| It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. | It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people. |
| For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end. | For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. |
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| And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. | And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. |
| And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. | And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame. |
| Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. | Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. |
| A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. | A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. |
| So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. | So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” |
| Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. | So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. |
| Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous. | Don’t envy violent people or copy their ways. Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord, but he offers his friendship to the godly. |
| Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. | Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. |
| Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. | But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. |
| That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ. | I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. |
| In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. | Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life. |
