| A true friend is one at all times, and a brother is born to render help in time of need. | A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. |
| Do not forsake your friend or the friend of your father, and do not run to your brother’s house when troubles befall you; far better is a friend nearby than a brother who is far away. | Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away. |
|
| Some friends can lead us to ruin, but a true friend is closer than a brother. | One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. |
| Hence, be imitators of God, as beloved children. | Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children. |
| One who despairs should have the support of his friends even if he has forsaken the fear of the Almighty. | Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty. |
| As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the wits of his neighbor. | As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. |
| Adulterers! Do you not know that love of the world results in enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God. | You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. |
| The one who leads a blameless life and does what is right, who speaks the truth from the heart and does not slander anyone, who does not harm a friend and does not scorn a neighbor. | The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others. |
| If we are diligent in observing all of these commandments before the Lord, our God, as he commanded of us, then this will be our righteousness. | And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness. |
| Nor should you present any part of your body as an instrument for wickedness leading to sin. Rather, present yourselves to God as having been raised from death to life and the parts of your body to God as instruments for righteousness. | Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. |
| Make every effort to present yourself before God as one who is worthy of his approval, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, but who imparts the word of truth without any alteration. | Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. |
| Beloved, I pray that everything is going well with you and that your bodily health is equal to that of your soul. | Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. |
| I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have life. | I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. |
| Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. Being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. | Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! |
| No prophecy ever came from human initiative. Rather, when people spoke as messengers of God, they did so under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. | For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. |
| As servants of God, behave as free people, but do not use your freedom as a means to cover up wrongdoing. | Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. |
| But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people claimed by God as his own possession,” so that you may proclaim the praise of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. | But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. |
| And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a sacrificial offering whose fragrance is pleasing to God. | And walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. |
| However, you, dear friends, must build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God as you await our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy, who will grant you eternal life. | But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. |
| One who forgives a misdeed fosters friendship, but he who divulges it separates good friends. | Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. |
| But as for me, I will look to the Lord. I place my hope in God my savior; my God will hear me. | But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. |
| As a deer longs for running streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. | As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. |
| Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. | For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. |
| Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, and ardor is as relentless as the netherworld. Its flames are flashes of fire, an unending blaze. | Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. |
| Therefore, accept one another for the glory of God, just as Christ has accepted you. | Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. |
