do what is evil.
 \v 16 Even though they claim to know God, what they do shows that they do not know him. They are disgusting. They disobey God and can do nothing good for him.
 
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58-PHM.usfm

@@ -8,28 +8,28 @@
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-\v 1 I, Paul, am a prisoner who serves Christ Jesus. I am here with Timothy, our fellow believer. I am writing this letter to you, Philemon, our dear friend and fellow worker.
+\v 1 I, Paul, am a prisoner who serves the Messiah Jesus. I am here with Timothy, our fellow believer. I am writing this letter to you, Philemon, our dear friend and fellow worker.
 \v 2 I am also writing to Apphia, our fellow believer, and to Archippus, who is like a soldier who serves along with us. And I am writing to the group of believers that meets in your house.
-\v 3 I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will continue to act kindly toward you all. I pray that he will continue to cause you to have peace.
+\v 3 I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus the Messiah will continue to act kindly toward you all. I pray that he will continue to cause you to have peace.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 4 When I pray for you, I always thank God,
 \v 5 because I keep hearing about how you trust in the Lord Jesus. I also hear about how you keep on loving and helping all the believers.
-\v 6 I pray that because you trust in Christ the same as we do, you may be able to know every good thing that we have to give you regarding Christ.
+\v 6 I pray that because you trust in the Messiah the same as we do, you may be able to know every good thing that we have to give you regarding the Messiah.
 \v 7 I have greatly rejoiced and have much courage because you, my dear friend, have been loving God's people and helping them.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 8 So I want to ask you to do something. I am completely confident that I have the authority to command you to do what you should do, because I am an apostle of Christ.
-\v 9 But because I know that you love God's people, I request this instead of commanding you to do it. It is I, Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner because I serve Christ Jesus, who am requesting it.
+\v 8 So I want to ask you to do something. I am completely confident that I have the authority to command you to do what you should do, because I am an apostle of the Messiah.
+\v 9 But because I know that you love God's people, I request this instead of commanding you to do it. It is I, Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner because I serve the Messiah Jesus, who am requesting it.
 
 \s5
-\v 10 I request that you do something for Onesimus. He is now like a son of mine because I told him about Christ here in prison.
+\v 10 I request that you do something for Onesimus. He is now like a son of mine because I told him about the Messiah here in prison.
 \v 11 Although his name, as you know, means "useful," he was useless to you in the past. But now he is useful both to you and to me!
 \p
 \v 12 Although he is very dear to me, I am sending him back to you.
-\v 13 I would like to have kept him with me, in order that he might serve me in your place. I need him because I am in prison because of my preaching the message about Christ.
+\v 13 I would like to have kept him with me, in order that he might serve me in your place. I need him because I am in prison because of my preaching the message about the Messiah.
 
 \s5
 \v 14 However, because I had not yet asked you and you had not yet permitted me to keep him here with me, I decided not to keep him here. I decided that you should help me only if you really want to help me.
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 \v 18 If he has done you any kind of harm, or if he is in debt to you, let me take the responsibility for that.
 \v 19 I, Paul, am now writing this in my own handwriting: I will repay you what he owes you. I could say to you that you owe me even more than Onesimus owes you, because what I told you saved your own life.
 \p
-\v 20 Indeed, my brother, let me benefit from you because of the Lord. Since we are both joined to Christ, make my heart glad.
+\v 20 Indeed, my brother, let me benefit from you because of the Lord. Since we are both joined to the Messiah, make my heart glad.
 
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 \p
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 23 Epaphras, who is suffering with me in prison because he is joined to Christ Jesus, sends his greetings to you.
+\v 23 Epaphras, who is suffering with me in prison because he is joined to the Messiah Jesus, sends his greetings to you.
 \v 24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, who are my other fellow workers, also send their greetings to you.
-\v 25 I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will continue to be kind to you.
+\v 25 I pray that the Lord Jesus the Messiah will continue to be kind to you.
 

59-HEB.usfm

@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 5 God has not put the angels in charge of the new world he will make, but instead, he is putting Christ in charge of it.
+\v 5 God has not put the angels in charge of the new world he will make, but instead, he is putting the Messiah in charge of it.
 \v 6 Someone solemnly spoke to God about this somewhere in the scriptures, saying,
 \q "No human being is worthy enough for you to think about him!
 \q No human is worthy enough for you to care for him!
@@ -100,20 +100,20 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 11 Jesus, the one who sets his people apart for God, and those same people whom God declares as good before him, are all from the same source, God himself. So Jesus is not embarrassed to proclaim them to be his own brothers and sisters.
-\v 12 The psalmist wrote that Christ said to God,
+\v 12 The psalmist wrote that the Messiah said to God,
 \q "I will proclaim to my brothers how awesome you are.
 \q I will sing praise to you in the middle of the assembly of believers!"
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 13 And a prophet wrote in another scripture passage what Christ said about God:
+\v 13 And a prophet wrote in another scripture passage what the Messiah said about God:
 \q "I will trust him."
-\p And in another scripture passage, Christ said about those who are like his children,
+\p And in another scripture passage, the Messiah said about those who are like his children,
 \q "I and the children whom God has given me are here."
 
 
 \p
-\v 14 So since those whom God calls his children are all human beings, Jesus also became a human being just like them. The devil has the power to cause people to be afraid to die, but Christ became human so that by his dying and defeating death he might make the devil powerless.
+\v 14 So since those whom God calls his children are all human beings, Jesus also became a human being just like them. The devil has the power to cause people to be afraid to die, but the Messiah became human so that by his dying and defeating death he might make the devil powerless.
 \v 15 Jesus did this in order to free all of us who, all our lives, could not rid ourselves of the fear of death.
 
 \s5
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 5 Moses very faithfully served God as he helped all of God's people, just as a servant faithfully serves his master. So Moses testified about what Jesus would say later.
-\v 6 But Christ is the Son who rules over God's people, and we are the people he rules if we continue to courageously believe in Christ and confidently expect God to do all that he has promised to do for us.
+\v 6 But the Messiah is the Son who rules over God's people, and we are the people he rules if we continue to courageously believe in the Messiah and confidently expect God to do all that he has promised to do for us.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -150,11 +150,11 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 12 So, fellow believers, be careful that none of you stops trusting in Christ because of evil in your heart, which would cause you to reject the only God who actually lives.
+\v 12 So, fellow believers, be careful that none of you stops trusting in the Messiah because of evil in your heart, which would cause you to reject the only God who actually lives.
 \v 13 Instead, each of you must encourage each other every day, while you still have the opportunity. If you are stubborn, others will deceive you and lead you to sin.
 
 \s5
-\v 14 We are now joined to Christ if we continue to seriously and confidently trust in him, from the time we first trusted in him to the time when we die.
+\v 14 We are now joined to the Messiah if we continue to seriously and confidently trust in him, from the time we first trusted in him to the time when we die.
 \v 15 The psalmist wrote in the scripture that God said,
 \q "Now, when you hear me speaking to you, do not stubbornly disobey me as your ancestors did when they rebelled against me."
 
@@ -173,10 +173,10 @@
 
 \p
 \v 1 God has promised that we would rest, but we must be careful, because we can miss God's place of rest.
-\v 2 We have heard the good news about how Jesus gives us God's rest, just as the Israelites heard God promise that they would rest in Canaan. But just as that message did not help many Israelites because they did not trust God as Joshua and Caleb did, the good news about Christ will not help us if we do not trust God.
+\v 2 We have heard the good news about how Jesus gives us God's rest, just as the Israelites heard God promise that they would rest in Canaan. But just as that message did not help many Israelites because they did not trust God as Joshua and Caleb did, the good news about the Messiah will not help us if we do not trust God.
 
 \s5
-\v 3 We who have believed in Christ are able to enter the place of rest because God said,
+\v 3 We who have believed in the Messiah are able to enter the place of rest because God said,
 \q "Because I was angry with the people of Israel, I solemnly declared, 'They will not enter the land where I would let them rest.'"
 \p God said this even though his plans had been finished from the time he created the world.
 \v 4 What was written in the scriptures about the seventh day after he had spent six days creating the world, shows that this is true:
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@
 
 
 \p
-\v 11 So we eagerly enter into the rest of God by following Christ, so that the example of those who disobey will not influence us and ruin us too.
+\v 11 So we eagerly enter into the rest of God by following the Messiah, so that the example of those who disobey will not influence us and ruin us too.
 
 \s5
 \v 12 God's words are alive and powerful, and they are able to cut like a sharp sword—cutting so deep that it can separate out the difference between our soul and our spirit. God's words are just like a sword that cuts deeply, down so deep they can cut into us like a sharp sword cuts through the joints of an animal. Those words cut even into the hardest places in us, like a sword that can cut down into the marrow within the bones. God's words are like a judge, deciding what thoughts are good or what thoughts are bad, and his words test the motives hidden deep within each of our hearts.
@@ -209,9 +209,9 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 14 So we have a great high priest who ascended through the heavens when he returned to God's presence. He is Jesus, God's Son. So let us courageously say openly that we trust Jesus Christ.
+\v 14 So we have a great high priest who ascended through the heavens when he returned to God's presence. He is Jesus, God's Son. So let us courageously say openly that we trust Jesus the Messiah.
 \v 15 Our high priest can indeed have mercy on us and encourage us, we who tend to sin easily, because Satan also tempted him to sin in every way that he tempts us to sin—but he did not sin.
-\v 16 So let us come boldly to Christ, who rules from heaven and does for us what we do not deserve, so that he might kindly help us and have mercy on us when we need him to do so.
+\v 16 So let us come boldly to the Messiah, who rules from heaven and does for us what we do not deserve, so that he might kindly help us and have mercy on us when we need him to do so.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -223,18 +223,18 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 4 But no one can honor himself by deciding to become the high priest. Instead, God chose each man to become a high priest, as he chose Aaron to be the first high priest.
-\v 5 Similarly, Christ also did not honor himself by becoming high priest. Instead, God the Father appointed him by saying to him what the psalmist wrote in the scriptures:
+\v 5 Similarly, the Messiah also did not honor himself by becoming high priest. Instead, God the Father appointed him by saying to him what the psalmist wrote in the scriptures:
 \q "You are my son! Today I have declared that I am your father!"
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 6 And he also said to Christ what the psalmist wrote in another scripture passage:
+\v 6 And he also said to the Messiah what the psalmist wrote in another scripture passage:
 \q "You are a priest eternally in the way that Melchizedek was a priest."
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 7 In the days when Christ was living here in the world, he prayed to God and cried out loudly to him in tears. He asked God, who could save him from dying. And God listened to him, because Christ honored him and obeyed him.
-\v 8 Although Christ is God's own son, he learned to obey God by suffering and dying.
+\v 7 In the days when the Messiah was living here in the world, he prayed to God and cried out loudly to him in tears. He asked God, who could save him from dying. And God listened to him, because the Messiah honored him and obeyed him.
+\v 8 Although the Messiah is God's own son, he learned to obey God by suffering and dying.
 
 \s5
 \v 9 By accomplishing everything that God wanted him to do, he has now become fully able to save eternally all who obey him.
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@
 
 
 \p
-\v 11 I want to tell you much about the many ways in which Christ resembles Melchizedek. This is hard for me to explain to you because you find it so difficult to understand.
+\v 11 I want to tell you much about the many ways in which the Messiah resembles Melchizedek. This is hard for me to explain to you because you find it so difficult to understand.
 
