Proverbs 24 Cross References - ISV

¹ Benefits of Wisdom Don’t be envious of wicked men or wish you were with them, ² because they plan violence, and they are always talking about trouble. ³ By wisdom a house is built; it is made secure through understanding. ⁴ By knowledge its rooms are furnished with all sorts of expensive and beautiful goods. ⁵ A wise man is strong, and a knowledgeable man grows in strength. ⁶ For through wise counsel you will wage your war, and victory lies in an abundance of advisors. ⁷ Wisdom lies beyond reach of the fool; he has nothing to say in court. ⁸ The person who plans on doing evil will be called a schemer. ⁹ To devise folly is sin, and people detest a scoffer. ¹⁰ If you grow weary when times are troubled, your strength is limited. ¹¹ Rescue those who are being led away to death, and save those who stumble toward slaughter. ¹² If you say, “Look here, we didn’t know about this,” doesn’t God, who examines motives, discern it? Doesn’t the one who guards your soul know about it? Won’t he repay each person according to what he has done? ¹³ My son, eat honey, because it’s good for you; indeed, drippings from the honeycomb are sweet to your taste; ¹⁴ Keep in mind that wisdom is like that for your soul; if you find it, there will be a future for you, and what you hope for won’t be cut short. ¹⁵ Don’t lie in wait like an outlaw to attack where the righteous live; ¹⁶ for though a righteous man falls seven times, he will rise again, but the wicked stumble into calamity. ¹⁷ Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls; don’t let yourself be glad when he stumbles. ¹⁸ Otherwise the LORD will observe and disapprove, and he will turn his anger away from him. ¹⁹ Don’t be anxious about those who practice evil, and don’t be envious of the wicked. ²⁰ For the wicked man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished. ²¹ My son, fear both the LORD and the king, and don’t keep company with rebels. ²² They will be destroyed suddenly, and who knows what kind of punishment will come from these two?
²³ Sayings of the WiseHere are some more proverbs from wise people: It isn’t good to show partiality in judgment. ²⁴ Whoever says to the wicked, “You’re in the right,” will be cursed by people and hated by nations. ²⁵ But as for people who rebuke the wicked; a good blessing will fall upon them. ²⁶ A kiss on the lips— that’s what someone who gives an honest answer deserves. ²⁷ First do your outside work, preparing your land for yourself. After that, build your house. ²⁸ Don’t testify against your neighbor without a cause, and don’t lie when you speak. ²⁹ Don’t say, “I’ll do to him like he did to me, I’ll be sure to pay him back for what he did.” ³⁰ I went by the field belonging to a lazy man, by a vineyard belonging to a senseless person. ³¹ There it was, overgrown with thistles, the ground covered with thorns, its stone wall collapsed. ³² As I observed, I thought about it; I watched, and learned a lesson: ³³ “A little sleep! A little slumber! A little folding of my hands to rest!” ³⁴ Then your poverty will come upon you like a robber, your need like an armed bandit.

¹⁰ Lot looked around and noticed that the whole Jordan plain as far as Zoar was well-watered like the garden of the LORD or like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) ¹¹ So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan plain. Then Lot traveled eastward, and they separated from each other.
¹² So Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the plain, setting up his tent in the vicinity of Sodom. ¹³ Now the men of Sodom were particularly evil and sinful in their defiance of the LORD.

¹ Sodom’s DepravityThe two angels entered Sodom at sunset while Lot was sitting in the gate area of the city. When Lot saw them, he got up, greeted them, bowed low with his face to the ground, ² and said, “Look, my lords! Please come inside your servant’s house, wash your feet, and spend the night. Then you can get up early and be on your way.”
But they responded, “No, we would rather spend the night in the town square.”
³ But Lot kept urging them strongly, so they turned aside and entered his house. He prepared a festival and baked unleavened flat bread for them, and they ate.
⁴ Before they could lie down, all the men of Sodom and its outskirts, both young and old, surrounded the house. ⁵ They called out to Lot and asked, “Where are the men who came to visit you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!”
⁶ Lot went outside to them, shut the door behind him, ⁷ and said, “I urge you, my brothers, don’t do such a wicked thing. ⁸ Look here, I have two daughters who are virgins. Let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them whatever you wish, only don’t do anything to these men, because they’re here under my protection.”
⁹ But they replied, “Get out of the way! This man came here as a foreigner, and now he’s acting like a judge! So we’re going to deal more harshly with you than with them.” Then they pushed hard against the man (that is, against Lot), intending to break down the door.
¹⁰ But the angels inside reached out, dragged Lot back into the house with them, shut the door, ¹¹ and blinded the men who were at the entrance of the house, from the least important to the greatest, so they were unable to find the doorway.

⁹ Do not group me with sinners, nor include me with men who shed blood.

¹ Davidic
Patiently Trust in God Don’t be angry because of those who do evil, do not be jealous because of those who commit iniquity.

⁷ Be silent in the LORD’s presence and wait patiently for him. Don’t be angry because of the one whose way prospers or the one who implements evil schemes.

³ For I was envious of the proud when I observed the prosperity of the wicked.

