| Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. | But godliness with contentment is great gain. |
| Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest. | Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice. |
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| Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people. | Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people. |
| With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous. | With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape. |
| Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. | For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. |
| In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. | For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. |
| For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. | For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. |
| For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God. | For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. |
| The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. | The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously. |
| Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give! | All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. |
| It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly. | Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. |
| For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love. | Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. |
| But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord. | But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. |
| Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last. | A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. |
| The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe. | The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. |
| We have happy memories of the godly, but the name of a wicked person rots away. | The name of the righteous is used in blessings, but the name of the wicked will rot. |
| The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. | The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him. |
| The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless. | The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. |
| Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. | In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. |
| The godly are showered with blessings; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions. | Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. |
| The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words. | The lips of the righteous know what finds favor, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse. |
| The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise. | The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. |
| The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing. | The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. |
| Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. | Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. |
| The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. | The Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. |
