| “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh. | “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. |
|
| But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord 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 Yahweh, “thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future.” | 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. |
| Yahweh, you have searched me, and you know me. You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar. | You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. |
| In the multitude of my thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul. | When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. |
| Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then 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. |
| Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls. | Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. |
| For a thousand years in your sight are just like yesterday when it is past, 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. |
| Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which 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. |
| “Come now, and let’s reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins are as 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 though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh. | For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. |
| For you, God, have tested us. You have refined us, as silver is refined. | For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. |
| ‘You shall not murder.’ ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not steal.’ ‘You shall not offer false testimony.’ ‘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.’ |
| Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding. | The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. |
| Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning. | Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. |
| You are my hiding place. You will preserve me from trouble. You will 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. |
| Even 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 covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, 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.” |
| Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. | Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. |
| What is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him? | What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? |
| But from there you shall seek Yahweh your God, and you will find him when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. | But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. |
| For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to 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. |
| You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder. | You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. |
| My soul, you have said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing.” | I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” |