¹¹ If they say, “Come with us! Let’s lie in wait for blood; let’s ambush some innocent person for no reason at all. ¹² Let’s swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those who go down into the Pit. ¹³ We’ll find all kinds of valuable wealth, and we’ll fill our houses with spoil. ¹⁴ Throw your lot in with us, and all of us will have one purse.” ¹⁵ My son, do not go along with them, and keep your feet away from their paths!

³¹ Do not envy a violent man, and do not emulate his lifestyle.

²⁰ Whoever keeps company with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm.

¹⁷ Never let yourself envy sinners; instead, remain in fear of the LORD every day,

¹⁹ Don’t be anxious about those who practice evil, and don’t be envious of the wicked.

¹⁹ Now the actions of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, promiscuity, ²⁰ idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, rivalry, jealously, outbursts of anger, quarrels, conflicts, factions, ²¹ envy, murder, drunkenness, wild partying, and things like that. I am telling you now, as I have told you in the past, that people who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

⁵ Or do you think the Scripture means nothing when it says that the Spirit that God caused to live in us jealously yearns for us? ⁶ But he gives all the more grace. And so he says, “God opposes the arrogant but gives grace to the humble.”

⁹ David knew that Saul was devising evil plans against him, and so he told Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”

⁶ Because they had told him who the people of Mordecai were, Haman found it unacceptable to kill only Mordecai. So Haman sought to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jewish people, who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.
⁷ Haman’s Plot against the Jewish PeopleIn the twelfth year of the reign of King Ahasuerus, in the first month (the month Nisan), the pur (that is, the lot) was cast in Haman’s presence to determine the best day and month to carry out his plot. The lot indicated the twelfth month, the month Adar.

³⁵ For they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity; their womb is pregnant with deception.”

¹⁴ But the wicked one travails with evil, he conceives malice and gives birth to lies.

⁷ Their mouth is full of curses, lies, and oppression, their tongues spread trouble and iniquity.

³ Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who practice iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors while harboring evil in their hearts.

⁴ He devises iniquity on his bed and is determined to follow a path that is not good. He does not resist evil.

⁴ shooting at the innocent from concealment. Suddenly they shoot, fearing nothing. ⁵ They concoct an evil scheme for themselves; they enumerate their hidden snares; they say, “Who will see them?” ⁶ They devise wicked schemes, saying, “We have completed our plans, hiding them deep in our hearts.”

² who craft evil plans in their minds, inciting wars every day.

¹⁴ planning evil with a perverse mind, continually stirring up discord.

⁸ The person who plans on doing evil will be called a schemer.

⁴ No one brings a lawsuit fairly, and no one goes to law honestly; they have relied on empty arguments and they tell lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity.

³ And speaking of evil, they practice it eagerly—with both hands! Both leader and judge demand a bribe, the famous confess their perverted desires, and they scheme together.

³ Then the high priests and the elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas. ⁴ They conspired to arrest Jesus by treachery and to kill him.

²⁰ But Pilate wanted to let Jesus go, so he appealed to them again, ²¹ but they continued to shout, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

¹⁰ and said, “You’re full of every form of deception and trickery, you son of the devil, you enemy of all that is right! You’ll never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord, will you?

²⁶ May your name be made great forever with the result that it is said that the LORD of the Heavenly Armies is God over Israel, and that the household of your servant David may be established before you.

¹ Wisdom’s Invitation Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out her seven pillars.

¹ How Wise People Live Every wise woman builds up her household, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

¹² A Hymn of Praise to GodThe LORD is the one who made the world by his power, who established the earth by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.

⁹ For we are God’s co-workers. You are God’s farmland and God’s building.

⁷ For you have been rooted in him and are being built up and strengthened in the faith, just as you were taught, while you continue to be thankful.

²² Solomon’s daily provisions were 30 kors of fine flour, 60 kors of meal, ²³ ten fattened oxen, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks, and domestic poultry. ²⁴ He ruled over everything west of the Euphrates River from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all of the kings west of the Euphrates River, and he enjoyed peace on all sides around him.
²⁵ Judah and Israel lived safely, and everyone enjoyed their own vine and fig tree from Dan to Beer-sheba through all of Solomon’s life. ²⁶ Solomon owned 40,000 stalls for the horses that drove his chariots, and he employed 12,000 men to drive them. ²⁷ His officers supplied provisions for King Solomon and for everyone who visited King Solomon’s palace, each in their respective month of service responsibility. Nothing ever ran out. ²⁸ They also provided barley and straw for the horses and camels to their respective locations, each consistent with their responsibilities.

²⁵ Civic LeadersAdiel’s son Azmaveth was responsible for the king’s treasuries. Uzziah’s son Jonathan was in charge of treasuries located in the country, in cities, in villages, and in towers. ²⁶ Chelub’s son Ezri supervised the field workers who tilled the soil. ²⁷ Shimei the Ramathite supervised the vineyards. In charge over the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite. ²⁸ Baal-hanan the Gederite supervised the olive and sycamore trees in the Shephelah. Joash supervised the oil reserves. ²⁹ Shitrai the Sharonite supervised the herds that were pastured in Sharon. Adlai’s son Shaphat supervised the herds in the valleys. ³⁰ Obil the Ishmaelite supervised the camels. Jehdeiah the Meronothite supervised the donkeys. Jaziz the Hagrite supervised the flocks. ³¹ All of these served as stewards over King David’s property.

