He reserves his wisdom for the upright and is a shield to those who lead blameless lives. | He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly. |
The upright are guarded by their integrity; the treacherous are destroyed by their own duplicity. | The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. |
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The proud man’s heart is not upright, but the righteous man will live because of his faith. | Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith. |
The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright, but destruction for evildoers. | The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright, but destruction for evildoers. |
Good and upright is the Lord; therefore, he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them the path to follow. | Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. |
He is a rock, his deeds are perfect, and all of his ways are just. He is a God of truth who does no wrong; he is just and upright. | The Rock, his work is perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God, without deceit, just and upright is he. |
Do not envy a violent man or choose to emulate any of his ways. For the perverse man is an abomination to the Lord whose friendship is bestowed only upon the upright. | Do not envy the violent and do not choose any of their ways; for the perverse are an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence. |
I will praise you in sincerity of heart as I ponder your righteous judgments. | I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous ordinances. |
The name of the Lord is a tower of strength; the upright man runs to it and finds refuge. | The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe. |
Let those who are wise understand these words, and let the prudent acknowledge them. For straight are the ways of the Lord; the upright walk in them, but sinners stumble. | Those who are wise understand these things; those who are discerning know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them. |
For the word of the Lord is true, and he is faithful in everything he does. | For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. |
To the loyal, you show yourself to be loyal; to the blameless, you show yourself to be blameless. | With the loyal you show yourself loyal; with the blameless you show yourself blameless. |
For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to the entire human race. It teaches us to reject godless ways and worldly desires, and in the present age to lead lives that are temperate, just, and godly. | For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly. |
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Let your gracious Spirit lead me along a level path. | Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Let your good spirit lead me on a level path. |
I have instructed you in the ways of wisdom and led you along the paths of righteousness. | I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. |
However, if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you are upright in your dealings with your neighbor; if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow; if you do not shed innocent blood in this place; and if you do not follow other gods and thereby cause your own destruction, then I will allow you to live in this place, in the land that I gave as a permanent gift to your fathers long ago. | For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever and ever. |
Recognizing that laws are not designed for the upright. They are for the lawless and insubordinate, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and irreligious; they are for those who slay their fathers and mothers, for murderers, for those who are fornicators, sodomites, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which has been entrusted to me. | This means understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers, fornicators, sodomites, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. |
At the time that discipline is received, it always seems painful rather than pleasant, but afterward it yields a harvest of peace and uprightness to those who have been trained by it. | Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. |
For the carved images of the nations are powerless; they are nothing more than wood cut from a forest, fashioned with a knife by craftsmen and embellished with silver and gold. Then they are fastened with hammers and nails to prevent them from toppling. Like scarecrows in a cucumber field they are unable to speak, and they must be carried from place to place since they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they can do no harm, nor do they have any power to do good. | For the customs of the peoples are false: a tree from the forest is cut down, and worked with an ax by the hands of an artisan; people deck it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor is it in them to do good. |
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in uprightness, so that the man of God may be proficient and equipped for good work of every kind. | All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. |
Indeed, it is seldom that anyone will die for a just person, although perhaps for a good person someone might be willing to die. Thus, God proved his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. | Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. |
Anyone who leads an honorable life walks in safety, but whoever pursues wicked ways will be found out. | Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out. |
The one who leads a blameless life and does what is right, who speaks the truth from the heart and does not slander anyone, who does not harm a friend and does not scorn a neighbor. | Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart; who do not slander with their tongue, and do no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors. |