| A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it! | A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word! |
| Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. | You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. |
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| But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. | Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. |
| Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. | No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. |
| Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. | He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. |
| Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. | The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. |
| A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. | Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. |
| For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light. | For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. |
| For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. | This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. |
| The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. | The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. |
| Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. | After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” |
| Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. | Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. |
| And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. | Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. |
| Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. | Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. |
| And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. | And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. |
| If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? | Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. |
| Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. | The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. |
| Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. | Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. |
| Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. | So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. |
| Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. | Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow. |
| Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord. | Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. |
| Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. | “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” |
| For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. | There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. |
| Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. | Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. |
| Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. | Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. |