² To the extent that I have been able to do so, I have provided supplies for the Temple of my God, including gold for what is to be made of gold, silver for what is to be made of silver, bronze for what is to be made of bronze, iron for what is to be made of iron, wood for what is to be made of wood, and great quantities of onyx, precious stones, antimony, colored stones, all types of other semi-precious stones, and plenty of marble.
³ “In addition to everything that I have supplied for the Temple, it pleases me to provide my own treasure of gold and silver, so because of my love for the Temple of my God I hereby give to the Temple of my God the following: ⁴ 3,000 gold talents imported from Ophir, 7,000 talents of refined silver for gilding the walls of the Temple ⁵ and for all the work to be undertaken by skilled artists, gold for what is to be made of gold, and silver for what is to be made of silver. Who then, will be dedicating the productivity of his own work to the LORD today?”
⁶ So the leaders of the ancestral households presented their voluntary offerings, as did the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s business. ⁷ They presented 5,000 gold talents and 10,000 gold darics for the work of the Temple of God, 10,000 silver talents, 18,000 bronze talents, and 100,000 iron talents. ⁸ Whoever owned precious stones gave them to the treasury of the Temple of the LORD, in care of Jehiel the Gershonite. ⁹ Then the people rejoiced because they had given voluntarily, since with a devoted heart they had freely given to the LORD.
David’s Praise to GodKing David also rejoiced greatly.

¹⁸ Solomon made so many utensils in such great quantities that the weight of the bronze was never fully recorded.
¹⁹ Solomon also made these items for God’s Temple: the golden altar, the tables for the Bread of the Presence, ²⁰ the lamp stands and their lamps made of pure gold to burn in front of the inner sanctuary, as required, ²¹ the pure gold ornaments in the shape of flowers, the lamps, and the tongs (all made of the purest gold), ²² the gold trimming instruments, basins, pans, censers, and the gold door sockets for the inner sanctuary (that is, the Most Holy Place), and for the doors to the main hall of the Temple.

⁴ He practiced what the LORD considered to be right, following the example set by his father Amaziah’s accomplishments. ⁵ Uzziah kept on seeking God during the lifetime of Zechariah, who taught him how to fear God, and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosperous.
⁶ Uzziah’s Initial SuccessesOne time Uzziah went out and battled the Philistines. He tore down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod, and built cities in the Ashdod area among the Philistines. ⁷ God helped Uzziah defeat the Philistines, the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. ⁸ The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah, and his reputation extended as far as the border with Egypt as he became stronger and stronger. ⁹ Uzziah also built towers in Jerusalem, at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the Angle and fortified them. ¹⁰ He also built watchtowers in the wilderness and had many cisterns hewed out, since he also possessed large herds, both in the Shephelah and in the midland plains. He had many farmers and vinedressers throughout the hills and fertile lands because he loved farming.
¹¹ Uzziah kept a standing army, equipped for battle, garrisoned in divisions according to an organizational structure devised by his royal secretary Jeiel and his officer Maaseiah, who reported to Hananiah, one of the king’s commanders.

³⁹ For the Israelis and the descendants of Levi will bring the grain offering, the wine, and the oil into the chambers where the vessels of the sanctuary are, along with the ministering priests, the porters, and the singers. We will not neglect the Temple of our God.”

⁵ had prepared a great chamber for him, in the place where they used to place the grain offerings, incense, and vessels, along with the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil that was mandated for the descendants of Levi, the singers, the gate keepers, and the priests’ offerings. ⁶ During all of this time, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to the king in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon. After a while I obtained permission from the king ⁷ to return to Jerusalem. I learned of the evil thing that Eliashib had done for Tobiah in furnishing him with a room in the courts of the Temple of God. ⁸ I was greatly upset, so I threw out all of Tobiah’s property from the room. ⁹ I ordered them to purify the chambers, and then they brought back the vessels from the Temple of God, along with the grain offerings and incense.
¹⁰ Neglecting Levitical AllotmentsI also learned that the allotments for the descendants of Levi had not been distributed. As a result, the descendants of Levi and singers who were responsible for the service had each left to go back to their fields. ¹¹ So I confronted the officials and asked, “Why is the Temple of God neglected?” Then I gathered them together and put them back in their places. ¹² Then all of Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil into the storerooms. ¹³ I appointed over the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah from the descendants of Levi; and next to them Zaccur’s son Hanan, the grandson of Mattaniah, because they had been considered faithful. Their duties were to distribute to their associates.

²¹ I bequeath wealth to those who love me, and I will fill their treasuries.”

⁶ The righteous house is itself a great treasure, but within the revenue of the wicked calamity is at work.

¹⁵ There is an abundance of gold and precious stones, but lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.

²⁰ Precious treasures and oil are found where the wise live, but a foolish man devours them.

