| A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. | A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. |
| Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. | Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. |
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| 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 Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. | The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. |
| The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him. | The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. |
| The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are 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. |
| There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. | One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. |
| Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and 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. |
| Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. | Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. |
| Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and 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. |
| Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. | Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. |
| 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. |
| No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. | 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. |
| Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. | Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. |
| Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear! | 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. |
| “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” | “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” |
| From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” | From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” |
| If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? | 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 huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before 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. |
| But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not 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. |
