| Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. | Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. |
| Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. | Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine. |
| Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people. | Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. |
| Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise. | Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. |
| The grapevines have dried up, and the fig trees have withered. The pomegranate trees, palm trees, and apple trees— all the fruit trees—have dried up. And the people’s joy has dried up with them. | The vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree— all the trees of the field—are dried up. Surely the people’s joy is withered away. |
| 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. | Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways. For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. |
| How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. | How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. |
| Yes, God will bless us, and people all over the world will fear him. | May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. |
| See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. | Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. |
| Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give! | All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. |
| Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. | Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. |
| Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. | Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. |
| For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. | For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. |
| Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. | But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. |
| The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? | The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? |
| Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety. | Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. |
| Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! | Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. |
| People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart. | A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart. |
| I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? | In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? |
| No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. | Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. |
| And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. | May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. |
| Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. | Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. |
| When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. | When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong. |
| If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. | For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. |
| 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. | And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. |
Bible verse of the day
You know what I long for, Lord;you hear my every sigh.