| A friend loves at all times, and kinsfolk are born to share adversity. | A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. |
| Some friends play at friendship but a true friend sticks closer than one's nearest kin. | One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. |
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| No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. | Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. |
| For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. | If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. |
| How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! | How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! |
| One who forgives an affront fosters friendship, but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend. | Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. |
| Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. | Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. |
| And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken. | Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. |
| A perverse person spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. | A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. |
| Those who withhold kindness from a friend forsake the fear of the Almighty. | Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty. |
| Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens the wits of another. | As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. |
| The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. | And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. |
| Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. | Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. |
| Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” | Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” |
| Do not forsake your friend or the friend of your parent; do not go to the house of your kindred in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is nearby than kindred who are far away. | Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away. |
| For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. | I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. |
| Adulterers! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. | You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. |
| God gives the desolate a home to live in; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious live in a parched land. | God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. |