 \s5
 \v 12 You became Christians long ago. So by now you should be teaching God's truths to others. But you still need someone to teach you again the elementary truths of the words of God from the scriptures, starting from the beginning. You need those basic truths like babies need milk. You are not ready to learn more difficult things, things that are like the solid food that mature people need.
@@ -253,11 +253,11 @@
 \s5
 \c 6
 \p
-\v 1-3 So, we must not keep discussing what we first learned about Christ, things that all believers must learn at first. Some of these things are how to stop doing sinful deeds, those that lead to death, and how to start trusting in God. There are also important things we teach: various kinds of baptism, why we often pray while putting our hands on each other; and also about how God will raise us all from the dead and judge everyone in a way that will last forever. Indeed, we will discuss these things again later, if God gives us the chance to do it. But now we must discuss things that are harder to understand; these are things that will help us to trust in Christ in all times, no matter what happens.
+\v 1-3 So, we must not keep discussing what we first learned about the Messiah, things that all believers must learn at first. Some of these things are how to stop doing sinful deeds, those that lead to death, and how to start trusting in God. There are also important things we teach: various kinds of baptism, why we often pray while putting our hands on each other; and also about how God will raise us all from the dead and judge everyone in a way that will last forever. Indeed, we will discuss these things again later, if God gives us the chance to do it. But now we must discuss things that are harder to understand; these are things that will help us to trust in the Messiah in all times, no matter what happens.
 \s5
-\v 4 I will explain why it is important to do this. Some people have at one time understood the message about Christ. They learned what it was like for God to forgive them and for Christ to love them, and they received gifts from the Holy Spirit.
+\v 4 I will explain why it is important to do this. Some people have at one time understood the message about the Messiah. They learned what it was like for God to forgive them and for the Messiah to love them, and they received gifts from the Holy Spirit.
 \v 5 They found for themselves that God's message is good, and they learned how God will work powerfully in the future.
-\v 6 But now, if these people reject Christ, no one will be able to persuade them to stop sinning and to trust in him again! That is because it is as though these people have nailed the Son of God to his cross again! They are causing people to despise Christ in front of others.
+\v 6 But now, if these people reject the Messiah, no one will be able to persuade them to stop sinning and to trust in him again! That is because it is as though these people have nailed the Son of God to his cross again! They are causing people to despise the Messiah in front of others.
 
 \s5
 \v 7 Think about this: God has blessed land on which rain has frequently fallen and on which plants grow for the farmers.
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 9 You can see that I am warning you, dear friends, not to reject Christ. At the same time, I am certain that you are doing better than that. You are doing the things that are in conformity with the fact that God is saving you.
+\v 9 You can see that I am warning you, dear friends, not to reject the Messiah. At the same time, I am certain that you are doing better than that. You are doing the things that are in conformity with the fact that God is saving you.
 \v 10 Since God always acts justly, he will not overlook all you have done for him; he will not overlook how you have loved and helped your fellow believers, and how you are still helping them.
 \s5
 \v 11 We greatly desire that each of you continue to show the same effort you are showing now, so that to the very end of your lives, you will be sure you will receive all that God promised to give you.
@@ -329,8 +329,8 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 20 Furthermore, when God appointed Christ as a priest, he solemnly declared it. When God appointed former priests, he did not do this.
-\v 21 But when he appointed Christ to be a priest, it was by these words that the psalmist wrote in scripture: 
+\v 20 Furthermore, when God appointed the Messiah as a priest, he solemnly declared it. When God appointed former priests, he did not do this.
+\v 21 But when he appointed the Messiah to be a priest, it was by these words that the psalmist wrote in scripture: 
 \q "The Lord has solemnly declared
 \q and he will not change his mind,
 \q 'You will be a priest forever!'"
@@ -360,12 +360,12 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 3 God appoints every high priest to offer gifts and sacrifices for the people's sins. So since Christ became a high priest, he also had to offer something.
-\v 4 Since there are already priests who offer gifts as God's law requires, if Christ were now living on the earth, he would not be a high priest at all.
-\v 5 The priests in Jerusalem perform rituals that are only a copy of what Christ does in heaven. This is because when Moses was about to set up the sacred tent, God told him, "Be sure that you make everything according to what I showed you on Mount Sinai!"
+\v 3 God appoints every high priest to offer gifts and sacrifices for the people's sins. So since the Messiah became a high priest, he also had to offer something.
+\v 4 Since there are already priests who offer gifts as God's law requires, if the Messiah were now living on the earth, he would not be a high priest at all.
+\v 5 The priests in Jerusalem perform rituals that are only a copy of what the Messiah does in heaven. This is because when Moses was about to set up the sacred tent, God told him, "Be sure that you make everything according to what I showed you on Mount Sinai!"
 
 \s5
-\v 6 But now Christ serves in a much better way than the Jewish priests do. In the same way, the new covenant that he established between God and people is better than the old one. When he established the new covenant, he promised us better things than the laws that God gave Moses.
+\v 6 But now the Messiah serves in a much better way than the Jewish priests do. In the same way, the new covenant that he established between God and people is better than the old one. When he established the new covenant, he promised us better things than the laws that God gave Moses.
 
 
 \p
@@ -432,15 +432,15 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 11 But when Christ came as our high priest, he brought the good things that we have now. Then he went into God's presence in heaven, which is like the sacred tent, but it is not part of the world that God created. It is better than the tent Moses set up here on earth because it is perfect.
-\v 12 When a high priest goes into the inner room in the tent each year, he takes goats' blood and calves' blood to offer as a sacrifice. But Christ did not do that. It was as though he went into that very holy place only once because he gave his own blood on the cross, just one time. By doing that, he redeemed us forever, because his blood flowed from himself.
+\v 11 But when the Messiah came as our high priest, he brought the good things that we have now. Then he went into God's presence in heaven, which is like the sacred tent, but it is not part of the world that God created. It is better than the tent Moses set up here on earth because it is perfect.
+\v 12 When a high priest goes into the inner room in the tent each year, he takes goats' blood and calves' blood to offer as a sacrifice. But the Messiah did not do that. It was as though he went into that very holy place only once because he gave his own blood on the cross, just one time. By doing that, he redeemed us forever, because his blood flowed from himself.
 
 \s5
 \v 13 The priests sprinkle on people goats' blood and bulls' blood and the water that has been filtered through the ashes of a red heifer that they have completely burned. By performing that ritual, they then say that God will now accept that the people should worship him.
-\v 14 If all that is true, then it became even more true when Christ, who had never sinned, sacrificed himself to God—he did this by the power of God's eternal Spirit. Because he sacrificed himself, God now forgives us for having sinned, for having done things that would have made us die forever. Now it is as though we had never sinned; now we can worship the true God.
+\v 14 If all that is true, then it became even more true when the Messiah, who had never sinned, sacrificed himself to God—he did this by the power of God's eternal Spirit. Because he sacrificed himself, God now forgives us for having sinned, for having done things that would have made us die forever. Now it is as though we had never sinned; now we can worship the true God.
 
 \p
-\v 15 By dying for us, Christ made for God a new covenant with us. We were trying to please God by means of the first covenant, but we were still guilty of having sinned. When he died, he freed us from having to die for our own sins. As a result, all of us whom God has called to know him will receive what he has promised to give us forever.
+\v 15 By dying for us, the Messiah made for God a new covenant with us. We were trying to please God by means of the first covenant, but we were still guilty of having sinned. When he died, he freed us from having to die for our own sins. As a result, all of us whom God has called to know him will receive what he has promised to give us forever.
 \s5
 \v 16 A covenant is like a will. In the case of a will, in order to put its provisions into effect, someone must prove that the one who made it has died.
 \v 17 A will goes into effect only when the one who makes the will has died. It is not in effect when the one who made it is still alive.
@@ -457,16 +457,16 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 23 So by animal sacrifices it was necessary for the priests to cleanse the things that symbolized what Christ does in heaven. But God has to cleanse the things in heaven by means of much better sacrifices than those.
-\v 24 Christ did not enter the very holy place that humans made, which only represented the true very holy place. Instead, he entered heaven itself, in order to now be in God's presence to plead with God for us.
+\v 23 So by animal sacrifices it was necessary for the priests to cleanse the things that symbolized what the Messiah does in heaven. But God has to cleanse the things in heaven by means of much better sacrifices than those.
+\v 24 The Messiah did not enter the very holy place that humans made, which only represented the true very holy place. Instead, he entered heaven itself, in order to now be in God's presence to plead with God for us.
 
 \s5
-\v 25 The high priest enters the very holy place once every year, taking blood that is not his own, to offer it as a sacrifice. But when Christ entered heaven, it was not in order to offer himself repeatedly like that.
-\v 26 If that were so, he would have needed to suffer and shed his blood repeatedly since the time when God created the world. But instead, in this final age, Christ has appeared once so that by sacrificing himself, God will forgive all our sins and will not condemn us any more because we have sinned.
+\v 25 The high priest enters the very holy place once every year, taking blood that is not his own, to offer it as a sacrifice. But when the Messiah entered heaven, it was not in order to offer himself repeatedly like that.
+\v 26 If that were so, he would have needed to suffer and shed his blood repeatedly since the time when God created the world. But instead, in this final age, the Messiah has appeared once so that by sacrificing himself, God will forgive all our sins and will not condemn us any more because we have sinned.
 
 \s5
 \v 27 All people must die once, and after that God will judge them for their sins.
-\v 28 Likewise, when Christ died, God offered him once to be a sacrifice, to punish him in the place of the many people who had sinned. He will come to earth a second time, not in order to sacrifice himself again for those who have sinned, but in order to save us who wait for him and expect him to come.
+\v 28 Likewise, when the Messiah died, God offered him once to be a sacrifice, to punish him in the place of the many people who had sinned. He will come to earth a second time, not in order to sacrifice himself again for those who have sinned, but in order to save us who wait for him and expect him to come.
 
 
 \s5
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 5 That is why, as Christ was coming into the world, he said to his Father,
+\v 5 That is why, as the Messiah was coming into the world, he said to his Father,
 \q "It is not sacrifices and offerings that you have wanted,
 \q but you have prepared for me a body to offer.
 \q
@@ -492,14 +492,14 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 8 First Christ said, "It is not sacrifices and offerings and animals that the priests have completely burned up and other offerings to atone for those who have sinned that you have really wanted. They have not pleased you." He said that even though those things were offered according to the laws that God gave Moses!
-\v 9 Then, concerning his offering himself as a sacrifice to atone for people's sin, he said, "Listen! I have come here to do what you want me to do!" Thus Christ got rid of the first way of atoning for sin, in order to establish the second way of atoning for sin.
-\v 10 Because Jesus Christ did what God wanted him to do, God set us apart for himself. This happened when Jesus Christ offered his own body once as a sacrifice, a sacrifice that he will never need to repeat.
+\v 8 First the Messiah said, "It is not sacrifices and offerings and animals that the priests have completely burned up and other offerings to atone for those who have sinned that you have really wanted. They have not pleased you." He said that even though those things were offered according to the laws that God gave Moses!
+\v 9 Then, concerning his offering himself as a sacrifice to atone for people's sin, he said, "Listen! I have come here to do what you want me to do!" Thus the Messiah got rid of the first way of atoning for sin, in order to establish the second way of atoning for sin.
+\v 10 Because Jesus the Messiah did what God wanted him to do, God set us apart for himself. This happened when Jesus the Messiah offered his own body once as a sacrifice, a sacrifice that he will never need to repeat.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 11 As every priest stands daily in front of the altar, he performs rituals and offers the same kind of sacrifices that could never remove the guilt for anyone's sins.
-\v 12 But Christ offered a sacrifice that will be enough forever, and he offered it only one time! After that, he sat down to rule beside God in the place of highest honor.
+\v 12 But the Messiah offered a sacrifice that will be enough forever, and he offered it only one time! After that, he sat down to rule beside God in the place of highest honor.
 \v 13 From now on, he is waiting for God to completely defeat all his enemies.
 \v 14 By offering himself once as the sacrifice for sin, he perfected forever those in whom God has worked his cleansing and purity.
 
