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. |
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. | With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will 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 evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. |
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.” | Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but 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 men 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. | The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His 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. | Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. |
Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. | Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips And 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 know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. |
He replied, “What is impossible for men is possible for God.” | But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are 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 to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. |
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 the oppressor, And choose none of his ways; For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, But His secret counsel is with the upright. |
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to place your trust in mortals. | It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man. |
May God continue to bless us and be revered to the ends of the earth. | God shall bless us, And all the ends of the earth shall 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. | Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession 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 great men. |
All day long the godless man continues to covet, whereas the righteous man gives unsparingly. | He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare. |
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in accord with the law of the Lord. | Blessed are the undefiled in the way, 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 brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be 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 hearts. |
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 always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and 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. | Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief 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 labor. |
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 work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. |