For the carved images of the nations are powerless; they are nothing more than wood cut from a forest, fashioned with a knife by craftsmen and embellished with silver and gold. Then they are fastened with hammers and nails to prevent them from toppling. Like scarecrows in a cucumber field they are unable to speak, and they must be carried from place to place since they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they can do no harm, nor do they have any power to do good. | For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple. They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good. |
Yet even if you should suffer for doing what is right, you are thereby blessed. Have no fear of others, and refuse to be intimidated by them. | But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” |
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Amen, amen, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. | Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. |
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified of them, for the Lord, your God, is going forth with you. He will never leave you or abandon you. | Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. |
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will ever snatch them from my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one. | And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one. |
How great you are, Lord God! There is no one like you, and there is no God except you alone, as everything that we have heard confirms. | Therefore You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. |
My son, do not ignore the Lord’s discipline or refuse to accept his rebuke. For the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, just as a father chastises a beloved son. | My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction; For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights. |
Above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth, or use any oaths at all. Let your “Yes” mean “Yes” and your “No” mean “No.” Otherwise you may be condemned. | But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment. |
If a man has recently been married, he is not to go off to battle nor have any other duty laid on him. He will be free to stay at home for one year so that he can bring happiness to the wife whom he has married. | When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, and bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken. |
It was not their own swords that won them the land, nor did their own arms make them victorious; rather, it was your right hand and your arm and the light of your face, because you loved them. | For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them. |
I refrained from eating any choice food, abstaining from consuming meat or wine, and I did not anoint myself until those three weeks had passed. | I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. |
Do not succumb to the love of money, but be content with what you have, for God has said, “I will never forsake you or abandon you.” | Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” |
I will establish my covenant with you: never again will all living creatures be cut off by the waters of a flood, nor will the earth be laid waste by a flood again. | Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth. |
Dear children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. | My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. |
Do not make gods from silver or from gold instead of me. You will not make them for yourselves. | You shall not make anything to be with Me—gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves. |
Acquire wisdom and gain understanding; never forget or turn aside from my words. | Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. |
There is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing secret that will not become known. | For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. |
Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. | Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. |
There is no holy one like the Lord, there is none beside you, nor is there a rock like our God. | No one is holy like the Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. |
If you are angry, do not sin. Do not let the sun set on your anger, and do not give the devil an opening. | “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. |
While experiencing temptation, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. | Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. |
There is no salvation in anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved. | Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. |
Do not love the world or what is in the world. If anyone does love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. | Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. |
I have not strayed from the commandments of his lips; I have treasured in my heart the words of his mouth. | I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food. |
Every good act of giving and every perfect gift are from above, coming down from the Father of all light. With him there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. | Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. |