| “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” | “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. |
| 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. |
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| No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. | For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. |
| For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. | For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. |
| O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. | You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. |
| Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. | Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. |
| “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” | For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. |
| Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. | 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. |
| When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. | When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. |
| You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! | You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. |
| And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” | He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” |
| Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise. | Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. |
| Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. | Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. |
| And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and 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. |
| For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us. | For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us. |
| And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. | And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. |
| And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful! | May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands. |
| Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. | Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. |
| Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God and only later counting the cost. | It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows. |
| So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer. | So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer. |
| But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever. | If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. |
| May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us. | May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. |
| May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, 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. |
| Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the glory of your name. Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name. | Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake. |
| Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes. | Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. |
