Bible verses about "distractions" | JMNT

³⁴ "Therefore, you folks should not fret, be anxious, be full of care or be worrying [with a fixation] into the next day, for the next day will be concerned about itself (or: will have anxiety of its own). Sufficient and adequate for (or: to; in) the day [is] its own situation as it ought not to be (bad quality and worthless condition).

¹ Thereupon Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Breath-effect (or: was at once brought {or: guided} back again, under the Spirit, into the lonely, desolate and uninhabited region) to be examined, tested, tried, put to the proof, and put through an ordeal under and by the one who thrusts [something] through [folks] (or: the devil; the prejudiced adversary; the slanderous opponent; the backbiting false accuser; or: by that which was cast through [Him]). ² And after fasting forty days and forty nights, He subsequently experienced hunger (or: felt famished). ³ Then, upon approaching and facing [Him], the examiner (the one continuously testing and bringing ordeals) said to Him, "Since You are God's Son (or: If you continue existing being a son of and from God), speak so that these stones can become (or: should come to be) loaves of bread." ⁴ Yet He, making a discerning reply, said, "It has been written, 'Mankind (or: The human) will not be habitually living on bread, alone, but rather on every utterance (gush-effect; result of a saying; effect of a flow; declaration; spoken word) which is constantly going forth (or: proceeding out) through God's [= Yahweh's] mouth.'" [Deut. 8:3] ⁵ At that time, the adversary (the one who thrusts [something] through folks; the devil) proceeds in taking Him along into the set-apart (holy) city, and then sets (or: placed; stationed; stands) Him upon the little wing of the Temple complex (or: court; grounds), ⁶ and it proceeds saying to Him, "Since You are God's Son (or: If you exist being a son of and from God), hurl (fling; cast) Yourself down, for it has been written, 'He will constantly give inner direction (or: an imparted goal) to His agents (or: messengers) about (concerning) You,' and, 'They will repeatedly lift You up (or: = catch You) on [their] hands (or: = so as to carry You in their arms) so that You would never strike Your foot against a stone (or: = so that you can at no time stumble or hurt Yourself).'" [Ps. 91:11-12] ⁷ Jesus affirmed to it, "Again, it has been written, 'You will not continue putting [the] Lord [= Yahweh], your God, to the test (or: You will not repeatedly attempt to set Yahweh out on trial or check out some proof about Him).'" [Deut. 6:16] ⁸ Again the opponent (adversary; one thrusting-through into [Him]) is progressively taking Him along – into an extremely high mountain range (or: a very high mountain), and successively points out for Him all the world's kingdoms (or: progressively shows to Him all the reigns of the controlling ordered-system of secular society), as well as their glory (their splendor and manifestations which call forth praise; their reputations). ⁹ Then it said to Him, "I will give all these things to You, if – falling prostrate – You would pay homage to me (worship me; do obeisance to me)." ¹⁰ At this [saying], Jesus then says to it, "Bring [it] under control, adversary (or: Subject [yourself], satan; Sink down below, adversary; Carry [this] off below, hateful accuser; or: Go away, satan)! You see, it has been written, 'You will constantly pay homage to (do obeisance to; worship; fall down and kiss the feet of) [the] Lord [= Yahweh] your God, and to Him alone you will repeatedly render hired service (or: sacred service).'" [Deut. 6:13] ¹¹ At that point, the opponent (the adversary; the one who had been thrusting [Him] through) progressively flowed away from Him (or: proceeded to divorce Him; presently abandoned Him) – and, note and consider this! – agents (messengers) approached (came forward) and began giving attending service to (or: continued rendering ministering service and provision for) Him.

²² "And so, you will progressively take to yourselves and receive everything (or: all things) – as much or as many as you folks ever could (or: may) request in thoughts or words toward things going well (or: in union with prayer), while continuously trusting and 'faithing' (= expressing, living in, and being joined to faith and belief)!"

