| He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly. | He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless. |
| The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. | The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. |
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| I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous ordinances. | I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. |
| The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright, but destruction for evildoers. | The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless, but it is the ruin of those who do evil. |
| 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. | Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. |
| The Rock, his work is perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God, without deceit, just and upright is he. | He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. |
| Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith. | See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright— but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness. |
| 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. | Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways. For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. |
| For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. | For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. |
| 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. | Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. |
| 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. | For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. |
| With the loyal you show yourself loyal; with the blameless you show yourself blameless. | To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless. |
| I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. | I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. |
| Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Let your good spirit lead me on a level path. | Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. |
| The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe. | The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. |
| 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. | For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good. |
| 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. | Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. |
| Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out. | Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. |
| 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. | The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. |
