Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. | Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. |
But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. | But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. |
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Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. | This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ |
Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. | Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. |
The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever. | All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. |
I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. | Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. |
“Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. | Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. |
Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. | Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. |
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. | Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. |
But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. | But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. |
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. | Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. |
You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. | Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. |
So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! | Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. |
Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name. | Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. |
You must serve only the Lord your God. If you do, I will bless you with food and water, and I will protect you from illness. | Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you. |
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. | Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops. |
And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? | Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? |
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. | Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. |
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. | As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. |
But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him. | But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. |
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. | Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. |
For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.’ | For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. |
So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. | If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. |
But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. | But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. |
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good. | And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good? |