¹⁶ So I continue saying, be habitually walking about (= living your life) in spirit (or: by [the] Spirit; with a Breath-effect), and you should under no circumstance (or: would by no means) bring to fruition (carry to its goal; end up with; bring to maturity) the full rushing passion (the over-desire; craving) originating in flesh (= pertaining to the estranged human nature, or the self which has been dominated by a system of culture or religion; or: corresponding to flesh- [righteousness]; belonging to [a religious system] of flesh-works). ¹⁷ For the flesh [system or nature] is constantly rushing passionately down upon (or: against) the spirit (or: Breath-effect), and the spirit (or: Breath-effect) down on (or: against) the flesh [nature, or, system of religion], for these things are constantly lying in opposition to each other (lying set to displace each other), so that – whatever you may habitually be intending (wanting; willing; purposing) – these things you repeatedly can not be doing. [comment: either because of the estranged flesh nature, or, because of the rules of the system]

¹³ I constantly have strength for all things among all people, [from being] in union with and within the midst of the One continuously enabling me (empowering me; infusing me with power and ability): Christ!

²⁴ "No one continues being able (has habitual power) to continue being, or performing as, a slave for two owners (lords; masters). You see, he will either proceed in hating (or: regarding with ill will) the one and will continue loving the different one, or he will continue holding firmly to and having instead the one, and will proceed despising (having a negative attitude and disposition toward) the different one. You folks are not able (still have no power) to continue being, or performing as, slaves for God and at the same time for money and riches (you can't be enslaved to both God and wealth)! ²⁵ "On this account I continue saying to you: Do not constantly take anxious care, worry or undue concern for your soul-lives (or: your being) – what you can or should eat, or what you folks should or may habitually be drinking; nor, for your body – with what you folks should clothe yourselves. Is not the soul-life (a person's inner being and life) more than nourishment, and the body [more than] clothing? ²⁶ "Make an intent observation into the birds of the sky (or: atmosphere), so as to carefully consider them. [See within their situation] that they are not constantly sowing seeds (planting), neither are they periodically reaping (harvesting) nor gathering [food] together into storehouses (or: barns), and yet your heavenly Father (or: your Father Who inhabits, and can be compared to, the atmosphere) constantly feeds and nourishes them. Are you folks not exceedingly carrying through more, so as to be of more consequence, than they (= Are you not worth much more than they are)? ²⁷ "Now who of you folks, while habitually taking anxious care, undue concern, worry or by fretting, is normally able (progresses in power) to add to his stature one cubit (eighteen inches) or to provide one more arm's reach to his life span? ²⁸ "And so why are you folks constantly worrying or fretting about clothing? Fully learn about, and from, the lilies of the field – how they are progressively growing (or: Learn thoroughly and consider well how the wild anemones continue growing and increasing). They are not constantly working hard or becoming weary from struggle, nor are they habitually spinning to make thread for cloth, ²⁹ "yet I am now saying to you that not even Solomon, in all his splendor and glory clothed or arrayed himself as one of these [flowers]! ³⁰ "So now, if God thus continually dresses and adorns (or: invests) the vegetation of the field (or: countryside) – being in existence today, and tomorrow is being normally thrown into a furnace (or: oven; stove) – [will He] not much more readily and to a greater extent [take care of] you folks who have small faith and little trust? ³¹ "Therefore, you folks should not fret, be anxious, be full of care or be worrying, constantly saying, 'What can we eat?' or, 'What can we drink?' or, 'What can we put on ourselves to wear?' ³² "You see, the ethnic multitudes (the nations; the pagans; the non-Jews) are habitually in eager pursuit of these things – spending all of their energy in seeking them! After all, your heavenly Father (or: your Father Who inhabits, and can be compared to, the atmosphere) has seen and knows that you folks repeatedly have need for all of these things. ³³ "So you people be habitually and constantly seeking God's reign (or: sovereign activity and influence; kingdom) and the fairness and equity from Him, as well as the His justice and rightwised behavior in the Way, which He has pointed out (also: = covenant participation) – and all these things will be added to you! ³⁴ "Therefore, you folks should not fret, be anxious, be full of care or be worrying [with a fixation] into the next day, for the next day will be concerned about itself (or: will have anxiety of its own). Sufficient and adequate for (or: to; in) the day [is] its own situation as it ought not to be (bad quality and worthless condition).