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@
 \p
 \v 19 So, my fellow believers, because we trust in what Jesus accomplished when his own blood flowed for us, we can confidently go into God's very presence that was symbolized by the very holy place in the sacred tent.
 \v 20 He has enabled us to go into God's presence by making a new way in which we can live forever. This new way is Jesus, who died for us.
-\v 21 Christ is a great priest who rules over us, we who are God's people.
+\v 21 The Messiah is a great priest who rules over us, we who are God's people.
 \v 22 So we must approach God sincerely by confidently trusting in Jesus. It is he who has made our hearts pure from having sinned. It is as if he sprinkled his own blood over our hearts, and as if he had washed our bodies in pure water.
 \s5
 \v 23 We must unwaveringly keep stating what we believe. Since God faithfully does all he promised to do, we must confidently expect him to do these things.
@@ -533,12 +533,12 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 26 If we deliberately and habitually sin after we have known the true message about Christ, no other sacrifice will help us.
+\v 26 If we deliberately and habitually sin after we have known the true message about the Messiah, no other sacrifice will help us.
 \v 27 Instead, we must fearfully expect that God will judge us, and then he will righteously punish all his enemies in a furious fire.
 
 \s5
 \v 28 Everyone who rejected the laws that God gave Moses had to die without mercy when at least two or three people testified against him.
-\v 29 That was severe punishment. But Christ is God's Son, and he is also God. If anyone rejects the covenant that he has made and despises the blood that flowed from him—if that person rejects the blood in exchange for which God forgave him—if that person rejects the Spirit of God, who acted so kindly toward him—then God will punish him very, very severely.
+\v 29 That was severe punishment. But the Messiah is God's Son, and he is also God. If anyone rejects the covenant that he has made and despises the blood that flowed from him—if that person rejects the blood in exchange for which God forgave him—if that person rejects the Spirit of God, who acted so kindly toward him—then God will punish him very, very severely.
 
 \s5
 \v 30 We can be sure of this, since we know that God said, "The right and power to give people what they deserve for having sinned belongs to me. I will punish them as they deserve." And Moses wrote, "The Lord will judge his people."
@@ -546,9 +546,9 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 32 Remember the earlier times when you first understood the truth about Christ. You endured much hardship, and when you suffered, you continued to trust God.
+\v 32 Remember the earlier times when you first understood the truth about the Messiah. You endured much hardship, and when you suffered, you continued to trust God.
 \v 33 At times people insulted you in public; at other times they made you suffer. At other times you suffered with other believers in their hardships.
-\v 34 You not only were kind to those who were in prison because they believed in Christ, but you also accepted it joyfully when unbelievers took away your possessions. You accepted it because you yourselves knew very well that you had possessions in heaven forever, possessions that are much better than those that they took from you!
+\v 34 You not only were kind to those who were in prison because they believed in the Messiah, but you also accepted it joyfully when unbelievers took away your possessions. You accepted it because you yourselves knew very well that you had possessions in heaven forever, possessions that are much better than those that they took from you!
 
 \s5
 \v 35 So do not become discouraged when they cause you to suffer, because if you continue to trust in God, he will greatly reward you.
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@
 \v 23 Because Moses' father and mother trusted God, they hid their son for three months shortly after he was born, because they saw that the child was beautiful. They were not afraid of disobeying what the king of Egypt had commanded, that all the Jewish male babies must die.
 \v 24 The daughter of the king, whom they called Pharaoh, raised Moses, but when Moses had grown up, because he trusted God, he refused to accept the royal privileges that would have been his if people considered him as "the son of Pharaoh's daughter."
 \v 25 He decided that it was better for others to mistreat him for a time along with God's people, than to temporarily enjoy living sinfully in the king's palace.
-\v 26 He decided that if he suffered for Christ, it would be worth far more in God's sight than owning the treasures of Egypt that he would receive as one of Pharaoh's family. He looked forward to the time when God would give him an eternal reward.
+\v 26 He decided that if he suffered for the Messiah, it would be worth far more in God's sight than owning the treasures of Egypt that he would receive as one of Pharaoh's family. He looked forward to the time when God would give him an eternal reward.
 
 \s5
 \v 27 Because he trusted God, Moses left Egypt. He was not afraid that the king would be angry because he left. He kept going because it was as though he kept seeing God, whom no one can see.
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 12 So, instead of acting as though you were spiritually tired out, trust God's discipline to renew you.
-\v 13 Go straight forward following Christ so that believers who are weak in trusting Christ will gain strength from you and not become crippled. Instead, they will be spiritually restored as an injured and useless limb becomes well again.
+\v 13 Go straight forward following the Messiah so that believers who are weak in trusting the Messiah will gain strength from you and not become crippled. Instead, they will be spiritually restored as an injured and useless limb becomes well again.
 
 \s5
 \v 14 Try to live peacefully with all people. Do your best to be holy, since no one will see the Lord if he is not holy.
@@ -744,15 +744,15 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 7 Your spiritual leaders have told you the message about Christ. Remember how they have conducted their lives and imitate how they have trusted in Christ.
-\v 8 Jesus Christ is the same now as he always has been, and he will be the same forever.
+\v 7 Your spiritual leaders have told you the message about the Messiah. Remember how they have conducted their lives and imitate how they have trusted in the Messiah.
+\v 8 Jesus the Messiah is the same now as he always has been, and he will be the same forever.
 
 \s5
 \v 9 So do not let other people persuade you to believe other things about God, strange things that you have not learned from us. For example, do not let anything make you obey various rules about what to eat and not to eat. These rules cannot help us.
 
 
 \p
-\v 10 Those who serve in the sacred tent have no right to eat at the sacred altar where we worship Christ.
+\v 10 Those who serve in the sacred tent have no right to eat at the sacred altar where we worship the Messiah.
 \v 11 After the high priest brings into the very holy place the blood of animals that they have sacrificed to atone for sins, other people burn the bodies of those animals outside the camp.
 
 \s5
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 15 Because Jesus has died for us, we must continually praise God no matter what happens. That will be something we can sacrifice to him instead of animals. We must be ready to openly say to others that we trust in Christ.
+\v 15 Because Jesus has died for us, we must continually praise God no matter what happens. That will be something we can sacrifice to him instead of animals. We must be ready to openly say to others that we trust in the Messiah.
 
 
 \p
@@ -783,8 +783,8 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 20 Jesus provides for us, protects us, and guides us as a great shepherd does for his sheep. And God, who gives us inner peace, raised our Lord Jesus from the dead. By doing that God confirmed his eternal covenant with us by the blood that flowed from Christ when he died on the cross.
-\v 21 So I pray that God may equip you with everything good that you may do what he desires. May he accomplish in us what pleases him, as he watches us follow Jesus, who offered up himself for us. May all people praise Jesus Christ forever. Amen!
+\v 20 Jesus provides for us, protects us, and guides us as a great shepherd does for his sheep. And God, who gives us inner peace, raised our Lord Jesus from the dead. By doing that God confirmed his eternal covenant with us by the blood that flowed from the Messiah when he died on the cross.
+\v 21 So I pray that God may equip you with everything good that you may do what he desires. May he accomplish in us what pleases him, as he watches us follow Jesus, who offered up himself for us. May all people praise Jesus the Messiah forever. Amen!
 
 
 \s5

60-JAS.usfm

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 \s5
 \c 1
 \p
-\v 1 I, James, serve God and am bound to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing this letter to the twelve Jewish tribes who trust in Christ and who are scattered throughout the world. I greet you all.
+\v 1 I, James, serve God and am bound to God through the Lord Jesus the Messiah. I am writing this letter to the twelve Jewish tribes who trust in the Messiah and who are scattered throughout the world. I greet you all.
 
 
 \p
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 \v 3 Understand that as you trust God in hardships, they help you to endure even more hardships.
 
 \s5
-\v 4 Endure hardships to their very end, so that you may follow Christ in every way. Then you will not fail to do well.
+\v 4 Endure hardships to their very end, so that you may follow the Messiah in every way. Then you will not fail to do well.
 
 \p
 \v 5 If anyone of you needs to know what to do, let him ask God, who gives generously and is not angry at anyone who asks.
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 9 Believers who are poor should be glad because God has honored them.
-\v 10 And believers who are rich should be glad that God has humbled them, which helps them trust in Jesus Christ, because they and their riches will pass away, just as wild flowers wither.
+\v 10 And believers who are rich should be glad that God has humbled them, which helps them trust in Jesus the Messiah, because they and their riches will pass away, just as wild flowers wither.
 \v 11 When the sun rises, the scorching hot wind dries the plants and causes the flowers to fall and no longer be beautiful. Like the flower that dies, rich people will die while they are earning money.
 
 
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ Then, when evil desires come together, sin is born, which means the person commi
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 \p
-\v 1 My brothers and sisters, do not think of honoring some people more than others as you at the same time trust in our Lord Jesus Christ, the one who is greater than anything.
+\v 1 My brothers and sisters, do not think of honoring some people more than others as you at the same time trust in our Lord Jesus the Messiah, the one who is greater than anything.
 \v 2 For example, suppose that a person who wears gold rings and fine clothes enters your meeting place. Then suppose that a poor person who wears shabby clothes also comes in.
 \v 3 And suppose that you show special attention to the one dressed in fine clothes by saying, "Please sit here in this nice seat!" and you say to the poor one, "You stand over there or sit on the floor!"
 \v 4 You have then judged one another for wrong reasons.
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ Then, when evil desires come together, sin is born, which means the person commi
 \v 5 Listen to me, my brothers and sisters whom I love. God has chosen poor people who seem to have nothing of value, to trust in him very much. So he will give them great things when he rules everyone everywhere. This is what he has promised to do for everyone who loves him.
 
 \v 6 But you dishonor the poor people. Think about it! It is the rich people, not the poor people, who are causing you to suffer! It is the rich people who forcibly take you to court to accuse you in front of judges!
-\v 7 And they are the ones who speak evil against the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who is worthy of praise, to whom you belong!
+\v 7 And they are the ones who speak evil against the Lord Jesus the Messiah, the one who is worthy of praise, to whom you belong!
 
 \s5
 \v 8 If you follow the royal law, as they are written in the scriptures, you will see the command, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." If you love others, you are doing what is right.
@@ -114,11 +114,11 @@ Then, when evil desires come together, sin is born, which means the person commi
 
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 \p
-\v 14 My brothers and sisters, some people say, "I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ," but they do not do good things. What they say will do them no good. If they only believe with words, God will certainly not save them.
+\v 14 My brothers and sisters, some people say, "I believe in the Lord Jesus the Messiah," but they do not do good things. What they say will do them no good. If they only believe with words, God will certainly not save them.
 
 \v 15 To illustrate, suppose that a brother or sister is continually lacking clothes or food for each day.
 \v 16 And suppose one of you says to them, "Do not worry, go away, get warm, and find the food you need!" But if you do not give them the things that they need for their bodies, then that will be no help to them!
-\v 17 Similarly, if you do not do good deeds to help others, what you say about believing in Christ is as useless as a dead person! You do not really believe in Christ.
+\v 17 Similarly, if you do not do good deeds to help others, what you say about believing in the Messiah is as useless as a dead person! You do not really believe in the Messiah.
 
 
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@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ Then, when evil desires come together, sin is born, which means the person commi
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 \p
-\v 1 Now I have something to say to you rich people who say you believe in Christ. Listen to me! You should weep and wail loudly because you will experience terrible troubles!
+\v 1 Now I have something to say to you rich people who say you believe in the Messiah. Listen to me! You should weep and wail loudly because you will experience terrible troubles!
 \v 2 Your wealth is worthless, as though it were rotted. Your fine clothes are worthless, as though moths had ruined them.
 \v 3 Your gold and silver are worthless, as though they were corroded. When God judges you, this worthless wealth of yours will be evidence that you are guilty of being greedy, and as rust and fire destroy things, God will severely punish you. You have in vain stored up wealth in a time when God is about to judge you.
 
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ Then, when evil desires come together, sin is born, which means the person commi
 
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 \p
-\v 7 So, my brothers and sisters, although rich people cause you to suffer, be patient until the Lord Jesus Christ comes back. Remember that when farmers plant a field, they wait for their valuable crops to grow. They must wait patiently for the rain that comes at the planting season and for more rain that comes just before the harvest season. They wait for the crops to grow and mature before they can harvest them.
+\v 7 So, my brothers and sisters, although rich people cause you to suffer, be patient until the Lord Jesus the Messiah comes back. Remember that when farmers plant a field, they wait for their valuable crops to grow. They must wait patiently for the rain that comes at the planting season and for more rain that comes just before the harvest season. They wait for the crops to grow and mature before they can harvest them.
 \v 8 Similarly, you also should wait patiently and trust the Lord Jesus firmly, because he is coming back soon and will judge all people fairly.
 
