| Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. | Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and those who find it are few in number. |
| But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. | But who am I, and what are your people, that we should be able to do this? All things belong to you, and everything that we have given you is from your hand. |
| But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. | But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that the fact that you are fasting will not be obvious to others but only to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees everything that is done in secret will reward you. |
| Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. | Only goodness and kindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever. |
| For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. | For no one can be regarded as justified in the sight of God by keeping the Law. The Law brings only the consciousness of sin. |
| It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling. | It is honorable to avoid strife, but every fool is quarrelsome. |
| He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? | The Lord has told you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? Only this: to do what is right, to show mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. |
| For the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true. | For light produces all goodness and righteousness and truth. |
| Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever! | Oh, that they would have fear of me in their hearts and they would observe all of my commandments always. Then things would go well with them and their children forever. |
| For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. | While physical training has some value, the benefits of godliness are unlimited, since it holds out promise not only for this life but also for the life to come. |
| For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever. | However, if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you are upright in your dealings with your neighbor; if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow; if you do not shed innocent blood in this place; and if you do not follow other gods and thereby cause your own destruction, then I will allow you to live in this place, in the land that I gave as a permanent gift to your fathers long ago. |
| Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways, for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence. | Do not envy a violent man or choose to emulate any of his ways. For the perverse man is an abomination to the Lord whose friendship is bestowed only upon the upright. |
| But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’ | What I commanded them was this: Listen to my voice, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. If you follow all the ways that I command you, then you will prosper. |
| A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent. | A fool spurns his father’s correction, but whoever heeds admonition is prudent. |
| That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. | What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. |
| Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” | Jesus replied, “This is the work of God: to believe in the one whom he has sent.” |
| And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. | If you heed the voice of the Lord, your God, and you carefully observe all of the commandments that I have given you today, then the Lord, your God, will lift you up above all the other nations upon the earth. |
| But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. | But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and Samaria, and indeed to the farthest ends of the earth. |
| We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. | Brethren, we must always give thanks to God for you, and it is only right that we do so. For your faith grows ever more, and the love that all of you have for one another continues to increase. |
| For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. | For much wisdom can result in much sorrow, and those who increase their knowledge also increase their grief. |
| And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? | And so now, O Israel, what does the Lord, your God, require of you but to fear the Lord, your God, to walk in all of his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your soul, and to observe the commandments and the statutes that I am giving you today for your own good. |
| And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. | And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do as much. |
| You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. | It is the Lord, your God, whom you are to follow. You must fear him and observe his commandments and obey what he tells you and serve him and hold fast to him. |
| House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. | A house and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is a gift from the Lord. |
| Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved! | Restore us, O Lord of hosts; let your face shine upon us, and we will be saved. |
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