| Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent. | Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. |
| But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to raise his eyes toward heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ | But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ |
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| For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age. | For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. |
| Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” | Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” |
| Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction. | Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. |
| A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. | A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. |
| So then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober. | So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. |
| Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal. | Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. |
| One who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor one who loves abundance with its income. This too is futility. | Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. |
| One who loves discipline loves knowledge, But one who hates rebuke is stupid. | Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid. |
| There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven. | There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. |
| Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. | Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. |
| But sexual immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. | But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. |
| Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. | Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. |
| And because the midwives feared God, He established households for them. | And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. |
| Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. | Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. |
| He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds. | He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. |
| For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. | For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. |
| As sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things. | Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. |
| For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. | For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. |
| So having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent. | In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. |
| Do not weary yourself to gain wealth; Stop dwelling on it. | Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. |
| For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. | For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. |
| Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and about the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. | Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. |
| Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fertile field, And the fertile field is considered as a forest. | Till the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest. |
