| For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. | The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow. |
| But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. | But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. |
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| Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. | When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. |
| I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. | I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches. |
| How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. | And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath. |
| How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! | How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver! |
| Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince. | Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler. |
| And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. | When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before! |
| I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. | Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. |
| If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. | Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. |
| If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? | So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. |
| For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. | For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. |
| How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? | Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. |
| Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? | Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! |
| But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. | But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. |
| Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. | Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. |
| But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. | But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. |
| Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? | Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? |
| But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. | When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. |
| Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. | Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. |
| And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. | But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ |
| And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. | Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. |
| And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. | And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! |
| Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. | Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest. |
| But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. | You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. |