²³ Keep well informed of the condition of your flocks and pay attention to your herds, ²⁴ because riches don’t endure forever, and crowns don’t last from one generation to the next. ²⁵ When the grass disappears, and new growth appears, the mountain spices will be harvested, ²⁶ the lambs will supply your clothing, and your goats the price of a field. ²⁷ You will have enough goat’s milk to drink and to supply your household needs, as well as sustenance for your servant girls.

⁵² Then he told them, “That is why every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom from heaven is like the master of a household who brings both new and old things out of his treasure chest.”

⁷ They will walk from strength to strength; each will appear before God in Zion.

¹⁴ Counsel belongs to me, along with sound judgment. I am understanding. Power belongs to me.

²⁹ To the upright, the way of the LORD is a place of safety, but it’s a place of ruin to those who practice evil.

²² A wise man attacks the city of the mighty, bringing down the fortress in which they trust.

¹⁹ Wisdom given as strength to a wise person is better than having ten powerful men in the city.

¹⁴ There was a little city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built massive siege ramps against it. ¹⁵ Now there was found within it a poor, but wise man. He delivered the city by his wisdom, but not one person remembered that poor man.
¹⁶ So I concluded, “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless, the wisdom of the poor is rejected—his words are never heard.” ¹⁷ The softly spoken words of the wise are to be heard rather than the shouts of a ruler of fools. ¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war, and a single sinner can destroy a lot of good.

³¹ but those who keep waiting for the LORD will renew their strength. Then they’ll soar on wings like eagles; they’ll run and not grow weary; they’ll walk and not grow tired.”

¹¹ You are being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, so that you might patiently endure everything with joy

¹⁴ A nation falls through a lack of guidance, but victory comes through the counsel of many.

²² Plans fail without advice, but with many counselors they are confirmed.

¹⁸ Make plans by seeking advice; make war by obtaining guidance.

³¹ “Or suppose a king is going to war against another king. He will first sit down and consider whether with 10,000 men he can fight the one coming against him with 20,000 men, won’t he?

²⁵ Everyone who enters an athletic contest practices self-control in everything. They do it to win a wreath that withers away, but we run to win a prize that never fades. ²⁶ That is the way I run, with a clear goal in mind. That is the way I fight, not like someone shadow boxing. ²⁷ No, I keep on disciplining my body, making it serve me so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified.

¹⁰ Putting on the Whole Armor of GodFinally, be strong in the Lord, relying on his mighty strength. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the devil’s strategies. ¹² For our struggle is not against human opponents, but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers in the darkness around us, and evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm. ¹³ For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm.
¹⁴ Stand firm, therefore, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and being firm-footed in the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to having clothed yourselves with these things, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one, ¹⁷ also take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and request. Likewise, be alert with your most diligent efforts and pray for all the saints. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, so that, when I begin to speak, the right words will come to me. Then I will boldly make known the secret of the gospel, ²⁰ for whose sake I am an ambassador in chains, desiring to declare the gospel as boldly as I should.

¹¹ Advice for TimothyBut you, man of God, must flee from all these things. Instead, you must pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight for the faith. Keep holding on to eternal life, to which you were called and about which you gave a good testimony in front of many witnesses.

⁷ I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith.

⁴ His children are far from deliverance; they’ll be maltreated before they leave home, with no one to rescue them.

⁷ Job Remembers His Respected Position“Whenever I went out to the city gate, a seat had been reserved for me in the plaza. ⁸ The young men would see me and withdraw, and the aged would rise and stand. ⁹ Nobles would refrain from speaking, covering their mouths with their hands. ¹⁰ The voices of the commanders-in-chief were hushed, and their tongues would cling to the roofs of their mouths.”
¹¹ Job Remembers His Acts of Kindness“When people heard me speak, they blessed me; when people saw me, they approved me, ¹² because I delivered the poor who were crying for help, along with orphans who had no one to help them. ¹³ Those who were about to die blessed me, and I made widows sing for joy. ¹⁴ I put on righteousness like clothing; my just decisions were like a robe and a turban. ¹⁵ I served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame. ¹⁶ I was a father to the needy; I diligently inquired into the case of those I didn’t know. ¹⁷ I broke the fangs of the wicked, and made him drop the prey.”
¹⁸ Job Remembers His Previous Condition“I used to say: ‘I will die in my home. I’m going to live as many days as there are grains of sand on the shore. ¹⁹ My roots have spread out and have found water, and dew settles at night on my branches. ²⁰ My glory renews for me and my bow is as good as new in my hand.’ ²¹ “They listened and waited for me, as they remained in silence for my counsel. ²² After I spoke, they had nothing to say, when what I said hit them. ²³ They waited for me as one waits for rain, as one opens his mouth to drink in a spring rain shower. ²⁴ I smiled at them when they had no confidence, and no one could discourage me. ²⁵ I set an example of the way to live, as a leader would; I lived like a king among his army; like one who comforts mourners.”

²¹ if I’ve raised my hand against an orphan when I thought I would against him in court,

⁵ Their ways always seem prosperous. Your judgments are on high, far away from them. They scoff at all their enemies.

