Bible verses about "worldliness" | JMNT

¹⁷ This, then, I am continually saying and giving evidence of (or: attesting) within the Lord: no longer are you to be continuously walking [your path] (i.e., conducting yourself; adjusting your behavior) according to the way that the nations (the multitudes; the non-Israelites; the Gentiles; the ethnic or special or pagan groups) are continuously walking around (ordering their behavior) within the emptiness (vanity; frivolity; futility) of their mind (or: intellect), ¹⁸ being folks having been, any still yet being, darkened in (or: by) the divided thought and the thing passing through the mind, having been and continuing being alienated (estranged) away from the Life of God (or: God's life; or the life which is God) through the ignorance continuously existing (or: being) within them [and] through the petrifying (becoming stone; callousness; = insensitivity) of their heart, ¹⁹ which certain people, being folks having ceased to feel pain (being insensible or callous), gave themselves over (abandoned themselves) to outrageous behavior (excessive indulgence; wantonness; licentiousness), into every unclean performance (work, trade, business or labor of impurity) in greed (always wanting more; covetousness; schemes of extortion; = wanting more than ones due, in disregard for others). ²⁰ But you folks did not learn the Christ in this way,

²² So repeatedly take flight away from the youthful (juvenile; adolescent) over-desires (or: rushing upon innovative things; or: full passions for revolutionary or modern wants), yet constantly run after and steadily pursue justice (fair and equitable dealings, in rightwised relationships corresponding to the Way pointed out; also = covenant participation), faith (trust; fidelity), love [and] peace, together with all those persistently (repeatedly; habitually) calling upon the Lord [= Yahweh or Christ] from out of a clean heart.

⁴ No one serving a tour of duty as a soldier (currently performing military service or being at war) habitually intertwines or entangles himself in (or: by) everyday affairs (undertakings and activities; business performances) of the course of life (or: of making a living), in order that he may please (or: be acceptable to) the one enlisting him in military service (the one collecting soldiers to gather an army).

¹⁴ As children of (= having the qualities of and characteristics from) submissive, attentive hearing (or: Like listening and obedient born-ones), not being folks repeatedly molding, forming, fashioning or configuring yourselves to and by the former cravings (the prior over-desires or full passions), within your ignorance,

¹¹ Folks that are loved (Beloved ones): I am presently calling you alongside to encourage, aid, comfort and admonish you, as resident aliens (exiles; sojourners; one dwelling beside citizens in a foreign country) and temporary residents (expatriates; strangers) to continually hold yourselves away from the fleshly over-desires (passions; full-rushing upon things), which things are constantly warring (doing military service; battling) down against the soul (the inner self and being), ¹² But these, as irrational (wordless; unreasoning) living ones (or: animals), being creatures of instinct having been born unto capture and then corruption (decay; ruin), within which things – being continuously ignorant – they are constantly blaspheming (speaking slander, insult and abusive speech; injuriously vilifying; or: hindering the Light) within their corruption, and they will be progressively ruined (spoiled; corrupted), ¹³ being folks habitually wronging themselves (or, reading as a passive: being wronged; suffering injustice) [other MSS: will be ones getting for themselves] – a wage of unrighteousness (inequity; injustice; wrong; nonobservance of the Way pointed out) – folks continuously leading or governing, while considering the luxury (or: softness and daintiness; delicate living; effeminateness) in daytime (in broad daylight) a pleasure (enjoyment; gratification). [They are] spots (or: stains) and disgraceful flaws [that] are continuously living within luxury amidst their delusions (or: deceptions) [other MSS: love-feasts] – folks repeatedly feasting (or: banqueting) together with you folks – ¹⁴ people always having bulging eyes very full of an adulteress (= for nothing but adultery), and being unceasing regarding sin and error; people by habit using bait to entrap unstable souls (= people); folks constantly having a heart that has been exercised (trained in gymnastic discipline) regarding greed (desire for advantage and riches); children of a cursing (or: having the qualities and character of [the] curse). ¹⁵ By practice leaving behind [other MSS: at one point abandoning] [the; a] straight path (road; Way), they were (or: are) led astray (or: caused to wander), following out the path (road; way) of Balaam of Bosor [other MSS: Beor] who loved [the] wage of injustice (inequity; wrongdoing; unrighteousness; nonobservance of the Way pointed out).

¹⁹ These folks are those who are separating by setting boundaries, soulish ones (folks dominated by, or living focused on, those things which characterize the soul [= emotions; will; intellect; "feelings"] or this present, transient life) not having [the] Spirit (or: not habitually holding a [proper] attitude; or: not continually in possession of spirit or Breath-effect).

