I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. | I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent. |
The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. | The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness. |
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Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. | Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. |
I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. | As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! |
The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. | The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. |
Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will 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. |
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously. | The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. |
All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. | The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever. |
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry. | The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. |
All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. | Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give! |
Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. | For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love. |
The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. | The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing. |
With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape. | With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous. |
The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. | The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe. |
The name of the righteous is used in blessings, but the name of the wicked will rot. | We have happy memories of the godly, but the name of a wicked person rots away. |
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. | Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. |
The lips of the righteous know what finds favor, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse. | The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words. |
Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. | The godly are showered with blessings; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions. |
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. | Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” |
See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright— but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness. | Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God. |
For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. | Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. |
The Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. | The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. |
The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. | The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise. |
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. | The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless. |
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. | Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. |