| A man’s pride will bring him low, but lowly souls will rise to honor. | Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor. |
| If you are angry, do not sin. Do not let the sun set on your anger, and do not give the devil an opening. | “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. |
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| The prudent man perceives danger and seeks shelter, while the simple continue forward and pay the penalty. | The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. |
| While experiencing temptation, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. | When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. |
| In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and barren, and darkness covered the abyss while the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. | In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. |
| Therefore, while we have the opportunity, let us labor for the good of all, but especially for those members of the household of the faith. | Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. |
| He gives a home to those who are forsaken and leads out prisoners amid chants of exultation, while rebels are forced to live in an arid land. | God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. |
| For his anger lasts for only a moment, while his goodwill endures for a lifetime. Weeping may last throughout the night, but at daybreak there is rejoicing. | For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. |
| I am confident that I will behold the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. | I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. |
| After John had baptized all the people, and while Jesus was engaged in prayer after also having been baptized, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.” | When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” |
| Everyone who seeks a prize submits himself to rigorous self-discipline in every respect. They do so to win a perishable crown, while we seek an imperishable one. | Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. |
| Those who live according to the flesh fix their attention on the things of the flesh, while those who live according to the Spirit set their thoughts on spiritual things. | Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. |
| Let us never grow weary in doing what is right, for if we do not give up, we will reap our harvest in due time. | Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. |
| Enriched in every way, you will be able to practice all your acts of generosity, which, through our intervention, will result in thanksgiving to God. | You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. |
| After he had decided to follow this course of action, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to receive Mary into your home as your wife. For this child has been conceived in her womb through the Holy Spirit.” | But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” |
| Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. | “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” |
| If anyone thinks that he is religious but does not restrain his tongue, he is deceiving himself, and his religion is worthless. | Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. |
| When things are going well, be grateful for your blessings, and in times of adversity consider this: God has made both of them, so that we cannot predict with confidence what the future holds. | When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future. |
| Therefore, the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trials and to hold the wicked for punishment until the Day of Judgment. | If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. |
| Remember your Creator in the days of your youth before the bad times come and the years draw near when you will say, “I take no pleasure in them”. | Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”. |
| As long as I remained silent, my body wasted away as the result of my groaning throughout the day. | When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. |
| The love of money is the root of all evils, and in their desire for it some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many serious wounds. | For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. |
| 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. | 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. |
| He builds his upper chambers in the heavens and establishes his vault of the sky over the earth— the Lord is his name. | He builds his lofty palace in the heavens and sets its foundation on the earth; he calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land— the Lord is his name. |
| I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch that does not bear fruit, and every branch that does he prunes to make it bear even more. | I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. |