¹⁹ "If you had been and yet had your being from out of the System (or: controlling world of culture, religion and politics) as a source, the System (world with its control by religion and politics) would have been being friendly toward and fond of its own production and possession. Yet now, because you do not exist from out of the System (world) as a source – but to the contrary I have selected (or: chosen) and picked you out from the midst of the System (from the world's culture, religion and politics) – on account of this, the System (world; institutional religion; society; political government) continues treating you with ill-will (or: habitually hates you).

¹² progressively educating and training us so that, being people refusing (renouncing; denying; disowning; turning our backs on) the irreverence (lack of awe or pious fear; disrespect of and absence of duty to God) and over-desires (full-rushing passions) pertaining to the System (or: whose source is the world), we can (may; would) live sensibly (with clear-headed soundness of mind and wholesomeness of disposition and attitude) and equitably (fairly; justly; rightwisedly; relationally in a way which reflects the Way pointed out) and reverently (in devout goodness, awe and virtuous conduct, and with ease and well-being from relationship with God) within the current age (or: the present indefinite period of time, or eon),

¹⁵ You folks should not be habitually loving (as indicative: are not normally accepting; as imperative: Stop constantly seeking reunion with) the world (secular realm and the controlling ordered System of culture, religion, economy and government), neither (or: not even) the things within the world (ordered system). If anyone is in the habit of (or: keeps on) loving the world (ordered system of religion, or of secular society), the Father's [other MSS: God's] Love (or: the love which the Father has; the Love which is the Father) does not exist within him, ¹⁶ because everything within the world (ordered but dominating System of the secular and the religious) – the flesh's over-desire (full passion of the alienated human nature; lust of the estranged self; earnest wants of the false persona that was conformed to the System), and the eyes' over-desire, and the arrogant ostentation (haughty, presumptuous or pretentious egoism) pertaining to living (= the biological and sociological life we live), is not out of the Father as a source (or: does not proceed from the Father), but rather is continuously forth from out of the world (the ordered System of society, culture and religion),

⁴ Adulterers and adulteresses (= Folks unfaithful to Christ or God as your husband)! Have you not seen, and are you not aware, that the System's friendship (the affection whose source is this world of religion, secular culture, economy and government) is a source of enmity with God (or: hostility and active hatred with regard to God; [Aleph reads: exists being alienation to God])? Whoever, then, may have been made to want (to intend; to purpose) to be the System's (or: world's) friend is continuing to be established (habitually set down; progressively rendered or constituted) [as] God's alienated and hostile person.

² Be constantly minding (thinking about; setting your disposition and sentiments toward; paying regard to) the upward things (or: the things above), not the things upon the earth,

² And stop constantly conforming yourselves to (or, as passive: So then, quit being repeatedly molded by, fashioned for or patterned together with) this age [with other MSS: and not to be continuously configured to this age, or not to constantly remodel yourself for this age], but on the contrary, be progressively transformed (transfigured; changed in form and semblance) by the renewing (or: in the renewal; for the making-back-up-new again) of your mind [with other MSS: from The Mind; of the intellect; pertaining to the faculties of perceiving and understanding; of the mindset, disposition, inner orientation and world view] into the [situation and condition for] you folks to be habitually examining in order to be testing and, after scrutiny, distinguishing and approving what [is] God's will (design; purpose; resolve; intent): the good and well-pleasing, even perfect (finished, complete and destined)! (or: = the thing [that is] virtuous, satisfying and able to succeed in its purpose.)

¹⁵ You folks should not be habitually loving (as indicative: are not normally accepting; as imperative: Stop constantly seeking reunion with) the world (secular realm and the controlling ordered System of culture, religion, economy and government), neither (or: not even) the things within the world (ordered system). If anyone is in the habit of (or: keeps on) loving the world (ordered system of religion, or of secular society), the Father's [other MSS: God's] Love (or: the love which the Father has; the Love which is the Father) does not exist within him, ¹⁶ because everything within the world (ordered but dominating System of the secular and the religious) – the flesh's over-desire (full passion of the alienated human nature; lust of the estranged self; earnest wants of the false persona that was conformed to the System), and the eyes' over-desire, and the arrogant ostentation (haughty, presumptuous or pretentious egoism) pertaining to living (= the biological and sociological life we live), is not out of the Father as a source (or: does not proceed from the Father), but rather is continuously forth from out of the world (the ordered System of society, culture and religion), ¹⁷ and the world (ordered System of religion, society, culture, economy and government) is progressively (or: constantly; repeatedly) being caused to pass along (pass by; pass away), as well as its over-desire (full passion; earnest wants; lust), yet the person constantly doing (or: performing) God's will (intent; purpose; desire) remains (abides; dwells) on into the Age (= the time and sphere characterized by the Messiah).