³⁵ Now I am saying this with a view toward your personal advantage (that which brings benefits together to your very selves) – not so that I can throw a noose (= a leash) upon you folks! To the contrary, [it is] with a view toward good form (the well-fashioned [life]; the scene of ease and competent-appearing action) and a good seating, [being] undistracted beside the Lord (or: a close seat of ease, undistractedly sitting in the Lord).

⁸ In conclusion (or: Finally; or: What [is] left), brothers (= fellow believers; [my] family), as much as is true (or: as many things as are genuine and real), as many as [are] awe-inspiring (serious; respectable; noble; dignified by holiness), as much as [is] rightwised (put right; fair, equitable; just; in right relationship within the Way pointed out), as many as [are] pure and innocent, as much as [is] affection-inducing (friendly; directed toward what is liked; lovable or lovely; agreeable; well-regarded; winsome; engendering fondness; attractive; kindly disposed; loveable), as many as [are] well-spoken-of (commendable; reputable; of good report; the effect of fair speaking; renowned), if [there is] any excellence and nobleness (virtues of braveness, courage, good character, quality, self-restraint, magnificence, benevolence, reliability) [in them] and if [there is] any praise applied (expression of high evaluation; honor paid; approval or applause) [to them], be habitually thinking about these things in a logical way (repeatedly make these things the focus of careful consideration and analysis; continuously take these things into account)!

³⁸ Now on the [occasion for] them to be progressively going on their way, He entered into a certain village. And a certain woman, named Martha, welcomed Him under [her roof] and entertained Him as a guest, [after His entering] into the house. ³⁹ Now for her there was also a sister being normally called Mariam [other MSS: Mary] who also, sitting alongside near to the Lord's [other MSS: Jesus'] feet, began listening and kept on hearing His word (His logos; His idea, thoughts and message). ⁴⁰ But Martha kept on being pulled from all around and was thus distracted concerning much serving (or: = attending to many duties). So, taking a stand upon [the situation], she said, "Lord (or: Master), does it not now matter to You that my sister is leaving me completely alone to be continuously giving attending service? Speak to her, therefore, so that she would take hold together opposite me, and join in helping me." ⁴¹ But making a discerning response, the Lord [other MSS: Jesus] said to her, "Martha, Martha, you continue being anxious (overly concerned) and constantly troubled (upset) about many things [note: perhaps referring to the courses of the dinner], ⁴² yet there is a need of [only] a few things [or: dishes; courses], or of [just] one (or: But few are necessary, indeed [only] one; [other MSS: Yet there is a need of {only} one]). You see, Mariam [other MSS: Mary] selected (or: picks and chooses out) a good (virtuous; worthwhile) part (or: portion; [may = dish or course of the meal]) which will not be chosen away or lifted from her.

¹³ No trial (or: ordeal; temptation; putting to the proof; effect of probing and testing) has laid hold of or seized you folks except a human one (something pertaining to the human nature and situation). Now God [is] faithful, loyal, trustworthy, and full of faith and trust – One who will not permit (let, allow; or: let go; leave alone) you folks to be tested, tried, tempted or made to undergo an ordeal above (or: over; = beyond) that which you people continue having ability and power [to handle or endure], but to the contrary, together with the trial (or: ordeal), He will also continually make the way out (the egress; or: He also will habitually do the stepping forth from out of the midst; or: He will even progressively construct the out-come) to continually enable and repeatedly empower you folks to undergo [it] (to bear up under [it]; to carry on under [it], sustain [it], and lead on).