| We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. | With our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, ignoring its shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. |
| I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. | I have instructed you in the ways of wisdom and led you along the paths of righteousness. |
| Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. | Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze on what lies before you. |
| But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. | Yet even if you should suffer for doing what is right, you are thereby blessed. Have no fear of others, and refuse to be intimidated by them. |
| And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! | Out of the same mouth flow blessings and curses. This should not be so, my brethren. |
| Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” | What then should we say? That the Law is sinful? Absolutely not! Yet if it had not been for the Law, I would not have known what sin was. I would not have known what covet is if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” |
| So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. | Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you. |
| No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. | The Lord has told you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? Only this: to do what is right, to show mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. |
| “All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” | He continued, “Then put away the foreign gods from among you. Bend your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.” |
| So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. | Let us never grow weary in doing what is right, for if we do not give up, we will reap our harvest in due time. |
| 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 no one pays back evil for evil. Rather, always aim to achieve what is best for each other and for everyone. |
| What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’ | Woe to anyone who rises up against his Maker, or to the pot that is displeased with the potter. Does the clay say to the one who molds it, “What are you doing? Your work makes no sense.” |
| You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law. | We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet we know that a man is justified not by the works of the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ. So we too came to believe in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in him and not by the works of the Law, for no one will be justified by the works of the Law. |
| For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. | For one believes in the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. |
| But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. | But now the righteousness of God that is attested by the Law and the Prophets has been manifested apart from law: the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. No distinction has been made. |
| He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. | He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live in righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. |
| Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. | Grant justice to the weak and the orphan; defend the rights of the lowly and the poor. |
| Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. | Make your ways known to me, O Lord; teach me your paths. |
| Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. | Wash yourselves and become clean; remove your evil deeds far from my sight. Cease to do evil. |
| Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. | Brethren, if anyone is detected committing a transgression, you who are spiritual must set him right in a spirit of gentleness. Meanwhile, you should take care so that you yourselves are not tempted. |
| All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). | Therefore, you will be given this sign by the Lord himself: The virgin will be with child, and she will give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel. |
| Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life. | Treasures obtained by wicked means profit nothing, but a righteous life brings delivery from death. |
| Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. | Are you not aware that wrongdoers will never inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, extortioners, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. |
| Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death. | Riches will be of no avail on the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. |
| Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. | Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of your opportunity. Let your speech always be gracious and seasoned with wisdom, so that you will know how to respond properly to all. |
Related topics
Righteousness
Whoever pursues righteousness and...
Sin
Don’t you realize that...
Faith
I tell you, you...
Law
And you must commit...
Speaking
The tongue can bring...
Humility
Always be humble and...