Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death. | Treasures obtained by wicked means profit nothing, but a righteous life brings delivery from death. |
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. | I know how to live with little, and I know how to live with plenty. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. |
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Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? | Which one of you, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has sufficient funds for its completion? |
Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. | Moreover, the one to whom God grants wealth and possessions and the ability to enjoy them and to find contentment in his toil receives a gift from God. |
I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. | I rejoice in following your statutes more than I would rejoice in endless riches. |
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. | No one can serve two masters. For you will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. |
Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. | Wealth and honor are from you, you reign over all. In your hand are power and might; it to is in your hand make great and to give strength to all. |
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? | If anyone is rich in worldly possessions and sees a brother in need but refuses to open his heart, how can the love of God abide in him? |
Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. | A house and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is a gift from the Lord. |
The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. | The Lord makes poor and makes rich, he humbles and he also exalts. |
Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice. | It is better to have little and be righteous than to acquire great riches with injustice. |
Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. | As sorrowful, and yet we are always rejoicing; as poor, and yet we make many rich; as having nothing, and yet we possess everything. |
After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. | Thereupon the Lord restored the prosperity of Job after he had prayed for his friends, and he enriched him with twice as much as he had possessed before. |
As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? | When riches increase, so do those who are eager to accumulate them, and those who have accumulated them must remain content simply to feast their eyes on them. |
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously. | The wicked man borrows but neglects to repay, whereas the righteous man is generous in giving. |
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. | The wealthy man lords it over the poor, and the borrower becomes the slave of the lender. |
Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. | The brother who is in modest circumstances should take pride in being raised up. Likewise, the one who is rich should glory in being brought low, for he will disappear like a flower of the field. |
The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. | The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but worldly cares and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. |
A person’s riches may ransom their life, but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes. | A wealthy man pays a ransom to save his life; a poor man never has to worry about such threats. |
Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold. | Do not make gods from silver or from gold instead of me. You will not make them for yourselves. |
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 asked, “Ananias, why has Satan so gained control of your heart that you lied to the Holy Spirit and retained part of the sale price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not belong to you? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds yours? What caused you to contrive this scheme? You have lied not to men but to God.” |