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61-1PE.usfm

@@ -9,19 +9,19 @@
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-\v 1 I, Peter, whom Jesus Christ made an apostle, am writing this letter to you who believe in him, you whom God has chosen to belong to himself. I am writing to you who live in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, far away from your true home in heaven.
-\v 2 God our Father chose you as he himself decided previously, and his Spirit has set you apart in order that you may obey Jesus Christ, and in order that his blood may make you acceptable to God. May God act very kindly to you, and may he make you live more and more peacefully.
+\v 1 I, Peter, whom Jesus the Messiah made an apostle, am writing this letter to you who believe in him, you whom God has chosen to belong to himself. I am writing to you who live in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, far away from your true home in heaven.
+\v 2 God our Father chose you as he himself decided previously, and his Spirit has set you apart in order that you may obey Jesus the Messiah, and in order that his blood may make you acceptable to God. May God act very kindly to you, and may he make you live more and more peacefully.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 3 Praise God, who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! It is because he is kind to us and he has shown us great mercy, by causing us to experience the new birth that gives us a living hope, and we receive the new life because God raised Jesus Christ to life from the dead ones.
+\v 3 Praise God, who is the Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah! It is because he is kind to us and he has shown us great mercy, by causing us to experience the new birth that gives us a living hope, and we receive the new life because God raised Jesus the Messiah to life from the dead ones.
 \v 4 He has enabled us to expect to receive things that he has kept for us in heaven, things that will last forever.
 \v 5 God, by his mighty power, is guarding you as you trust in Jesus. He is guarding you so that he may, at the end of the time in which we now live, completely rescue you from Satan's power.
 
 \s5
 \v 6 You rejoice because of what will happen then, but now you are grieving for a short time while you suffer many different hardships.
 God is allowing you to be tested, as precious metals are tested to see if they are pure. These trials that you are experiencing are necessary.
-\v 7 These hardships happen in order to prove that you really do trust in Jesus. This means more to God than all the gold in the world, which fire can destroy. Because you trust in Jesus, God will honor you very highly when Jesus Christ comes again.
+\v 7 These hardships happen in order to prove that you really do trust in Jesus. This means more to God than all the gold in the world, which fire can destroy. Because you trust in Jesus, God will honor you very highly when Jesus the Messiah comes again.
 
 \s5
 \v 8 You love Jesus, although you have not seen him. Although you do not see him now, you rejoice very much;
@@ -30,14 +30,14 @@ God is allowing you to be tested, as precious metals are tested to see if they a
 \v 10 Long ago prophets spoke messages that God had shown them about how he would one day save you. They investigated very carefully these things.
 
 \s5
-\v 11 They wanted to know whom the Spirit of Christ that was in them was referring to. They also wanted to know what time he was talking about. This was because the Spirit was telling them beforehand that the Christ would suffer and die, and that glorious things would happen to him afterwards.
+\v 11 They wanted to know whom the Spirit of the Messiah that was in them was referring to. They also wanted to know what time he was talking about. This was because the Spirit was telling them beforehand that the Messiah would suffer and die, and that glorious things would happen to him afterwards.
 \v 12 God told them that it was not for their own sake that he was revealing these things to them, but that it was for your sake. They proclaimed them to you because the Holy Spirit whom God sent from heaven enabled them to do that. And even angels would like to know more about these truths about how God saves us.
 
 \s5
 
 
 \p
-\v 13 Therefore, prepare your minds to obey God. What I mean is that you should discipline your minds. Be confident that you will receive the good things that God will kindly do for you when Jesus Christ returns from heaven.
+\v 13 Therefore, prepare your minds to obey God. What I mean is that you should discipline your minds. Be confident that you will receive the good things that God will kindly do for you when Jesus the Messiah returns from heaven.
 \v 14 And because you should obey your heavenly Father, just as children ought to obey their fathers here on earth, do not do the evil deeds that you previously wished to do, when you did not know the truth about God.
 
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@@ -48,11 +48,11 @@ God is allowing you to be tested, as precious metals are tested to see if they a
 
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 \v 18 Live reverently because you know that it was not with things like gold and silver—things that will not last forever—that God bought you, so you could stop behaving foolishly, as you learned to do from your ancestors.
-\v 19 Instead, it was with the precious blood of Christ that flowed from his body when he died that God bought you. Christ was a like the lambs that the Jewish priests sacrificed: Perfect, without any blemishes or spots.
+\v 19 Instead, it was with the precious blood of the Messiah that flowed from his body when he died that God bought you. The Messiah was a like the lambs that the Jewish priests sacrificed: Perfect, without any blemishes or spots.
 
 \s5
 \v 20 God chose him to do this before he created the world. But it was not until now, when the world will soon end, that God revealed him to you.
-\v 21 Because of what Christ has done, you are trusting in God, who caused him to become alive again after he died, and who greatly honored him. As a result, God is the one in whom you are trusting and expecting that he will do great things for you.
+\v 21 Because of what the Messiah has done, you are trusting in God, who caused him to become alive again after he died, and who greatly honored him. As a result, God is the one in whom you are trusting and expecting that he will do great things for you.
 
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 \p
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ God is allowing you to be tested, as precious metals are tested to see if they a
 \q
 \v 25 but God's message endures forever."
 \m
-This message that endures is the message about Christ that we proclaimed to you.
+This message that endures is the message about the Messiah that we proclaimed to you.
 
 
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@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ This message that endures is the message about Christ that we proclaimed to you.
 \s5
 \p
 \v 4 Come to the Lord Jesus. He is like the most important stone in the foundation of a building, but he is living, not lifeless like a stone. Many people rejected him, but God chose him and considers him to be very valuable.
-\v 5 And like men build houses with stones, God is joining you together like a building in which his Spirit lives. He is doing this in order that you—like the priests who offer sacrifices at the altar, might do things that please God because Jesus Christ has died for you.
+\v 5 And like men build houses with stones, God is joining you together like a building in which his Spirit lives. He is doing this in order that you—like the priests who offer sacrifices at the altar, might do things that please God because Jesus the Messiah has died for you.
 
 \s5
 \v 6 What the scriptures say show us that this is true: "I am placing in Jerusalem someone who is like a very valuable stone, the most important stone in the building, and those who believe in him will never become ashamed."
@@ -126,8 +126,8 @@ This message that endures is the message about Christ that we proclaimed to you.
 \v 20 God will certainly not be pleased with you if you do something that is wrong and then they beat you for that. But if you do what is good and still suffer harm, you are suffering for doing what is good. If you endure that, God will praise you.
 
 \s5
-\v 21 One of the reasons why God chose you is that you might suffer. When Christ suffered for you he became an example for you, in order that you would imitate what he did.
-\v 22 Remember how Christ conducted himself,
+\v 21 One of the reasons why God chose you is that you might suffer. When the Messiah suffered for you he became an example for you, in order that you would imitate what he did.
+\v 22 Remember how the Messiah conducted himself,
 \q He never sinned,
 \q And he never said anything to deceive people.
 \q1
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@ This message that endures is the message about Christ that we proclaimed to you.
 
 
 \p
-\v 1 You women believers should submit yourselves to your husbands. Do this in order that if any of them do not believe the message about Christ, they may become believers without your having to say anything to them.
-\v 2 They will believe in Christ when they see that you honor them and that you are completely faithful to them.
+\v 1 You women believers should submit yourselves to your husbands. Do this in order that if any of them do not believe the message about the Messiah, they may become believers without your having to say anything to them.
+\v 2 They will believe in the Messiah when they see that you honor them and that you are completely faithful to them.
 \s5
 \v 3 Do not try to do this by decorating the outside of your bodies, such as having fancy hair arrangements or wearing gold jewelry and fine clothes.
 \v 4 Instead, make your inner beings beautiful in a way that will not fade. I mean, have a humble and quiet attitude, which is something that God considers to be very valuable.
@@ -184,16 +184,16 @@ This message that endures is the message about Christ that we proclaimed to you.
 \v 14 But even if you suffer because you did what was right, God will bless you. "Do not be afraid of the things that other fear; and do not be troubled when people treat you badly."
 
 \s5
-\v 15 Instead, acknowledge in your inner beings that Christ is your master, whom you love. Always be ready to answer anyone who demands that you tell them about what you are confidently expecting God to do for you. But answer them humbly and respectfully,
-\v 16 and make sure that you do nothing wrong, in order that those who speak evil about you may be ashamed when they see the good way in which you are conducting yourselves because you are joined to Christ.
+\v 15 Instead, acknowledge in your inner beings that the Messiah is your master, whom you love. Always be ready to answer anyone who demands that you tell them about what you are confidently expecting God to do for you. But answer them humbly and respectfully,
+\v 16 and make sure that you do nothing wrong, in order that those who speak evil about you may be ashamed when they see the good way in which you are conducting yourselves because you are joined to the Messiah.
 \v 17 It may be that God wants you to suffer. If so, it is better to do good deeds, even if you suffer for doing them, than to do evil deeds.
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-\v 18 I say that because Christ died once for the sake of people who have sinned. He was a righteous person who died for unrighteous people. He died in order that he might bring us to God. During the time that he had an ordinary body, he was killed, but God's Spirit caused him to become alive again.
+\v 18 I say that because the Messiah died once for the sake of people who have sinned. He was a righteous person who died for unrighteous people. He died in order that he might bring us to God. During the time that he had an ordinary body, he was killed, but God's Spirit caused him to become alive again.
 \v 19 The Spirit also enabled him to go proclaim God's victory to the evil spirits whom God had imprisoned.
 \v 20 Long ago, during the time that Noah was building a big boat, those evil spirits disobeyed God when he waited patiently to see if people would turn from their evil behavior. Only a few people were saved in that boat. Specifically, God brought only eight persons safely through the waters of the flood, while all the others drowned in it.
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-\v 21 That water represents the water in which we are baptized, by which God saves us because he raised Jesus Christ from the dead. This water, of course, removes no dirt from our bodies. Instead, it shows that we are requesting God to assure us that he has removed our guilt for having sinned.
-\v 22 Christ has gone into heaven and is ruling in the place of highest honor next to God, after God caused all the evil and powerful spirit beings to be made obedient to him.
+\v 21 That water represents the water in which we are baptized, by which God saves us because he raised Jesus the Messiah from the dead. This water, of course, removes no dirt from our bodies. Instead, it shows that we are requesting God to assure us that he has removed our guilt for having sinned.
+\v 22 The Messiah has gone into heaven and is ruling in the place of highest honor next to God, after God caused all the evil and powerful spirit beings to be made obedient to him.
 
 
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@@ -201,13 +201,13 @@ This message that endures is the message about Christ that we proclaimed to you.
 
 
 \p
-\v 1 Therefore, because Christ suffered in his body, you also be willing to suffer. Those who suffer in their bodies have stopped their sinning.
+\v 1 Therefore, because the Messiah suffered in his body, you also be willing to suffer. Those who suffer in their bodies have stopped their sinning.
 \v 2 As a result, during their remaining time here on earth, they do not do the things that sinful people desire to do, but instead they do the things that God wants them to do.
 \s5
 \v 3 I say that to you because you have already spent too much of your time here on earth doing what the people who do not know God like to do. In the past you committed all kinds of sexually immoral acts, you got drunk and then participated in orgies and carousing, and you worshiped idols, which is disgusting to God.
 \v 4 Now your friends are surprised that you do not join with them anymore when they do these things. As a result, they say bad things about you.
 \v 5 But one day they will have to admit to God everything they have done. He is the one who will judge them.
-\v 6 That is the reason why Christ preached the good news to the dead. He did that so that, although God had judged them when they were alive, they might by the power of the Holy Spirit live forever as God lives.
+\v 6 That is the reason why the Messiah preached the good news to the dead. He did that so that, although God had judged them when they were alive, they might by the power of the Holy Spirit live forever as God lives.
 
