| A perverse man sows strife, and a tale-bearer destroys close friendships. | A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. |
| Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. | Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. |
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| Seek the Lord while he still may be found; call to him when he is close at hand. | Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. |
| One who forgives a misdeed fosters friendship, but he who divulges it separates good friends. | Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. |
| The righteous call out, and the Lord hears them; he rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord remains close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those whose spirit is crushed. | The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. |
| Some friends can lead us to ruin, but a true friend is closer than a brother. | One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. |
| The time of fulfillment has arrived, and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. | “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” |
| From that day forward Jesus began to proclaim the message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.” | From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” |
| But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees everything that is done in secret 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. |
| Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; if he closes his lips, he is regarded as intelligent. | Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. |
| Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you waverers. | Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. |
| The Lord is near to all who call out to him, to all who call out to him sincerely. | The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. |
| No one has ever seen God. It is the only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, who has made him known. | No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. |
| The Lord is good, an unfailing refuge in a time of distress. He takes care of those who place their trust in him. | The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. |
| Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops. | What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. |
| Even though I wander through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are at my side, with your rod and your staff that comfort me. | Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. |
| And now, brethren, farewell. Mend your ways. Encourage one another. Be of one mind and live in peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. | Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. |
| If anyone is rich in worldly possessions and sees a brother in need but refuses to open his heart, how can the love of God abide in him? | If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? |
| Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that weighs us down and the sins that so easily distract us and with perseverance run the race that lies ahead of us. | Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. |
| And yet he is aware of everywhere I go; if he were to test me, I would emerge like pure gold. My footsteps have not strayed from the path he established; I have followed his way and never turned aside. | But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. |
