| How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! | Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! |
| Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. | Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. |
| Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words. | The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up. |
| Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. | He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. |
| A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. | A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter. |
| Indeed, the Sovereign Lord never does anything until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets. | Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. |
| Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment. | As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. |
| And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” | And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” |
| Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. | Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. |
| Loyalty makes a person attractive. It is better to be poor than dishonest. | What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar. |
| That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. | Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. |
| But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? | For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it? |
| A newly married man must not be drafted into the army or be given any other official responsibilities. He must be free to spend one year at home, bringing happiness to the wife he has married. | When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, and bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken. |
| Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. | Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. |
| Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! | Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. |
| So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. | Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. |
| A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother. | A wise son makes a glad father, But a foolish son is the grief of his mother. |
| Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. | As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything. |
| Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. | Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. |
| Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. | Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. |
| Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. | Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. |
| Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people! | A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men. |
| God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. | God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a dry land. |
| When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. | Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. |
| Never abandon a friend— either yours or your father’s. When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance. It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away. | Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away. |
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Bible verse of the day
So be strong and courageous,all you who put your hope in the Lord!