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@@ -217,17 +217,17 @@ This message that endures is the message about Christ that we proclaimed to you.
 \v 9 Provide food and a place to sleep for those Christian travelers who come among you, and do it without complaining.
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 \v 10 Believers should all use the gifts that God has given them to serve others. They should manage well the various gifts that God has kindly given them.
-\v 11 Those who speak to the assembly of believers should do that as if they were speaking the very words of God. Those who do kind deeds for others should do it with the strength that God gives them, in order that you might honor God as Jesus Christ enables us to do so. May we all praise God because he has all authority to rule everything forever. May it be so!
+\v 11 Those who speak to the assembly of believers should do that as if they were speaking the very words of God. Those who do kind deeds for others should do it with the strength that God gives them, in order that you might honor God as Jesus the Messiah enables us to do so. May we all praise God because he has all authority to rule everything forever. May it be so!
 
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-\v 12 You whom I love, do not be surprised about the painful things that you are suffering because you belong to Christ. Those things are testing you as people test metal by putting it into a fire. Do not think that something strange is happening to you.
-\v 13 Instead, rejoice that you are suffering the same kinds of things that Christ endured. Rejoice when you suffer, in order that you may also be very glad when Christ returns and shows everyone how glorious he is.
-\v 14 If others insult you because you believe in Christ, God is pleased with you, because it shows that the Spirit of God, the Spirit who reveals how great God is, lives within you.
+\v 12 You whom I love, do not be surprised about the painful things that you are suffering because you belong to the Messiah. Those things are testing you as people test metal by putting it into a fire. Do not think that something strange is happening to you.
+\v 13 Instead, rejoice that you are suffering the same kinds of things that the Messiah endured. Rejoice when you suffer, in order that you may also be very glad when the Messiah returns and shows everyone how glorious he is.
+\v 14 If others insult you because you believe in the Messiah, God is pleased with you, because it shows that the Spirit of God, the Spirit who reveals how great God is, lives within you.
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 \v 15 If you suffer, do not let it be because you murdered anyone, or stole anything, or did some other kind of evil thing, or because you interfered in someone else's affairs.
-\v 16 But if you suffer because you are a Christian, do not be ashamed about it. Instead, praise God that you are suffering because you belong to Christ.
+\v 16 But if you suffer because you are a Christian, do not be ashamed about it. Instead, praise God that you are suffering because you belong to the Messiah.
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 \v 17 I say this, because it is now time for God to begin judging people, and first he will judge those who belong to him. Since he will judge us believers first, think about the terrible things that will happen to those who do not obey the good news that comes from him!
 \v 18 That will be as it is written in the scriptures:
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ This message that endures is the message about Christ that we proclaimed to you.
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 \p
-\v 1 Now I will say this to those among you who are elders, you who lead the assemblies of believers: I am also an elder. I also am one of those who saw Christ suffer, and I will also share some of the glory that Christ has in heaven.
+\v 1 Now I will say this to those among you who are elders, you who lead the assemblies of believers: I am also an elder. I also am one of those who saw the Messiah suffer, and I will also share some of the glory that the Messiah has in heaven.
 \v 2 I appeal to you elders to take care of the people who are in your assemblies. Do this as if you were shepherds who take care of their flocks of sheep. Do this, not because you must do it, but instead do it willingly, as God desires. Do not be greedy to get money for doing it, but instead do it enthusiastically.
 \v 3 Do not act like domineering bosses over the people whom God has assigned to you, but instead be examples to them by the way in which you conduct your lives.
 \v 4 If you do that, when Jesus, who is like our chief shepherd, appears, he will give each of you a splendid reward. That reward will be like the wreaths that are given to athletes who win races, but your reward will never wither like those wreaths do.
@@ -256,9 +256,9 @@ This message that endures is the message about Christ that we proclaimed to you.
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 \p
 \v 8 Always be alert and pay attention, because the devil, who is your enemy, is going around, looking for people to destroy. He is like a lion that roars as it prowls around, seeking someone to kill and devour.
-\v 9 You must resist him by continuing to firmly trust in Christ and his message, remembering that your fellow believers all over the world are suffering similar hardships.
+\v 9 You must resist him by continuing to firmly trust in the Messiah and his message, remembering that your fellow believers all over the world are suffering similar hardships.
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-\v 10 God is the one who kindly helps us in every situation, and he is the one who chose us to share his eternal glory in heaven because we are joined to Christ. And after you have suffered for a while because of things that people do to harm you, he will remove your spiritual defects, he will strengthen you to trust him more, and he will support you in every way.
+\v 10 God is the one who kindly helps us in every situation, and he is the one who chose us to share his eternal glory in heaven because we are joined to the Messiah. And after you have suffered for a while because of things that people do to harm you, he will remove your spiritual defects, he will strengthen you to trust him more, and he will support you in every way.
 \v 11 I pray that he will rule powerfully forever. May it be so!
 
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@@ -266,5 +266,5 @@ This message that endures is the message about Christ that we proclaimed to you.
 \v 12 Silas has written this letter for me as I have dictated it to him. I consider that he is a faithful fellow believer. I have written this short letter to you to encourage you, and I want to assure you that what I have written is a true message about the things that God kindly does for us, things that we do not deserve. Continue to firmly believe this message.
 \p
 \v 13 In this city that we sometimes call 'Babylon,' the believers, whom God has chosen to belong to him just like he chose you, send you their greetings. Mark, who is like a son to me, also sends you his greetings.
-\v 14 Greet each other with a kiss on the cheek to show that you love each other. I pray that God will give peace to all of you who are joined to Christ.
+\v 14 Greet each other with a kiss on the cheek to show that you love each other. I pray that God will give peace to all of you who are joined to the Messiah.
 

62-2PE.usfm

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
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-\v 1 I, Simon Peter, am writing this letter to you. I serve Jesus Christ, and I am an apostle that he appointed. I am sending this letter to you whom God has caused to believe in Christ just like he caused us apostles to believe in Christ. You and we have the same honor of believing in Jesus Christ. He is God, he is completely just, he is the one whom we worship, and he is our Savior.
+\v 1 I, Simon Peter, am writing this letter to you. I serve Jesus the Messiah, and I am an apostle that he appointed. I am sending this letter to you whom God has caused to believe in the Messiah just like he caused us apostles to believe in the Messiah. You and we have the same honor of believing in Jesus the Messiah. He is God, he is completely just, he is the one whom we worship, and he is our Savior.
 \v 2 I pray that God will continue to act very kindly toward you and give you a deep peace, because you truly know God and Jesus, who is our Lord.
 
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@@ -18,33 +18,33 @@
 
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-\v 5 Because God has done all that, do your best not only believe in Christ, but to live good lives. And make sure that you are not only living good lives, but that you also learn more and more about God.
+\v 5 Because God has done all that, do your best not only believe in the Messiah, but to live good lives. And make sure that you are not only living good lives, but that you also learn more and more about God.
 \v 6 In addition, do your best, not only to know more and more about God, but also to control yourself in what you do and say. And make sure that you not only control what you do and say, but also that you are faithful to him. And make sure that you are not only faithful to him, but that you also honor him.
 \v 7 And make sure that you do not only honor him, but that you also have a concern for your fellow believers, as brothers and sisters ought to have for each other. And make sure that you not only have a concern for your fellow believers, but that you also love others.
 
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-\v 8 If you do all these things, and if you do them more and more, that shows that knowing our Lord Jesus Christ produces very great results in your lives.
+\v 8 If you do all these things, and if you do them more and more, that shows that knowing our Lord Jesus the Messiah produces very great results in your lives.
 \v 9 But if these things are not true about people, it means they are not aware that these things are important, just like a blind person is not aware of what is around him. They think only about earthly matters, just like a shortsighted person sees clearly only things that are near. It seems that they have forgotten that God has forgiven them for their former sinful lives.
 
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 \v 10 Instead of acting like those people, try to behave so as to make everyone know that God has chosen you to be his people. If you do that, you will certainly never become separated from God,
-\v 11 and God will very wholeheartedly welcome you into the place where our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will rule his people forever.
+\v 11 and God will very wholeheartedly welcome you into the place where our Lord and Savior Jesus the Messiah will rule his people forever.
 
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 \p
 \v 12 I intend to keep on reminding you very frequently about these matters, even though you already know them and are firmly convinced that they are true.
 \v 13 I consider it right that I should help you to continually think about these matters by reminding you about them as long as I am alive,
-\v 14 because I know that I shall die soon, just like our Lord Jesus Christ clearly has revealed to me.
+\v 14 because I know that I shall die soon, just like our Lord Jesus the Messiah clearly has revealed to me.
 \v 15 Moreover, I will make every effort by writing these things down to enable you to remember them at all times after I have died.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 16 We apostles told you that our Lord Jesus Christ is powerful and that he is coming back some day. We were not basing what we told you on stories that we had cleverly invented. Instead, we told you what we ourselves saw with our own eyes, that the Lord Jesus is supremely great.
+\v 16 We apostles told you that our Lord Jesus the Messiah is powerful and that he is coming back some day. We were not basing what we told you on stories that we had cleverly invented. Instead, we told you what we ourselves saw with our own eyes, that the Lord Jesus is supremely great.
 \v 17 God, our Father, greatly honored him when God's great light surrounded him, and he said, "This is my Son, whom I love very much; I am very pleased with him."
-\v 18 We ourselves heard God say that from heaven when we were with Christ on that holy mountain.
+\v 18 We ourselves heard God say that from heaven when we were with the Messiah on that holy mountain.
 
 \s5
-\v 19 We are even more sure that what the prophets wrote about Christ long ago is completely reliable. Pay attention to what they wrote, because it is like a lamp that is shining in a dark place that helps people see where they are going. That light will shine until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
+\v 19 We are even more sure that what the prophets wrote about the Messiah long ago is completely reliable. Pay attention to what they wrote, because it is like a lamp that is shining in a dark place that helps people see where they are going. That light will shine until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
 \v 20 It is important that you understand that no prophet could interpret by his own imagination.
 \v 21 No prophecies come from the decision of a human being. Those who spoke messages from God did so when the Holy Spirit helped them do it. Therefore the Spirit must also help us understand what they mean.
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 \s5
 \c 2
 \p
-\v 1 Long ago, various people among the Israelites pretended to give true messages from God, and people will do the same with you. At first you will not know who they are, and they make some stop trusting in Christ; they will start thinking that the Lord is not important—although he is the one who redeemed them. But soon, God will make these false prophets perish.
+\v 1 Long ago, various people among the Israelites pretended to give true messages from God, and people will do the same with you. At first you will not know who they are, and they make some stop trusting in the Messiah; they will start thinking that the Lord is not important—although he is the one who redeemed them. But soon, God will make these false prophets perish.
 \v 2 And many believers will imitate how these false prophets live. In this way they will insult what is true about God.
 \v 3 They will tell you lies in such a way that they will make a profit off of you. God will not wait very long before he punishes them; they will soon perish.
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
 \v 19 They tell them that they are free to do whatever they like. But they themselves are slaves who must obey whatever their evil minds tell them to do. Certainly a person is a slave to whatever controls him.
 
 \s5
-\v 20 But suppose that you began to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and that you stopped doing the things that kept God from accepting you. Then suppose that you began doing those same wicked things again, then you would be even worse off now than you were at first.
+\v 20 But suppose that you began to know our Lord and Savior Jesus the Messiah and that you stopped doing the things that kept God from accepting you. Then suppose that you began doing those same wicked things again, then you would be even worse off now than you were at first.
 \v 21 It would have been better for them if they had never learned how to live in the right way. But God will punish them even more, since they have rejected what he instructed them to do, what we apostles passed on to them.
 \v 22 The way in which they are behaving again is just like the proverbs that people say: "They are like dogs that return to eat their own vomit," and, "They are like pigs that have washed themselves and then roll again in the mud."
 