⁵ How great are your works, LORD! Your thoughts are unfathomable. ⁶ A stupid man doesn’t know, and a fool can’t comprehend this:

⁶ A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but learning comes easily to someone who understands.

²⁴ The way of life leads upward for the wise so he may avoid Sheol below.

²⁴ A person with understanding has wisdom as his objective, but a fool looks only to earthly goals.

²² Don’t rob the poor person because he is poor, and don’t crush the helpless in court,

⁸ Speak for those who cannot speak; seek justice for all those on the verge of destruction. ⁹ Speak up, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and oppressed.

²¹ those who make a person appear to be the offender in a lawsuit, who set a trap for someone who is making his defense in court, and push aside the innocent with specious arguments.

¹⁰ They have hated those who are presenting their cases in court, detesting the one who speaks truthfully.

¹² and because I know that your transgressions are many, and your sins are numerous as you oppose the righteous, taking bribes as a ransom, and turning away the poor in court—

¹⁵ Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in court— perhaps the LORD, the God of the Heavenly Armies, will be gracious to the survivors of Joseph.’”

¹⁴ A person who isn’t spiritual doesn’t accept the things of God’s Spirit, for they are nonsense to him. He can’t understand them because they are spiritually evaluated.

⁴⁴ The king also reminded Shimei, “You know all the evil things that you admit you did to my father David. Therefore the LORD is going to repay you for all of your evil.

¹¹ Though they plot evil against you and devise schemes, they will not succeed.

¹⁸ a heart crafting evil plans, feet running swiftly to wickedness,

²² Won’t those who plot evil go astray? But gracious love and truth are for those who plan what is good.

² because they plan violence, and they are always talking about trouble.

⁹ To devise folly is sin, and people detest a scoffer.

⁷ But this is not what he intends, and this is not what he thinks in his mind; but it is in his mind to destroy, and to cut down many nations. ⁸ “Because this is what he is saying: ‘My commanders are all kings, are they not? ⁹ Isn’t Calno like Carchemish? Isn’t Hamath like Arpad? Isn’t Samaria like Damascus? ¹⁰ As my hand has reached to the idolatrous kingdoms whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria, ¹¹ will I not deal with Jerusalem and her idols as I have dealt with Samaria and her images?’”
¹² Assyria will be Judged“For the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and against Jerusalem; he will punish the speech that comes from that willful heart of Assyria’s king and the haughty look in his eyes. ¹³ He keeps bragging: ‘I’ve done it by the strength of my hand, and by my wisdom, because I’m so clever. I removed the boundaries of peoples, and plundered their treasures; like a bull I brought down those who sat on thrones.

⁷ Furthermore, the crimes of bad people are evil; and they devise wicked schemes, destroying the poor with lying words, even when needy people plead a just cause.

¹⁰ The Invasion Strategy“This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘This is what’s going to happen on the very day that you begin your invasion: You’ll be thinking, making evil plans, ¹¹ and boasting, “I’m going to invade a land comprised of open country that is at rest, its people living confidently, all of whose inhabitants will be living securely, with neither fortification nor bars on their doors.

¹¹ Someone has left you who plans evil against the LORD. He is a demonic counselor.

³⁰ slanderers, God-haters, haughty, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to their parents,

⁵ God Decides to Destroy the WorldThe LORD saw that human evil was growing more and more throughout the earth, with every inclination of people’s thoughts becoming only evil on a continuous basis.

²¹ When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, he told himself, “I will never again curse the land because of human beings—even though human inclinations remain evil from youth—nor will I destroy every living being ever again, as I’ve done.

¹¹³ Samek
Loving God’s LawI despise the double-minded, but I love your instruction.

¹⁰ Throw out the mocker and strife departs, too; furthermore, quarrels and discord will end.

⁷ for as he thinks within himself, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he’ll say to you, but his heart won’t be with you.

⁸ Scornful men enflame a city, but the wise defuse anger.

⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous person his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, So he’ll have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he’ll pardon abundantly.

¹⁴ Jerusalem, wash your evil from your heart so that you may be delivered. How long will you harbor evil schemes within you?

²⁸ But I say to you, anyone who stares at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

⁴ But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking, replied, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?

¹⁹ It is out of the heart that evil thoughts come, as well as murder, adultery, sexual immorality, stealing, false testimony, and slander.

²² So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven you.

⁵ and every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive in order to obey the Messiah.

¹ David Escapes to Philistine TerritoryDavid told himself, “One of these days I’ll perish by Saul’s hand. There is nothing better for me to do than to escape to Philistine territory. Saul will give up searching for me anymore within the borders of Israel, so I’ll escape from him.”

⁵ “But now it’s your turn, and you’re the one who is worn out! Now it’s striking you, and you’re dismayed!

²⁸ Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The LORD is the eternal God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not grow tired or weary; and his understanding cannot be fathomed. ²⁹ He’s the one who gives might to the faint, renewing strength for the powerless. ³⁰ Even boys grow tired and weary, and young men collapse and fall, ³¹ but those who keep waiting for the LORD will renew their strength. Then they’ll soar on wings like eagles; they’ll run and not grow weary; they’ll walk and not grow tired.”

