| For the carved images of the nations are powerless; they are nothing more than wood cut from a forest, fashioned with a knife by craftsmen and embellished with silver and gold. Then they are fastened with hammers and nails to prevent them from toppling. Like scarecrows in a cucumber field they are unable to speak, and they must be carried from place to place since they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they can do no harm, nor do they have any power to do good. | For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good. |
| My soul longs for you throughout the night, and my spirit within me seeks your presence. For when your judgments are revealed to the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn to practice justice. | My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. |
| The love of money is the root of all evils, and in their desire for it some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many serious wounds. | For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. |
| Jesus addressed them once again, saying, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness. Rather, he will have the light of life.” | When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” |
| If you forgive others for the wrongs they have done, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. | For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. |
| I further pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know the hope to which he has called you, how rich and glorious is his inheritance in the saints. | I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people. |
| Therefore, while we have the opportunity, let us labor for the good of all, but especially for those members of the household of the faith. | Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. |
| Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. | Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. |
| I understand that man’s greatest happiness is to be glad and do well throughout his life. And when we eat and drink and find satisfaction in all our labors, this is a gift of God. | I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. |
| He replied, “What is impossible for men is possible for God.” | Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” |
| For God would not be so unjust as to ignore your work and the love that you have shown for his name by the services you have rendered to the saints and still continue to render. | God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. |
| Do not envy a violent man or choose to emulate any of his ways. For the perverse man is an abomination to the Lord whose friendship is bestowed only upon the upright. | Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways. For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. |
| It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to place your trust in mortals. | It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. |
| May God continue to bless us and be revered to the ends of the earth. | May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. |
| And the one who searches hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. | And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. |
| A gift opens doors for the giver and wins him access to the powerful. | A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great. |
| All day long the godless man continues to covet, whereas the righteous man gives unsparingly. | All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. |
| Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in accord with the law of the Lord. | Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. |
| With the Lord to protect me I am not afraid. What can mortals do to me? | The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? |
| The fear of others will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is secure. | Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. |
| A man’s ways may seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart. | A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart. |
| In all of your prayers and entreaties, pray always in the Spirit. To that end, keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. | And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. |
| As a result, you are no longer strangers and foreigners. Rather, you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. | Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. |
| Two are better than one: they earn a far greater reward for their toil. | Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. |
| Because the sentence for committing an evil act is not carried out quickly, people’s hearts are prone to act wickedly. | When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong. |
Bible verse of the day
A fool spurns his father’s correction,but whoever heeds admonition is prudent.