| The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. | The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. |
| When the Lord your God has blessed you, as he promised you, you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you. | The Lord your God will bless you as he has promised. You will lend money to many nations but will never need to borrow. You will rule many nations, but they will not rule over you. |
| Words spoken by the wise bring them favor, but the lips of fools consume them. | Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words. |
| Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. | Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. |
| But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. | But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. |
| Without counsel, plans go wrong, but with many advisers they succeed. | Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success. |
| A wise child makes a glad father, but a foolish child is a mother's grief. | A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother. |
| All day long the wicked covet, but the righteous give and do not hold back. | Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give! |
| The wicked earn no real gain, but those who sow righteousness get a true reward. | Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last. |
| Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners. | Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” |
| A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. | Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. |
| A person's pride will bring humiliation, but one who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. | Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor. |
| But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ | But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ |
| Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God. | Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God. |
| For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light. | For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! |
| To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. | So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. |
| The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. | Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing. |
| The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright, but destruction for evildoers. | The way of the Lord is a stronghold to those with integrity, but it destroys the wicked. |
| A gossip goes about telling secrets, but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence. | A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. |
| The hope of the righteous ends in gladness, but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing. | The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing. |
| A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing personal opinion. | Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. |
| But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. | But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. |
| When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. | But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit. |
| What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! | Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! |
| Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. | Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. |
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