⁴⁶ Do this now, so your heart does not grow faint, and so you don’t become frightened because of the rumors that are heard in the land— a rumor comes one year and then after it another rumor comes the next year about violence in the land and one ruler against another ruler.

⁸ since his disciples had gone off into town to buy food.

¹ Treasure in Clay JarsTherefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy shown to us, we do not get discouraged.

¹³ So then, I ask you not to become discouraged because of my troubles on your behalf, which work toward your glory.

³ The Father Disciplines UsThink about the one who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you may not become tired and give up. ⁴ In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ You have forgotten the encouragement that is addressed to you as sons: “My son, do not think lightly of the Lord’s discipline or give up when you are corrected by him.

³ You have endured and suffered because of my name, yet you have not grown weary.

¹³ ‘I know where you live. Satan’s throne is there. Yet you hold on to my name and have not denied your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed in your presence, where Satan lives.

⁸ Abishai told David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Let me run the spear through him into the ground with a single blow. I won’t need to strike him twice!”
⁹ David told Abishai, “Don’t destroy him. Who can raise his hand to strike the LORD’s anointed and remain innocent?

¹⁷ I broke the fangs of the wicked, and made him drop the prey.”

⁴ Rescue the poor and the needy, delivering them from the power of the wicked.

⁶ Isn’t this the fast that I have been choosing: to loose the bonds of injustice, and to untie the cords of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? ⁷ Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, and to bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him with clothing, and not to raise yourself up from your own flesh and blood?”

³¹ By chance, a priest was traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he went by on the other side. ³² Similarly, a descendant of Levi came to that place. When he saw the man, he also went by on the other side.

²³ But they kept pressing him with loud shouts, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their shouts began to prevail.
²⁴ Then Pilate pronounced his sentence that their demand should be carried out. ²⁵ So he released the man who had been put in prison for revolt and murder—the man whose release they continued to demand—but he let them have their way with Jesus.

¹⁷ Then all of them took Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and began beating him in front of the judge’s seat. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.

³¹ The crowd was trying to kill Paul when a report reached the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. ³² Immediately the tribune took some soldiers and officers and ran down to the crowd. When the people saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

¹⁰ The quarrel was becoming violent, and the tribune was afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces. So he ordered the soldiers to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.

²³ Then he summoned two centurions and ordered, “Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o’clock tonight, along with 70 mounted soldiers and 200 soldiers with spears. ²⁴ Provide a mount for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Governor Felix.” ²⁵ He wrote a letter with this message:
²⁶ “From: Claudius Lysias
To: Governor Felix
Greetings, Your Excellency:
²⁷ This man had been seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I went with the guard and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen. ²⁸ I wanted to know the exact charge they were making against him, so I had him brought before their Council. ²⁹ I found that, although he was charged with questions about their Law, there was no charge against him deserving death or imprisonment. ³⁰ Since a plot against the man has been reported to me, I’m sending him to you at once, and I’ve also ordered his accusers to present their charges against him before you.”
³¹ So the soldiers, in keeping with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. ³² The next day, they let the horsemen ride with Paul while they returned to their barracks. ³³ When these men came to Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. ³⁴ After reading the letter, the governor asked which province Paul was from. On learning that he was from Cilicia, ³⁵ he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered Paul to be kept in custody in Herod’s palace.

¹⁶ This is how we have come to know love: the Messiah gave his life for us. We, too, ought to give our lives for our brothers. ¹⁷ Whoever has earthly possessions and notices a brother in need and yet withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God be present in him?

⁶ The LORD kills and gives life, he brings people down to where the dead are and he raises them up.

⁷ The LORD told Samuel, “Don’t look at his appearance or his height, for I’ve rejected him. Truly, God does not see what man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”

²⁹ If anyone should arise to pursue you and seek your life, may the life of your majesty be bound up with the LORD your God in a bundle of the living, and may he sling out the lives of your enemies from the pocket of a sling.

¹¹ because he repays a person for his behavior; and according to a person’s conduct, he lets it happen to him.

⁹ Let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous. For you are the righteous God who discerns the inner thoughts.

³ When you probe my heart, and examine me at night; when you refine me, you will find nothing wrong, for I have determined that I will not transgress with my mouth.

²¹ wouldn’t God find out since he knows the secrets of the heart?

¹² Also to you, Lord, belongs gracious love, because you reward each person according to what he does.

⁹ He gives us life and does not permit our feet to slip.

³ He will never let your foot slip, nor will your guardian become drowsy.

⁸ The LORD will guard your goings and comings, from this time on and forever.

²¹ Indeed, what a man does is always in the LORD’s presence, and he weighs all his paths.

² Every man’s lifestyle is proper in his own view, but the LORD weighs the heart.

⁸ The Use and Abuse of WealthDon’t be surprised when you see the poor oppressed and the violent perverting both justice and verdicts in a province, for one high official watches another, and there are ones higher still over them.

