| 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. | Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol. They decorate it with gold and silver and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails so it won’t fall over. Their gods are like helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field! They cannot speak, and they need to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you 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. | In the night I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek you. For only when you come to judge the earth will people learn what is right. |
| 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 the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves 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.” | Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” |
| If you forgive others for the wrongs they have done, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. | If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will 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. | I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. |
| 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, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. |
| Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. | Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people. |
| 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. | So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. |
| He replied, “What is impossible for men is possible for God.” | He replied, “What is impossible for people 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. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, 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. | Don’t envy violent people or copy their ways. Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord, but he offers his friendship to the godly. |
| 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 people. |
| May God continue to bless us and be revered to the ends of the earth. | Yes, God will bless us, and people all over the world will 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 the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. |
| A gift opens doors for the giver and wins him access to the powerful. | Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people! |
| All day long the godless man continues to covet, whereas the righteous man gives unsparingly. | Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give! |
| Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in accord with the law of the Lord. | Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. |
| With the Lord to protect me I am not afraid. What can mortals do to me? | The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? |
| The fear of others will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is secure. | Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety. |
| A man’s ways may seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart. | People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their 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. | Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. |
| 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 now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. |
| Two are better than one: they earn a far greater reward for their toil. | Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. |
| Because the sentence for committing an evil act is not carried out quickly, people’s hearts are prone to act wickedly. | When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. |
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