| Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? | Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? |
| Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. | Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. |
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| Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. | Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. |
| But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. | Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. |
| As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. | You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. |
| Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. | Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. |
| And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. | And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. |
| May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus. | May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had. |
| For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. | For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. |
| The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. | The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. |
| For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever. | If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. |
| He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend. | 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. |
| For the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good. | For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good. |
| And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. | The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. |
| Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life. | Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. |
| And rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. | Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. |
| Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! | How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! |
| Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. | Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. |
| And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. | And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. |
| Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. | Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. |
| I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. | I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. |