¹⁰ I am the LORD who searches the heart, who tests the inner depths to give to each person according to what he deserves, according to the fruit of his deeds.

¹⁹ You are great in regards to your purposes and mighty in regards to your works. Your eyes are open to everything that people do, and will reward each one according to their ways and just as their actions deserve.

²³ “You’ve exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven.
“You’ve had the vessels from his Temple brought into your presence.
“And you, your officials, and your wives and mistresses drank wine from them.
“You praised gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which can’t see, hear, or demonstrate knowledge.
“But you didn’t honor God, who holds in his power your very life and all your ways.

²⁷ The Son of Man is going to come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to what he has done.

²⁸ For we live, move, and exist because of him, as some of your own poets have said: ‘…Since we are his children, too.’

⁶ For he will repay everyone according to what that person has done:

¹⁶ on that day when God, through Jesus the Messiah, will judge people’s secrets according to my gospel.

⁵ Therefore, stop judging prematurely, before the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is now hidden in darkness and reveal the motives of our hearts. Then each person will receive his praise from God.

¹⁰ For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah, so that each of us may receive what he deserves for what he has done in his body, whether good or worthless.

¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow, as it judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart. ¹³ No creature can hide from him, but everyone is exposed and helpless before the eyes of the one to whom we must give a word of explanation.

¹⁸ the living one. I was dead—but look!—I am alive forever and ever! I have the keys of Death and Hades.

¹⁸ The Letter to the Church in Thyatira“To the messenger of the church in Thyatira, write:
‘The Son of God, whose eyes are like flaming fire and whose feet are like glowing bronze, says this:

²³ I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will reward each of you as your actions deserve.

¹² I saw the dead, both unimportant and important, standing in front of the throne, and books were open. Another book was opened—the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to their actions, as recorded in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to their actions. ¹⁴ Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. (This is the second death—the lake of fire.) ¹⁵ Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

¹² Concluding Benediction“See! I am coming soon! My reward is with me to repay everyone according to his behavior.

¹⁰ They are more desirable than gold, even much fine gold. They are sweeter than honey, even the drippings from a honeycomb.

¹⁰³ How pleasing is what you have to say to me— tasting better than honey.

¹⁶ If you find some honey, eat only what you need. Take too much, and you’ll vomit.

²⁷ To eat too much honey isn’t good; and neither is it honorable to seek one’s own glory.

¹¹ Your lips drip honey, my bride; milk and honey are under your tongue. The scent of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.

¹ The Lover I’ve come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I’ve gathered my myrrh with my spices. I’ve eaten my honeycomb with my honey. I’ve drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, friends! Drink and become drunk with love.

¹⁵ He’ll eat cheese and honey, when he knows enough to reject what’s wrong and choose what’s right.

⁴ John had clothing made of camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of grasshoppers and wild honey.

¹⁰ They are more desirable than gold, even much fine gold. They are sweeter than honey, even the drippings from a honeycomb. ¹¹ Moreover your servant is warned by them; and there is great reward in keeping them.

¹¹¹ I have inherited your decrees forever, because they are the joy of my heart.

¹ The Benefits of Embracing Wisdom My son, if you accept my words, and treasure my instructions— ² making your ear attentive to wisdom, and turning your heart to understanding— ³ if, indeed, you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, ⁴ if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, ⁵ then you will understand the fear of the LORD and learn to know God.

¹⁰ For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

¹³ Wisdom More Valuable than RichesHow joyful is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding, ¹⁴ because her profit is better than the profit of silver, and her yield than fine gold. ¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her. ¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are riches and honor. ¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peaceful. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life for those who embrace her, and whoever clutches her tightly will be joyful.

¹⁸ for it is pleasant when you treasure them within you and have them ready on your lips.

¹⁸ for there is surely a future life, and what you hope for will not be cut off.

¹⁶ Your words were found, and I consumed them. Your words were joy and my hearts delight, because I bear your name, LORD God of the Heavenly Armies.

²¹ Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me.”

²⁵ But the one who looks at the perfect law of freedom and remains committed to it—thereby demonstrating that he is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of what that law requires—will be blessed in what he does.

¹¹ As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women going out to draw water, and they told them, “Is the seer here?”

¹⁸ Then the king told Doeg, “You turn and attack the priests.” Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests. That day he killed eighty-five men who carry the linen ephod. ¹⁹ He attacked the priestly town of Nob with the sword. Men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys and sheep were put to the sword.

²⁰ Now, your majesty, whenever you want to come down, come down, and our part will be to hand him over to the king.”
²¹ Saul said, “May you be blessed by the LORD, because you have been gracious to me. ²² Go and again make sure, find out and investigate where he is and who has seen him there, for people tell me that he’s very clever. ²³ Investigate and find out all the hiding places there where he hides, and return to me with reliable information. Then I’ll go down with you, and if he’s in the land, I’ll search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

⁸ They wait in ambush in the villages, they kill the innocent in secret. ⁹ Their eyes secretly watch the helpless, lying in wait like a lion in his den. They lie in wait to catch the afflicted. They catch the afflicted when they pull him into their net. ¹⁰ The victim is crushed, and he sinks down; the helpless fall by their might.

