| The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. | Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender. |
| For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. | For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. |
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| In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. | In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. |
| The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. | The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. |
| The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous. | The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. |
| The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. | The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. |
| Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. | Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. |
| The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. | We have happy memories of the godly, but the name of a wicked person rots away. |
| The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. | Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. |
| In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. | In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. |
| And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. | Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. |
| The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down. | The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked. |
| By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. | The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. |
| Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. | Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. |
| The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. | The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing. |
| Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. | Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. |
| And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. | Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. |
| The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. | The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless. |
| Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. | The godly are showered with blessings; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions. |
| Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. | For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. |
| The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. | May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. |
| I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. | Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. |
| Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. | Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” |
| The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men. | The grapevines have dried up, and the fig trees have withered. The pomegranate trees, palm trees, and apple trees— all the fruit trees—have dried up. And the people’s joy has dried up with them. |
| The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. | For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. |
