| Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. | Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. |
| The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. | The wealthy man lords it over the poor, and the borrower becomes the slave of the lender. |
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| Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. | Speak out and pronounce righteous judgments; defend the rights of the wretched and the poor. |
| What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. | A man’s attraction is his kindness; it is far better to be poor than to be a liar. |
| A person’s riches may ransom their life, but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes. | A wealthy man pays a ransom to save his life; a poor man never has to worry about such threats. |
| Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. | Grant justice to the weak and the orphan; defend the rights of the lowly and the poor. |
| This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. | In my anguish I cried out; the Lord heard my plea, and I was saved from all my troubles. |
| The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. | The Lord makes poor and makes rich, he humbles and he also exalts. |
| Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. | As sorrowful, and yet we are always rejoicing; as poor, and yet we make many rich; as having nothing, and yet we possess everything. |
| Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” | Jesus replied, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” |
| If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. | If I give away everything to feed the poor and hand over my body to be burned, but do not have love, I achieve nothing. |
| Because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them. The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing. | Because I delivered the poor who appealed for help and the orphan who had no one to protect him. The blessing of the wretched was given to me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. |
| The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free. | The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free. |
| This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ | Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render fair judgments, and show kindness and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor. Do not plot evil in your heart against one another. |
| The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. | The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to announce good news to the oppressed, to strengthen the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to those held in captivity and release to those who have been imprisoned. |
| John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” | He said to them in reply, “Anyone who has two coats must share with the person who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise.” |
| Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. | The brother who is in modest circumstances should take pride in being raised up. Likewise, the one who is rich should glory in being brought low, for he will disappear like a flower of the field. |
