| Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. | Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. |
| You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. | You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. |
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| Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. | Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. |
| And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. | And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. |
| Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. | Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. |
| Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. | Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. |
| I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. | I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! |
| Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. | Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. |
| If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. | Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. |
| Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. | For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. |
| For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple. They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any 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. |