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 3 It is important for you to understand that in the time immediately before Christ comes back, people will ridicule you for saying that Christ will come back. Those people will do whatever evil deeds they wish to do.
-\v 4 They will say, "Although Christ promised that he would come back, he has not. Since the ancestors died, everything has remained the same. Things are as they always have been since God created the world!"
+\v 3 It is important for you to understand that in the time immediately before the Messiah comes back, people will ridicule you for saying that the Messiah will come back. Those people will do whatever evil deeds they wish to do.
+\v 4 They will say, "Although the Messiah promised that he would come back, he has not. Since the ancestors died, everything has remained the same. Things are as they always have been since God created the world!"
 
 \s5
 \v 5 They will say this because they deliberately overlook the fact that God, by commanding long ago that it should be so, caused the heavens to exist, and he caused the earth to come up out of water and to be separate from the water.
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@
 
 \s5
 \v 8 Dear friends, I want you to understand well that the Lord God is willing to wait a long time to judge the people in the world! How much time passes before the Lord God judges the people in the world does not matter to him! He considers that one day passes no more quickly than a thousand years, and he also considers that a thousand years pass as quickly as one day passes to us!
-\v 9 Therefore, you should not think that because Christ has not yet come back to judge people, the Lord God is delaying what he promised. Some people think that this is so, and they say that Christ never will come back. But you should understand that the reason why Christ has not yet come back to judge people is that God is being patient toward you, because he does not want anyone to be lost eternally. Instead, he wants everyone to turn away from their sinful behavior.
+\v 9 Therefore, you should not think that because the Messiah has not yet come back to judge people, the Lord God is delaying what he promised. Some people think that this is so, and they say that the Messiah never will come back. But you should understand that the reason why the Messiah has not yet come back to judge people is that God is being patient toward you, because he does not want anyone to be lost eternally. Instead, he wants everyone to turn away from their sinful behavior.
 
 \s5
 \v 10 But the day of the Lord's return will come unexpectedly. He will come like a thief comes—without warning. At that time there will be a great roaring sound. The heavens will cease to exist. The elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it that anyone has ever done will be revealed to God for him to judge.
@@ -118,17 +118,17 @@
 \s5
 \p
 \v 11 Because God will certainly destroy all these things like I just said, you certainly know how you should behave. You should behave in a way that honors God,
-\v 12 while you eagerly wait for Christ to return on the day that God has appointed, and you should try to make that day come soon. Because of what God will do on that day, the heavens will perish. The elements will melt and burn up.
+\v 12 while you eagerly wait for the Messiah to return on the day that God has appointed, and you should try to make that day come soon. Because of what God will do on that day, the heavens will perish. The elements will melt and burn up.
 \v 13 Although all those events will happen, we rejoice because we are waiting for the new heavens and new earth that God has promised. The only people who will be in the new heavens and on this new earth will be people who are righteous.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 14 Therefore, dear friends, because you are waiting for these things to happen, do all that you can to conduct your lives in a way that honors God, in order that Christ may see that you do not sin and that you are living peacefully with each other.
-\v 15 And think about this: Our Lord Jesus Christ is patient because he wants to save people. Our dear brother Paul also wrote wise words to you about these same matters, because God enabled him to understand these events.
+\v 14 Therefore, dear friends, because you are waiting for these things to happen, do all that you can to conduct your lives in a way that honors God, in order that the Messiah may see that you do not sin and that you are living peacefully with each other.
+\v 15 And think about this: Our Lord Jesus the Messiah is patient because he wants to save people. Our dear brother Paul also wrote wise words to you about these same matters, because God enabled him to understand these events.
 \v 16 In the letters that Paul wrote there are certain things that are difficult for people to understand. People who know nothing about God and who speak at random interpret these things wrongly, as they also interpret the other parts of the scriptures wrongly. The result is that they will lead God to punish them.
 
 \s5
 \v 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know about these false teachers, guard against them. Do not let these wicked people deceive you by telling you things that are wrong. Do not let them persuade you to doubt what you now firmly believe.
-\v 18 Instead, live in such a manner that you experience more and more our Savior Jesus Christ acting kindly toward you, and that you get to know him better and better.
-\p I pray that everyone will honor Jesus Christ both now and forever! May this truly be so!
+\v 18 Instead, live in such a manner that you experience more and more our Savior Jesus the Messiah acting kindly toward you, and that you get to know him better and better.
+\p I pray that everyone will honor Jesus the Messiah both now and forever! May this truly be so!
 

63-1JN.usfm

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 \v 2 (Because he came here to the earth and we have seen him, we proclaim to you clearly that the one whom we have seen is the one who has always lived. He was previously with his Father in heaven, but he came to live among us.)
 
 \s5
-\v 3 We are proclaiming to you the message about Jesus, the one whom we saw and heard, in order that you may join together with us. The ones with whom we have joined are God our Father and his Son Jesus Christ.
+\v 3 We are proclaiming to you the message about Jesus, the one whom we saw and heard, in order that you may join together with us. The ones with whom we have joined are God our Father and his Son Jesus the Messiah.
 \v 4 I am writing to you about these things so that you will be convinced that they are true, and that as a result we may be completely joyful.
 
 \s5
@@ -29,19 +29,19 @@
 \s5
 \c 2
 \p
-\v 1 You who are as dear to me as my own children, I am writing this to you to keep you from sinning. But if any of you believers does sin, remember that Jesus Christ, the righteous one, pleads with the Father for him to forgive us.
-\v 2 Jesus Christ voluntarily sacrificed his own life for us, so that as a result God forgives our sins. Yes, God is able to forgive our sins, but not only ours. He is also able to forgive the sins of people everywhere!
+\v 1 You who are as dear to me as my own children, I am writing this to you to keep you from sinning. But if any of you believers does sin, remember that Jesus the Messiah, the righteous one, pleads with the Father for him to forgive us.
+\v 2 Jesus the Messiah voluntarily sacrificed his own life for us, so that as a result God forgives our sins. Yes, God is able to forgive our sins, but not only ours. He is also able to forgive the sins of people everywhere!
 \p
 \v 3 I will tell you how we can be sure that we know God. If we obey what he commands us to do, that shows us that we are joined together with him.
 \s5
 \v 4 Those who say, "We know God," and do not obey what God commands us to do, are liars. They are not conducting their lives according to God's true message.
 \v 5 But those who obey what God commands them to do are the people who love God in every way. This is how we can be sure that we are joined with God.
-\v 6 If we say that we are in union with God, we should conduct our lives as Christ did.
+\v 6 If we say that we are in union with God, we should conduct our lives as the Messiah did.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 7 Dear friends, I am not writing that you must do something new. Instead, I am writing something that you have known to do since you first believed in Christ. This is part of the message that you have always heard.
-\v 8 But I will say something again to you on this same topic: I can say that I am telling you to do something new. It is new because what Christ did was new, and what you are doing is new. This is because you are ceasing to do evil and you are doing more and more good. It is like when night passes away and day dawns, the true day of Christ.
+\v 7 Dear friends, I am not writing that you must do something new. Instead, I am writing something that you have known to do since you first believed in the Messiah. This is part of the message that you have always heard.
+\v 8 But I will say something again to you on this same topic: I can say that I am telling you to do something new. It is new because what the Messiah did was new, and what you are doing is new. This is because you are ceasing to do evil and you are doing more and more good. It is like when night passes away and day dawns, the true day of the Messiah.
 \s5
 \v 9 Those who claim that they are like people who live in the light, but who hate any of their fellow believers, are still like people who live in darkness.
 \v 10 But those who love their fellow believers behave like people who are living in the light; they have no reason to sin.
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 12 I am writing this to you whom I love as though you were my own children. God has forgiven your sins because of what Christ has done for you.
-\v 13 I am writing to you believers who are older than the others. You have known Christ, who has always lived. I am also writing to you young men; you have defeated Satan, the evil one. And I am writing to you little children, because you know God the Father.
-\v 14 I will say it again: I am writing this to you older men because you have come to know Christ, the one who has always existed. And I am writing to you young men, because you are strong and you continue to obey what God commands, and because you have defeated Satan, the evil one.
+\v 12 I am writing this to you whom I love as though you were my own children. God has forgiven your sins because of what the Messiah has done for you.
+\v 13 I am writing to you believers who are older than the others. You have known the Messiah, who has always lived. I am also writing to you young men; you have defeated Satan, the evil one. And I am writing to you little children, because you know God the Father.
+\v 14 I will say it again: I am writing this to you older men because you have come to know the Messiah, the one who has always existed. And I am writing to you young men, because you are strong and you continue to obey what God commands, and because you have defeated Satan, the evil one.
 
 \s5
 \p
@@ -62,43 +62,43 @@
 
 \s5
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-\v 18 You who are very dear to me, it is now just before Jesus returns to earth. You have already heard that the person who will pretend to be Christ is coming; actually, many such persons have already arrived—but they are all against Christ. Because of this, we know that Christ will return very soon.
+\v 18 You who are very dear to me, it is now just before Jesus returns to earth. You have already heard that the person who will pretend to be the Messiah is coming; actually, many such persons have already arrived—but they are all against the Messiah. Because of this, we know that the Messiah will return very soon.
 \v 19 These people refused to remain in our congregations, but they never really belonged with us in the first place. When they left us, we clearly saw that they had never joined with us.
 
 \s5
-\v 20 But as for you, Christ, the one who is holy, has given you his Spirit; it is his Spirit who teaches you all the truth.
+\v 20 But as for you, the Messiah, the one who is holy, has given you his Spirit; it is his Spirit who teaches you all the truth.
 \v 21 I am writing this letter to you, not because you do not know the truth about God, but because you do know what it is. You also know that God teaches us nothing that is false; instead, he teaches us only what is true.
 
 \s5
-\v 22 The worst liars are the ones who deny that Jesus is the Christ. All who do this are against Christ, because they refuse to believe in the Father and the Son.
-\v 23 Those who refuse to acknowledge that Jesus is God's Son are in no way joined with the Father, but those who acknowledge that Christ is the Son of God are also joined with Father.
+\v 22 The worst liars are the ones who deny that Jesus is the Messiah. All who do this are against the Messiah, because they refuse to believe in the Father and the Son.
+\v 23 Those who refuse to acknowledge that Jesus is God's Son are in no way joined with the Father, but those who acknowledge that the Messiah is the Son of God are also joined with Father.
 
 \s5
-\v 24 So, as for you, you must continue to believe the truth about Jesus Christ that you first heard, and to live according to it. If you do that, you will stay joined to the Son and the Father.
+\v 24 So, as for you, you must continue to believe the truth about Jesus the Messiah that you first heard, and to live according to it. If you do that, you will stay joined to the Son and the Father.
 \v 25 And what God told us is that he will cause us to live forever!
 \p
-\v 26 I have written this to you to warn you about those who want to deceive you concerning the truth about Christ.
+\v 26 I have written this to you to warn you about those who want to deceive you concerning the truth about the Messiah.
 
 \s5
-\v 27 As for you, God's Spirit, whom you received from Christ, remains in you. So you do not need anyone else to be your teacher. God's Spirit is teaching you everything that you need to know. He always teaches the truth and never says anything that is false. So continue to live in the way that he has taught you, and remain joined with him.
+\v 27 As for you, God's Spirit, whom you received from the Messiah, remains in you. So you do not need anyone else to be your teacher. God's Spirit is teaching you everything that you need to know. He always teaches the truth and never says anything that is false. So continue to live in the way that he has taught you, and remain joined with him.
 \p
-\v 28 Now, my dear ones, I urge you to continue to remain joined with Christ. We need to do that in order that we may be confident that he will accept us when he comes back again. If we do that, we will not be ashamed when we stand before him when he comes.
-\v 29 Since you know that Christ always does what is right, you know that all those who continue doing what is right are the ones who have become God's children.
+\v 28 Now, my dear ones, I urge you to continue to remain joined with the Messiah. We need to do that in order that we may be confident that he will accept us when he comes back again. If we do that, we will not be ashamed when we stand before him when he comes.
+\v 29 Since you know that the Messiah always does what is right, you know that all those who continue doing what is right are the ones who have become God's children.
 
