“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. | “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. |
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. | As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. |
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But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. | But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. |
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. | For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. |
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. | You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. |
Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established. | Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. |
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting. | But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. |
Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident. | Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. |
Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” | Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” |
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. | If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. |
For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night. | A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. |
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. | Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. |
Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. | You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. |
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. | For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. |
“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” | “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” |
For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. | For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. |
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. | If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. |
‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ | ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ |
Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls— Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. | Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. |
You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah | You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. |
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. | Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. |
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” | The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” |
What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? | What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? |
For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. | If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. |
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. | Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. |