For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh. | Although we are human beings, we do not engage in battle according to human standards. |
Who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross. | 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. |
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For no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit. | 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. |
God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t make it good? | God is not human, that he should lie, or the son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act, does he promise and then not fulfill it? |
What is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him? | What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? |
I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you, that you are afraid of man who shall die, and of the son of man who will be made as grass? | I, I alone, am the one who comforts you. Why then do you fear mortal men who must die, human beings who must perish like grass? |
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad. | Anxiety in the human heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad. |
Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man. | Just as water reflects one’s face, so does one human heart reflect another. |
But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him.” | For as it is written, “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has the human heart imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” |
For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. | Now we know that if the earthly tent in which we live is destroyed, we have a dwelling prepared for us by God, a dwelling in the heavens, not made with human hands, that will be eternal. |
There are many plans in a man’s heart, but Yahweh’s counsel will prevail. | Many are the plans in a human mind, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will prevail. |
The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent. | God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, but now he commands people everywhere to repent. |
For who among men knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God except God’s Spirit. | And just as no human being comprehends any person’s innermost being except the person’s own spirit within him, so also no one comprehends what pertains to God except the Spirit of God. |
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ. | Does it now appear to you that I am trying to gain the approval of human beings rather than the approval of God? Am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. |
Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. | For no one can be regarded as justified in the sight of God by keeping the Law. The Law brings only the consciousness of sin. |
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end. | He has made everything suitable for its time, and he has given men a sense of past and future, but they never have the slightest comprehension of what God has wrought from beginning to end. |
That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. | What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. |
For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. | The body is one, although it has many parts; and all the parts, though many, form one body. So it is with Christ. |
God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. | God created mankind in his image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. |
For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man. | For since death came into the world through a man, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a man. |
A man’s heart plans his course, but Yahweh directs his steps. | A man may plan his own course, but the Lord makes his steps secure. |
If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. | If in speaking I use human tongues and angelic as well, but do not have love, I am nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. |
The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the only born Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. |
For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily, and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power. | For it is in him that the entire fullness of deity dwells in bodily form, and you share this fullness in him who is the head of every ruler and power. |
God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist, that no flesh should boast before God. | God chose those in the world who were lowly and despised, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who were regarded as worthy, so that no one could boast in the presence of God. |