 \s5
 \c 3
 \p
 \v 1 Think about how much our Father loves us: He allows us to say that we are his children. And this is indeed true. But people who are unbelievers have not understood who God is. So they do not understand who we are, that we are God's children.
-\v 2 Dear friends, even though at present we are God's children, he has not yet shown us what we will be like in the future. However, we know that when Christ comes back again, we will become like him, because we will see him face to face.
-\v 3 So all those who confidently expect to see Christ face to face, will keep themselves from sinning, just like Christ, who never sins.
+\v 2 Dear friends, even though at present we are God's children, he has not yet shown us what we will be like in the future. However, we know that when the Messiah comes back again, we will become like him, because we will see him face to face.
+\v 3 So all those who confidently expect to see the Messiah face to face, will keep themselves from sinning, just like the Messiah, who never sins.
 
 \s5
 \v 4 But everyone who continues to sin is refusing to obey God's laws, because that is what sin is, refusing to obey God's laws.
-\v 5 You know that Christ came in order to completely remove the guilt of our sins. You know also that he never sinned.
-\v 6 Those who continue doing what Christ wants them to do, do not continue sinning repeatedly. But those who repeatedly sin have not understood who Christ is, nor have they truly joined with him.
+\v 5 You know that the Messiah came in order to completely remove the guilt of our sins. You know also that he never sinned.
+\v 6 Those who continue doing what the Messiah wants them to do, do not continue sinning repeatedly. But those who repeatedly sin have not understood who the Messiah is, nor have they truly joined with him.
 
 \s5
-\v 7 So I urge you who are very dear to me, do not let anyone deceive you by telling you that it is all right to sin. If you continue doing what is right, you are righteous, just like Christ is righteous.
+\v 7 So I urge you who are very dear to me, do not let anyone deceive you by telling you that it is all right to sin. If you continue doing what is right, you are righteous, just like the Messiah is righteous.
 \v 8 But anyone who continues to sin repeatedly is like the devil, because the devil has always been sinning since the world began. And the reason why God's Son became a human being was to destroy what the devil has done.
 
 \s5
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@
 
 \s5
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-\v 11 The message that you heard when you first believed in Christ is that we should love each other.
+\v 11 The message that you heard when you first believed in the Messiah is that we should love each other.
 \v 12 We should not hate others as did Adam's son, Cain, who belonged to Satan, the evil one. Because Cain hated his younger brother, he murdered him. I will tell you about why he murdered his brother. It was because Cain habitually behaved in an evil way, and he hated his younger brother because his younger brother behaved in the right way.
 
 \s5
@@ -115,27 +115,27 @@
 \v 14 Because we love our fellow believers, we know that God has made us to live forever with him. But God regards anyone who does not love their fellow believer as a person who is not living in life but is living under the power of death.
 \v 15 God treats anyone who hates their fellow believers as though they had done something just as bad as committing murder. Anyone who does not love his brother is living for death, not life.
 \s5
-\v 16 The way that we now know how to truly love our fellow believers is by remembering that Christ died for us of his own free will. So in the same way, we should do anything for our fellow believers, even die for them.
+\v 16 The way that we now know how to truly love our fellow believers is by remembering that the Messiah died for us of his own free will. So in the same way, we should do anything for our fellow believers, even die for them.
 \v 17 Many of us have the things that are necessary for us to live in this world. If we become aware that any of our fellow believers do not have what they need and if we refuse to provide for them, it is clear that we do not love God as we claim to do.
 \v 18 I am saying to you whom I love dearly, let us not merely say we love each other; let us love each other by helping each other.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 19 If we truly love our fellow believers, we can be sure that we are living according to the true message about Christ. As a result, we will not feel guilty in the presence of God.
+\v 19 If we truly love our fellow believers, we can be sure that we are living according to the true message about the Messiah. As a result, we will not feel guilty in the presence of God.
 \v 20 We can pray confidently, because although we might feel guilty because we have done wrong, God deserves for us to trust him. He knows everything about us.
 \v 21 Dear friends, if our minds do not accuse us of having sinned, then we can pray confidently to God.
 \v 22 When we confidently pray to him and request something from him, we receive it because we do what he commands us to do, and because we do what pleases him.
 
 \s5
-\v 23 I will tell you what he commands us to do: We must believe that Jesus Christ is his Son. We must also love each other, just as God commanded us to do.
+\v 23 I will tell you what he commands us to do: We must believe that Jesus the Messiah is his Son. We must also love each other, just as God commanded us to do.
 \v 24 Those who do what God commands are those who are joined with God, and God is joined with them. And it is because we have his Spirit, whom he gave to us, that we can be sure that God is joined with us.
 
 \s5
 \c 4
 \p
 \v 1 Dear friends, many people who have a false message are teaching it to people. But you must think carefully about what you hear them teach, so that you may know whether they are teaching the truth that comes from God or not.
-\v 2 I will tell you how to know whether someone is teaching truth that comes from the Spirit of God. Those who affirm that Jesus Christ came from God to become a human like us are teaching a message that is from God.
-\v 3 But those who do not affirm that truth about Jesus are not teaching a message from God. They are teachers who oppose Christ. You have heard that people like that are coming among us. Even now they are already here.
+\v 2 I will tell you how to know whether someone is teaching truth that comes from the Spirit of God. Those who affirm that Jesus the Messiah came from God to become a human like us are teaching a message that is from God.
+\v 3 But those who do not affirm that truth about Jesus are not teaching a message from God. They are teachers who oppose the Messiah. You have heard that people like that are coming among us. Even now they are already here.
 
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@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@
 \v 16 We have experienced how God loves us and we believe that he loves us. As a result, we love others. Because God's nature is to love people, those who continue to love others are joined with God, and God is joined with them.
 
 \s5
-\v 17 We should love others completely. And if we do that, when the time comes for God to judge us, we will be confident that he will not condemn us. We will be confident of that because we are living in this world joined to God, as Christ himself is joined to God.
+\v 17 We should love others completely. And if we do that, when the time comes for God to judge us, we will be confident that he will not condemn us. We will be confident of that because we are living in this world joined to God, as the Messiah himself is joined to God.
 \v 18 We will not be afraid of God if we truly love him, because those who love God completely cannot possibly be afraid of him. We would be afraid only if we thought that he would punish us. So those who are afraid of God certainly are not loving God completely.
 
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@@ -175,17 +175,17 @@
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-\v 1 All those who believe that Jesus is the Christ are children of God, born from God. And whoever loves anyone who is a father certainly loves his child also.
+\v 1 All those who believe that Jesus is the Messiah are children of God, born from God. And whoever loves anyone who is a father certainly loves his child also.
 \v 2 We can be sure that we truly love God's children when we love God and do what he commands us to do.
 \v 3 I am saying this because what loving God really means is that we do what he commands. Also, it is not difficult to do what he commands.
 
 \s5
-\v 4 All of us whom God has caused to become his children have been able to refuse to do what unbelievers want us to do. We are stronger than everything that is against God. We are able to refuse to do wrong because we trust in Christ.
+\v 4 All of us whom God has caused to become his children have been able to refuse to do what unbelievers want us to do. We are stronger than everything that is against God. We are able to refuse to do wrong because we trust in the Messiah.
 \v 5 Who is the person who is stronger than everything that is against God? It is anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
 
 \s5
 \p
-\v 6 Think about Jesus Christ. He is the one who came to earth from God. God showed that he had truly sent Jesus when John baptized Jesus in water, but also when Jesus' blood flowed from his body when he died. And God's Spirit declares truthfully that Jesus Christ came from God.
+\v 6 Think about Jesus the Messiah. He is the one who came to earth from God. God showed that he had truly sent Jesus when John baptized Jesus in water, but also when Jesus' blood flowed from his body when he died. And God's Spirit declares truthfully that Jesus the Messiah came from God.
 \v 7 These three are like three witnesses who give testimony:
 \v 8 God's Spirit, the water and the blood. These three all tell us the same thing.
 
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@
 \v 18 We know that if a person is a child of God, he does not keep sinning again and again. Instead, the Son of God protects him so that Satan, the evil one, does not harm him.
 \v 19 We know that we belong to God, and we know that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
 \s5
-\v 20 We also know that the Son of God has come among us and has enabled us to understand the truth; we are joined to him who is true, God's Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is truly God, and he is the one who enables us to have eternal life.
+\v 20 We also know that the Son of God has come among us and has enabled us to understand the truth; we are joined to him who is true, God's Son Jesus the Messiah. Jesus the Messiah is truly God, and he is the one who enables us to have eternal life.
 \p
 \v 21 I say to you who are very dear to me, guard yourselves from worshiping gods that have no real power.
 

64-2JN.usfm

@@ -8,25 +8,25 @@
 \s5
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-\v 1 You all know me as the chief Elder. I am writing this letter to you believers, the congregation that I love so much. God has chosen you, and I love you because what we know about Christ is true! Not only do I myself love you, but all those who know and accept the true message that Jesus taught also love you!
+\v 1 You all know me as the chief Elder. I am writing this letter to you believers, the congregation that I love so much. God has chosen you, and I love you because what we know about the Messiah is true! Not only do I myself love you, but all those who know and accept the true message that Jesus taught also love you!
 \v 2 This is because all of us believe God's true message. It is in our inner beings and we will continue to believe it forever!
-\v 3 God the Father and Jesus Christ, who is his Son, will continue to act kindly and mercifully toward us because they love us. They will enable us to have peace, because they truly love us.
+\v 3 God the Father and Jesus the Messiah, who is his Son, will continue to act kindly and mercifully toward us because they love us. They will enable us to have peace, because they truly love us.
 
 \s5
 \p
 \v 4 I am very happy because I have learned that some of you are living according to the truth that God has taught us. this is just what our Father commanded us to do.
 \p
-\v 5 And now, dear congregation, I beg you to obey what he has commanded us to do. This is why I am writing to you. What he commanded—that we should love each other—is nothing new; instead, it was when we first believed in Christ that we learned that we should love each other.
+\v 5 And now, dear congregation, I beg you to obey what he has commanded us to do. This is why I am writing to you. What he commanded—that we should love each other—is nothing new; instead, it was when we first believed in the Messiah that we learned that we should love each other.
 \v 6 This is what it means to love God and each other—we should obey what God commands us to do. What he commands us to do is love him and each other.
 
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-\v 7 Many people who deceive others have left your congregation and have now gone out among other people in your area. They are the ones who refuse to believe that Jesus Christ became human. They are the ones who deceive others and oppose Christ himself.
+\v 7 Many people who deceive others have left your congregation and have now gone out among other people in your area. They are the ones who refuse to believe that Jesus the Messiah became human. They are the ones who deceive others and oppose the Messiah himself.
 \v 8 So be careful that you do not let those teachers deceive you! If you let them deceive you, you will lose the reward which we, together with you, have been working for, and you will not receive the complete reward of being eternally united to God!
 
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-\v 9 Those who change what Christ taught and do not continue to believe what he taught are not joined with God. But those who continue to believe what Christ taught are joined with both God, our Father, and with his Son.
-\v 10 So when anyone comes to you who teaches something different from what Christ taught, do not welcome him into your homes! Do not encourage him by greeting him or wishing him well in any way!
+\v 9 Those who change what the Messiah taught and do not continue to believe what he taught are not joined with God. But those who continue to believe what the Messiah taught are joined with both God, our Father, and with his Son.
+\v 10 So when anyone comes to you who teaches something different from what the Messiah taught, do not welcome him into your homes! Do not encourage him by greeting him or wishing him well in any way!
 \v 11 I say that because if you treat people like that as you would treat a fellow believer, you are helping them do their evil deeds.
 
