| Let us examine and test our ways and return to the Lord. | Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. |
| Do not seek to adorn yourself externally—by the braiding of your hair and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothing. Rather, let your adornment be of your inner self, the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. | Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. |
| My son, concentrate attentively on my words; pay heed to the instructions I pass on to you. Do not let them slip from your mind; keep them forever in your heart. | My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart. |
| And let the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it was for this that you were called together in one body. Always be thankful. | Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. |
| 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. |
| Let everything that breathes offer praise to the Lord. Alleluia. | Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. |
| Let the wicked abandon their ways and those who are evil their thoughts. Let them return to the Lord so that he may have mercy upon them; and to our God, for he is rich in forgiveness. | Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. |
| You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. | Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. |
| At dawn let me experience your kindness, for in you I place my trust. Show me the path I must walk, for to you I lift up my soul. | Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. |
| Do not let kindness and fidelity leave you; fasten them around your neck and inscribe them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will gain favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. | Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. |
| Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart find favor in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. | May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. |
| Rather, let justice flow like a river, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. | But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! |
| O Lord, do not withhold your mercy from me; may your kindness and your truth keep me safe forever. | Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord; may your love and faithfulness always protect me. |
| For where your treasure is, there will your heart also be. | For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. |
| He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” | He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ |
| Finally, brethren, let your minds be filled with whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, whatever is excellent, whatever is worthy of praise. | Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. |
| Be strong and courageous in your hearts, all you who place your hope in the Lord. | Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. |
| But I have had help from God to this very day, and I stand here and testify to both the lowly and the great. I assert nothing more than what the Prophets and Moses said would occur: that the Christ must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to the people and to the Gentiles. | But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles. |
| If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. | Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. |
| Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ | Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ |
| The precepts of the Lord are right, causing the heart to rejoice. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving light to the eyes. | The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. |
| Make your ways known to me, O Lord; teach me your paths. | Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. |
| Let the word of Christ with all its richness dwell in you. Teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God with gratitude in your hearts. | Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. |
| Place your hope in the Lord: be strong and courageous in your heart, and place your hope in the Lord. | Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. |
| Come now and let us discuss this, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow. Though they are as red as crimson, they shall become as white as wool. | “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” |
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