| Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. | Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. |
| The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. | Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people. |
|
| To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. | The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices. |
| If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. | So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. |
| Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. | God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. |
| Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. | Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. |
| Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. | Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. |
| A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. | A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. |
| Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice. | Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest. |
| Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. | Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. |
| But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. | But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. |
| Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. | Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. |
| The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy. | The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth. |
| Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death. | Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life. |
| Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned. | But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned. |
| Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. | Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. |
| No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. | No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. |
| Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. | Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. |
| Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. | Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. |
| There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. | The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. |
| This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. | Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. |
| Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” | Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!” |
| Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery. | Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes. |