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65-3JN.usfm

@@ -10,15 +10,15 @@
 \p
 \v 1 You know me as the chief Elder. I am writing this letter to you, my dear friend Gaius, whom I truly love.
 \v 2 Dear friend, I ask God that things may go well for you in every way, and that you may be physically healthy just as you are healthy in respect to God.
-\v 3 I am very happy because some fellow believers have come here and told me that you live in accordance with the true message about Christ. They said that you are behaving in a manner that is consistent with God's truth.
-\v 4 I am very happy when I hear that people whom I helped to believe in Christ are living in a way that matches God's truth!
+\v 3 I am very happy because some fellow believers have come here and told me that you live in accordance with the true message about the Messiah. They said that you are behaving in a manner that is consistent with God's truth.
+\v 4 I am very happy when I hear that people whom I helped to believe in the Messiah are living in a way that matches God's truth!
 
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 \v 5 Dear friend, you are serving Jesus loyally whenever you do things to help fellow believers, even strangers whom you do not know, who are traveling around doing God's work.
 \v 6 Some of them have reported before the congregation here how you have showed that you love them. You should continue to help such people do their work in a way that honors God.
 \p
-\v 7 When those fellow believers went out to tell people about Jesus, they received no money from people who do not believe in Christ.
-\v 8 So we who believe in Christ ought to give food and money to such people as these, to work with them to help others know God's true message.
+\v 7 When those fellow believers went out to tell people about Jesus, they received no money from people who do not believe in the Messiah.
+\v 8 So we who believe in the Messiah ought to give food and money to such people as these, to work with them to help others know God's true message.
 
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66-JUD.usfm

@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@
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-\v 1 I am Jude. I am a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother to James. I am writing to you whom God has called to him, to you whom God the Father loves, to you whom he is keeping for Jesus Christ.
+\v 1 I am Jude. I am a servant of Jesus the Messiah and a brother to James. I am writing to you whom God has called to him, to you whom God the Father loves, to you whom he is keeping for Jesus the Messiah.
 \v 2 May God have much mercy on you. May he give you much peace, and may he love you very much.
 
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-\v 3 You whom I love, I tried very hard to write a letter to you about how God has saved us all together. I needed to write to encourage you to do your best to speak for the true things that we believe. These are things that God has taught to all those who trust in Christ. These things will never change.
-\v 4 There are men who are creeping into your assemblies; they are like the wicked men the prophets wrote about long ago—they teach false things and they twist the grace of God into giving permission to commit sexual sin. In this way they oppose what is true about Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.
+\v 3 You whom I love, I tried very hard to write a letter to you about how God has saved us all together. I needed to write to encourage you to do your best to speak for the true things that we believe. These are things that God has taught to all those who trust in the Messiah. These things will never change.
+\v 4 There are men who are creeping into your assemblies; they are like the wicked men the prophets wrote about long ago—they teach false things and they twist the grace of God into giving permission to commit sexual sin. In this way they oppose what is true about Jesus the Messiah, our only Master and Lord.
 
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@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@
 
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-\v 17 But you people whom I love, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said long ago.
+\v 17 But you people whom I love, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus the Messiah said long ago.
 \v 18 They told you, "Just before the last day, some people will laugh at the true things that God has told us. They will commit the sins with their bodies that they wish to commit because they dishonor God."
 \v 19 These are the people who make believers angry with each other. They do all the wicked things that they want to do. The Spirit of God does not live within them.
 
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 \v 20 But you people whom I love, strengthen each other using the truth about God that you believe. Let the Holy Spirit guide you in the way to pray.
-\v 21 Keep conducting your lives in a way that is right for those whom God loves. Keep constantly expecting that our Lord Jesus Christ will act mercifully toward you. Keep expecting that until the time when we begin living eternally with him.
+\v 21 Keep conducting your lives in a way that is right for those whom God loves. Keep constantly expecting that our Lord Jesus the Messiah will act mercifully toward you. Keep expecting that until the time when we begin living eternally with him.
 
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@@ -61,5 +61,5 @@
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 \v 24 God is able to keep you trusting in him. He will also take you into his presence, where there is brilliant light. You will rejoice very much and be free from sin.
-\v 25 He is the only true God. He has saved us as a result of what Jesus Christ our Lord did for us. God was glorious, great, and mighty, and he ruled with great authority before time began. He is still like that, and he will remain like that forever! Amen!
+\v 25 He is the only true God. He has saved us as a result of what Jesus the Messiah our Lord did for us. God was glorious, great, and mighty, and he ruled with great authority before time began. He is still like that, and he will remain like that forever! Amen!
 

67-REV.usfm

@@ -8,19 +8,19 @@
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-\v 1 This book has the things that Jesus Christ showed to me, John. God showed these things to Jesus in order that he might pass them on to his servants. These things will happen soon. Jesus communicated these things by sending his angel to me, his servant John.
-\v 2 As a witness I, John, reported everything I saw and heard about the word of God, and the true accounts that were given about Jesus Christ.
+\v 1 This book has the things that Jesus the Messiah showed to me, John. God showed these things to Jesus in order that he might pass them on to his servants. These things will happen soon. Jesus communicated these things by sending his angel to me, his servant John.
+\v 2 As a witness I, John, reported everything I saw and heard about the word of God, and the true accounts that were given about Jesus the Messiah.
 \v 3 God will do good to anyone who reads these words and to any who hear them when they are being read aloud. He will do good to those who listen carefully to them and obey them, for the time when these things happen is approaching quickly.
 
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 \v 4 I, John, am writing this letter to the seven groups of believers in the province of Asia. May God be kind to you and give you peace, for he is the one who has always existed, who exists now, and who will always exist in the future. May the seven spirits who are sitting in front of his throne do these things for you, too.
-\v 5 May Jesus Christ—who has faithfully told us the truth about God and—also be kind to you and give you peace. For he is the first one whom God raised from the dead, and he is the one who rules the kings of the earth. He is the one who loves us and who has freed us from the guilt of our sins by his blood when he died on the cross.
-\v 6 He is the one who has begun to rule over his kingdom; he has set us apart to be priests who worship God his Father as he commanded. It is Jesus Christ whom we must honor and praise forever. This is the truth.
+\v 5 May Jesus the Messiah—who has faithfully told us the truth about God and—also be kind to you and give you peace. For he is the first one whom God raised from the dead, and he is the one who rules the kings of the earth. He is the one who loves us and who has freed us from the guilt of our sins by his blood when he died on the cross.
+\v 6 He is the one who has begun to rule over his kingdom; he has set us apart to be priests who worship God his Father as he commanded. It is Jesus the Messiah whom we must honor and praise forever. This is the truth.
 
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-\v 7 Look! Christ is coming in the clouds. Everyone will see him, including those who killed him by nailing him to a cross. Every tribe on the earth will be in sorrow and grief when they see him coming. That is the truth!
+\v 7 Look! The Messiah is coming in the clouds. Everyone will see him, including those who killed him by nailing him to a cross. Every tribe on the earth will be in sorrow and grief when they see him coming. That is the truth!
 \v 8 The Lord God declares, "I am the one who began all things, the Alpha, and I am the one who will cause all things to end, the Omega. I am the one who exists, who has always existed, and who will always exist. I am the One who rules over everything and everyone."
 
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@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
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 \v 8 "Write this message to the angel of the group of believers in the city of Smyrna: 'I am saying these things to you. I am the first, the one who began all things and I am the last, who causes all things to end. I am the one who died and became alive again.
 \v 9 I know about how you have suffered. I know about how you are poor and lack many things that you need (but you are really rich in the things that are eternal and that can never be taken from you). You know what it is like to have people
-curse you and say terrible things about you because you follow Christ. Those Jews (who are not real Jews) who curse you and say terrible things about you, they are members of the gathering of Satan, and not the gathering of God's people.
+curse you and say terrible things about you because you follow the Messiah. Those Jews (who are not real Jews) who curse you and say terrible things about you, they are members of the gathering of Satan, and not the gathering of God's people.
 
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 \v 10 Do not be afraid of any of the things that you are about to suffer. The truth is that the devil is about to put some of you in prison, to put you in a difficult place where you are being tested to see what kind of faith you have. For a short period of time you will suffer. Continue to trust in me, even if they kill you because you trust in me. and I will put a wreath on your head that will be a sign that you have eternal life and that you have overcome.
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ curse you and say terrible things about you because you follow Christ. Those Jew
 \p
 \v 9 Then the Lamb opened the fifth seal, and I saw under the altar in heaven the spirits of God's servants whom others had killed because these servants had believed God's message, the message to which God himself bore witness.
 \v 10 They loudly asked God, "Sovereign Lord, you are holy and true. How long will it be before you condemn and punish the people on earth who murdered us?"
-\v 11 Then God gave to each of them a white robe, and he told them to be patient a little longer. They should be patient until the number of those who also served the Lord with them—who were their brothers and sisters in Christ—would be killed just like they themselves had been killed because of their faith.
+\v 11 Then God gave to each of them a white robe, and he told them to be patient a little longer. They should be patient until the number of those who also served the Lord with them—who were their brothers and sisters in the Messiah—would be killed just like they themselves had been killed because of their faith.
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@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ curse you and say terrible things about you because you follow Christ. Those Jew
 
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-\v 15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet. Voices in heaven shouted loudly, "Our Lord God and the Christ whom he has appointed can now govern all the people in the world, and they will continue to rule those people forever!"
+\v 15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet. Voices in heaven shouted loudly, "Our Lord God and the Messiah whom he has appointed can now govern all the people in the world, and they will continue to rule those people forever!"
 
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 \v 16 The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones in God's presence, bowed down their faces to the ground and worshiped him.
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ curse you and say terrible things about you because you follow Christ. Those Jew
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 \v 10 Then I heard someone in heaven shout loudly,
 \q1 "Now our God has saved his people by his power, and he rules all people!
-\q1 Now Christ has begun to rule!
+\q1 Now the Messiah has begun to rule!
 \q1 This is because God has thrown the accuser of our fellow believers out of heaven.
 \q1 He was the one who stood before God day and night and told him that they had done what is wrong.
 
@@ -848,11 +848,11 @@ curse you and say terrible things about you because you follow Christ. Those Jew
 
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-\v 4 I saw thrones on which people were sitting. God gave them authority to judge. I also saw the souls of other people whose heads had been cut off because they had spoken the truth about Jesus and had declared God's message. They were people who had refused to worship the beast or its image, and who had not allowed the beast's servants to put the beast's mark on them, either on their foreheads or on their hands. They became alive again, and they ruled with Christ during those one thousand years.
+\v 4 I saw thrones on which people were sitting. God gave them authority to judge. I also saw the souls of other people whose heads had been cut off because they had spoken the truth about Jesus and had declared God's message. They were people who had refused to worship the beast or its image, and who had not allowed the beast's servants to put the beast's mark on them, either on their foreheads or on their hands. They became alive again, and they ruled with the Messiah during those one thousand years.
 
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 \v 5 They were the ones who lived again the first time that God caused dead people to live again. The rest of the believers who had died did not live again until after those one thousand years.
-\v 6 God will be pleased with those who live again this first time. God will consider them holy. They will not die a second time. Instead, they will be priests who serve God and Christ, and they will rule with Christ during those one thousand years.
+\v 6 God will be pleased with those who live again this first time. God will consider them holy. They will not die a second time. Instead, they will be priests who serve God and the Messiah, and they will rule with the Messiah during those one thousand years.
 
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@@ -984,7 +984,7 @@ curse you and say terrible things about you because you follow Christ. Those Jew
 
 
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-\v 17 God's Spirit and his people, who are like the bride of Christ, say to each one who desires to believe, "Come!" Whoever hears this should also say to each one who desires to believe, "Come!" The people who want to come should come! Everyone who desires the water that enables people to live forever should take it as a free gift!
+\v 17 God's Spirit and his people, who are like the bride of the Messiah, say to each one who desires to believe, "Come!" Whoever hears this should also say to each one who desires to believe, "Come!" The people who want to come should come! Everyone who desires the water that enables people to live forever should take it as a free gift!
 
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