| Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility. | Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor. |
| The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. | The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve. |
|
| The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. | The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. |
| If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. | “Listen to me and make up your minds to honor my name,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “or I will bring a terrible curse against you. I will curse even the blessings you receive. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you have not taken my warning to heart.” |
| I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place. | In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free. |
| Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. | Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise. |
| And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. | If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. |
| Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. | Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. |
| Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. | “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” |
| Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. | Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! |
| For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. | The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. |
| And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. | Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. |
| Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. | Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. |
| I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? | I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman. |
| Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy. | Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace! |
| The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall. | The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces. |
| For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. | For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. |
| Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. | Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” |
| Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. | So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! |
| Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. | Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. |
| There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. | You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail. |
| And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. | All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. |
| But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. | But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. |
| Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. | You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” |
| Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. | That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” |
