Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. | He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. |
If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. | If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. |
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All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. | Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. |
The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces. | The wise in heart will receive commands, But a prating fool will fall. |
Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined by these trials. But the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means. | Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. |
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. | For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. |
People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. | He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. |
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 oppressor, And choose none of his ways; For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, But His secret counsel is with the upright. |
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. | The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. |
So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. | Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment. |
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. | I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. |
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. | For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. |
We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us. | As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, To go as he came; And he shall take nothing from his labor Which he may carry away in his hand. |
People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness. | He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly. |
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. | A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. |
That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. | So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. |
Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God. | Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. |
The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow. | For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. |
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain. Stay there, and I will give you the tablets of stone on which I have inscribed the instructions and commands so you can teach the people.” | Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.” |
And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do. | In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. |
I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. | Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. |
He will judge everyone according to what they have done. | Who “will render to each one according to his deeds” |
God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. | Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. |
Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval. | Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. |
Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. | And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. |