The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. | The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination. |
Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. | He who walks blamelessly and does what is right, and speaks truth in his heart; he who doesn’t slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his friend, nor casts slurs against his fellow man. |
Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. | A fool vents all of his anger, but a wise man brings himself under control. |
You must not exploit a widow or an orphan. If you exploit them in any way and they cry out to me, then I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will blaze against you, and I will kill you with the sword. Then your wives will be widows and your children fatherless. | You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child. If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. |
Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. | It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgment. |
But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers. | But if anyone doesn’t provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. |
I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. | I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. |
And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. | Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. |
For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. | Namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation. |
And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. | This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother. |
I will bless my people and their homes around my holy hill. And in the proper season I will send the showers they need. There will be showers of blessing. | I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing. I will cause the shower to come down in its season. There will be showers of blessing. |
Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. | Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning. |
Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words. | The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips. |
Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. | “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord Yahweh, “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?” |
Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people. | The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them. |
Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. | A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion. |
The rich can pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened. | The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, but the poor hear no threats. |
He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. | He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him. |
Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. | Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him. |
So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. | There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. |
Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. | Rest in Yahweh, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen. |
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. | For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows. |
Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. | Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion. |
If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. | He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. |
Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did? | Can anyone forbid these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just like us. |
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Bible verse of the day
Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline;whoever learns from correction is wise.