| For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh. | For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. |
| 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. | 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! |
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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. | 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. |
| 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, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? |
| What is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him? | What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? |
| 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, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mere mortals, human beings who are but grass. |
| Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad. | Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. |
| Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man. | As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. |
| 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.” | However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things 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. | For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. |
| There are many plans in a man’s heart, but Yahweh’s counsel will prevail. | Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. |
| The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent. | In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all 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. | For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of 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. | Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying 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. | Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our 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 beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. |
| That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. | Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to 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. | Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts 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. | So God created mankind in his own 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 through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. |
| A man’s heart plans his course, but Yahweh directs his steps. | In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. |
| 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 I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding 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. | The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, 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 in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. |
| 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 the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. |
