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 vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good. |
My soul longs for you throughout the night, and my spirit within me seeks your presence. For when your judgments are revealed to the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn to practice justice. | My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. |
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The love of money is the root of all evils, and in their desire for it some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many serious wounds. | For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. |
Jesus addressed them once again, saying, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness. Rather, he will have the light of life.” | Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” |
If you forgive others for the wrongs they have done, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. | For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. |
I further pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know the hope to which he has called you, how rich and glorious is his inheritance in the saints. | Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. |
Therefore, while we have the opportunity, let us labor for the good of all, but especially for those members of the household of the faith. | So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. |
Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. | Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. |
I understand that man’s greatest happiness is to be glad and do well throughout his life. And when we eat and drink and find satisfaction in all our labors, this is a gift of God. | I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. |
He replied, “What is impossible for men is possible for God.” | But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” |
For God would not be so unjust as to ignore your work and the love that you have shown for his name by the services you have rendered to the saints and still continue to render. | For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. |
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. | 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. |
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to place your trust in mortals. | It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. |
May God continue to bless us and be revered to the ends of the earth. | God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him! |
And the one who searches hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. | And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. |
A gift opens doors for the giver and wins him access to the powerful. | A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before the great. |
All day long the godless man continues to covet, whereas the righteous man gives unsparingly. | All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back. |
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in accord with the law of the Lord. | Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! |
With the Lord to protect me I am not afraid. What can mortals do to me? | The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? |
The fear of others will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is secure. | The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. |
A man’s ways may seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart. | Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart. |
In all of your prayers and entreaties, pray always in the Spirit. To that end, keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. | Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. |
As a result, you are no longer strangers and foreigners. Rather, you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. | So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. |
Two are better than one: they earn a far greater reward for their toil. | Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. |
Because the sentence for committing an evil act is not carried out quickly, people’s hearts are prone to act wickedly. | Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. |