For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God. | No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. |
Wealth is a ransom for a person's life, but the poor get no threats. | The rich can pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened. |
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The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established. | You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail. |
Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from one person's envy of another. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind. | Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. |
A person's pride will bring humiliation, but one who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. | Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor. |
A gift opens doors; it gives access to the great. | Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people! |
Anxiety weighs down the human heart, but a good word cheers it up. | Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. |
All deeds are right in the sight of the doer, but the Lord weighs the heart. | People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart. |
A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones. | A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. |
The wealth of the rich is their strong city; in their imagination it is like a high wall. | The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. |
The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. | Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart. |
And he said, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” | And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” |
If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. | If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. |
Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens the wits of another. | As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. |
A perverse person spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. | A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. |
A generous person will be enriched, and one who gives water will get water. | The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. |
There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death. | There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. |
What is desirable in a person is loyalty, and it is better to be poor than a liar. | Loyalty makes a person attractive. It is better to be poor than dishonest. |
The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. | A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. |
Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. | Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. |
If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. | God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. |
Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. | Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. |
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. | Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. |
Better is a little that the righteous person has than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. | It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly. |
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing personal opinion. | Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. |