Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” | Do not let anyone lead you astray. “Bad company corrupts good morals.” |
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. | For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer. However, the face of the Lord is set against those who do evil. |
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If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. | However, if we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all wrongdoing. |
Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! | Blessed are you when people hate you and ostracize you, when they insult you and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. |
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. | Therefore, put on the armor of God, so that you will be able to hold fast on the evil day and to hold your ground with all your strength. |
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. | For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disharmony and every type of wickedness. |
He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. | He reveals deep and hidden mysteries and knows what lies in the darkness, for light dwells with him. |
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”. | Remember your Creator in the days of your youth before the bad times come and the years draw near when you will say, “I take no pleasure in them”. |
Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy. | Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil, but those who counsel peace have joy. |
And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. | The Lord then said, “Very well. All that he has is in your power. However, you may not lay a hand upon him.” So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. |
Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. | As servants of God, behave as free people, but do not use your freedom as a means to cover up wrongdoing. |
Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? | Now who is going to harm you if you are eager to do what is right? |
Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. | Then keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. |
Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. | Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the prophets of that time proclaimed. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Forsake your evil ways and your evil deeds. But they refused to listen or to pay attention to me, says the Lord. |
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. | The love of money is the root of all evils, and in their desire for it some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many serious wounds. |
Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. | All you need to do is to say ‘Yes’ if you mean ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ if you mean ‘No.’ Anything beyond this comes from the evil one. |
Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. | Do not swerve either to the right or to the left; keep your foot far from evil. |
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. | Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and utter all kinds of calumnies against you for my sake. |
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. | Take care, brethren, that none of you will ever have an evil and unbelieving heart that will cause you to forsake the living God. |
It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. | Love does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. |
Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. | You have already been cleansed by the word I have spoken to you. |
Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. | The Lord God said, “Behold, man has become like one of us, for he has knowledge of that which is good and that which is evil. Now, we must prevent him from reaching out and taking the fruit of the tree of life lest he eat it and live forever.” The Lord God cast him out of the Garden of Eden; henceforth he was to labor tilling the soil from which he had come. |
Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. | Because the sentence for committing an evil act is not carried out quickly, people’s hearts are prone to act wickedly. |
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. | Turn away from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart. |
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. | Stand firm, then, with the belt of truth fastened around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness clothing you, and with your feet shod in zeal to proclaim the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold in your hand the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. |