What then should we say? That the Law is sinful? Absolutely not! Yet if it had not been for the Law, I would not have known what sin was. I would not have known what covet is if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” | Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” |
Love is patient; love is charitable. Love is not envious; it does not have an inflated opinion of itself; it is not filled with its own importance. Love is never rude; it does not seek its own advantage. It is not prone to anger; neither does it brood over setbacks. | Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. |
|
Rather, let justice flow like a river, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. | Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living. |
For nothing will be impossible for God. | For the word of God will never fail. |
Do not let kindness and fidelity leave you; fasten them around your neck and inscribe them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will gain favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. | Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation. |
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the eternal God, the Creator of the earth’s farthest boundaries. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding cannot be scrutinized. | Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. |
While experiencing temptation, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. | And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. |
Do not be afraid or dismayed, the Lord will go before you; he will not fail or forsake you. | Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you. |
The wicked man borrows but neglects to repay, whereas the righteous man is generous in giving. | The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. |
Where can I go to hide from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I take my rest in the netherworld, you are also there. | I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. |
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has been unable to overcome it. | The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. |
My mouth is filled with your praises as I relate your glory all day long. | That is why I can never stop praising you; I declare your glory all day long. |
I shall forgive them for their wicked deeds, and I shall remember their sins no more. | And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins. |
Love does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. | It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. |
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever. | And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. |
I did not hesitate to tell you what was for your benefit as I proclaimed the word to you and taught you publicly as well as from house to house. | I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. |
Indeed, the Lord God does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants, the prophets. | Indeed, the Sovereign Lord never does anything until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets. |
A highway will be there that will be called the Way of Holiness. No one who is unclean may pass over it; it will serve as a path for pilgrims and no fool will be able to use it. | And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; fools will never walk there. |
Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outer self is continuing to decay, our inner self is being renewed day by day. | That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. |
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. | How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! |
Keep falsehood and lying far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but simply provide me with the food that I need. | First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. |
To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. | All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. |
Therefore, I tell you that every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. | So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. |
He made him who did not know sin to be sin for our sake, so that through him we might become the righteousness of God. | For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. |
For the Lord loves the just, and he will not forsake his faithful ones. Those who follow evil paths will be destroyed, and the children of the wicked will be cut off. | For the Lord loves justice, and he will never abandon the godly. He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will die. |