And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. | And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment. |
And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. | I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to render an account for every careless word they utter. |
|
So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. | Therefore, the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trials and to hold the wicked for punishment until the Day of Judgment. |
How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver! | It is better to acquire wisdom rather than gold, and more desirable to acquire understanding rather than silver. |
Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. | Acquire wisdom and gain understanding; never forget or turn aside from my words. |
Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death. | Riches will be of no avail on the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. |
So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. | Therefore, let us leave behind the basic teaching about Christ and advance toward maturity. We must not be forever laying the foundation: repentance for actions that lead to death, faith in God, instruction about baptisms and the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. |
Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. | The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom, and no matter what the cost, acquire understanding. |
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. | The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. |
You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. | Therefore, you have no excuse, whoever you may be, when you pass judgment on others. For in judging others you condemn yourself, since you are doing the same things. |
So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. | Therefore, let us cease passing judgment on one another, but rather judge never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. |
We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty; but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us. | But the Almighty we cannot find; he is unequaled in power and judgment, and in his righteousness he will not violate justice. |
But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken! | No weapon used against you will prevail, and you will refute every accusation that is raised in court against you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, their vindication from me, says the Lord. |
And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment. | Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him. |
There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. | Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe in him already stands condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. |
Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. | The one who eats everything must not look contemptuously on the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed both. |
I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. | Brethren, I exhort you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to be in full agreement with one another and not permit any divisions to arise among you. Be perfectly united in mind and purpose. |
“They will be my people,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child.” | They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, my own special possession on the day when I act, and I will have compassion on them as a father has compassion on the son who serves him. |
Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval. | What right do you have to pass judgment on someone else’s servant? The master will determine whether that servant will stand or fall. But the servant will be upheld, for the Lord has the power to enable him to stand. |
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. | Through the grace that God has bestowed upon me, I advise every one of you not to think of yourself too highly, but to regard yourself objectively, based on the measure of faith that God has granted. |
Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living. | Rather, let justice flow like a river, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. |
He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. | For he guards the paths of justice and keeps watch over the way of his faithful ones. |
The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices. | To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. |
He loves whatever is just and good; the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth. | The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is filled with his kindness. |
Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. | Then you will understand equity and justice as well as righteousness—every good path. |