³² The wicked stalks the righteous person, seeking to kill him,

⁶ They gather together and hide in ambush. They watch my every step as they lie in wait for my life.

³ Look, they lie in ambush for my life; these violent men gather together against me, but not because of any transgression or sin of mine, LORD.

⁵ The arrogant have laid a trap for me; they have spread a net with ropes, lining it with snares along the way. Interlude

¹¹ If they say, “Come with us! Let’s lie in wait for blood; let’s ambush some innocent person for no reason at all.

²⁸ Don’t remove an ancient boundary stone that was set up by your ancestors.

¹⁸ My people will live in peaceful dwellings, in secure homes and in undisturbed resting places.

¹⁹ I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I didn’t know that they had devised schemes against me. They told themselves, “Let’s destroy the tree with its fruit. Let’s eliminate him from the land of the living, so his name won’t be remembered again.”

⁴ They conspired to arrest Jesus by treachery and to kill him.

²⁴ but their plot became known to him. They were even watching the gates day and night to murder him,

¹⁶ But the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, so he came and got into the barracks and told Paul.

³ and asking Festus to have Paul brought to Jerusalem as a favor. They were laying an ambush to kill him on the road.

¹⁰ As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him down, or his time will come to die, or he will go into battle and perish.

⁴ Saul told his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised people will come and run me through and make sport of me.” But his armor bearer did not want to do it because he was very frightened, so Saul took the sword and fell on it.

¹⁰ So they hanged Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and then the king’s anger subsided.

¹⁹ “He will deliver you through six calamities; and calamity won’t touch you throughout the seventh.

¹⁶ The trouble he planned will return on his own head, and his violence will descend on his skull.

¹⁹ A righteous person will have many troubles, but the LORD will deliver him from them all.

²⁴ Though he stumbles, he will not fall down flat, for the LORD will hold up his hand.

⁵ But God will tear you down forever; he will take you away, even snatching you out of your tent! He will uproot you from the land of the living. Interlude

¹⁷ An evil messenger stumbles into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing.

³² The wicked person is thrown down by his own wrongdoing, but the righteous person has a place of safety in death.

¹⁴ Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into disaster. ¹⁵ A roaring lion and a charging bear— that’s what a wicked tyrant is over poor people. ¹⁶ A Commander-in-Chief who is a cruel oppressor lacks understanding, but whoever hates unjust gain will live longer. ¹⁷ A guilty man tormented by bloodshed will be a lifelong fugitive; let no one support him. ¹⁸ Whoever lives blamelessly will be delivered, but whoever is perverted will fall without warning.

² Fallen is Israel the virgin—never to rise again! She is abandoned on her own land, with no one to raise her up.’

¹⁴ Those who have been swearing oaths by the sin of Samaria, or who say, ‘As your god lives, Dan…’ or who say, ‘As the way of Beer-sheba lives…’— will fall, and will never rise again.”

⁸ Don’t be glad on my account, my enemy. When I fall, I’ll get up. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD is a light for me. ⁹ I will endure the LORD’s anger— since I have sinned against him— until he takes over my defense, administers justice on my behalf, and brings me out to the light, where I will gaze on his righteousness. ¹⁰ Then my enemy will observe it, and shame will engulf the ones who asked me, ‘Where is the LORD your God?’ My own eyes will see them, they will be trampled on like mud in the streets.

²³ Immediately the angel of the Lord struck him down because he did not give glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died.

⁸ How God Rescued PaulFor we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, about the suffering we experienced in Asia. We were so crushed beyond our ability to endure that we even despaired of living. ⁹ In fact, we felt that we had received a death sentence so we would not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰ He has rescued us from a terrible death, and he will continue to rescue us. Yes, he is the one on whom we have set our hope, and he will rescue us again,

⁸ In every way we’re troubled but not crushed, frustrated but not in despair, ⁹ persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We are always carrying around the death of Jesus in our bodies, so that the life of Jesus may be clearly shown in our bodies. ¹¹ While we are alive, we are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be clearly shown in our mortal bodies. ¹² And so death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

²³ Are they the Messiah’s servants? I am insane to talk like this, but I am a far better one! I have been involved in far greater efforts, far more imprisonments, countless beatings, and have faced death more than once. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews 40 lashes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with a stick, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, and I drifted on the sea for a day and a night. ²⁶ I have traveled extensively and have been endangered from rivers, robbers, my own people, and gentiles. I’ve also been in danger in the city, in the open country, at sea, from false brothers, ²⁷ in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, through hunger, thirst, many periods of fasting, coldness, and nakedness.

³ When people say, “There is peace and security,” destruction will strike them as suddenly as labor pains come to a pregnant woman, and they will not be able to escape.

²⁰ Be happy about her, heaven, saints, apostles, and prophets, for God has condemned her for you!”
²¹ The Vision of the Powerful Angel with the MillstoneThen a powerful angel picked up a stone that was like a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “The great city Babylon will be thrown down violently— and will never be found again.

²⁵ Because they all got good and drunk, they ordered, “Go get Samson, so he can entertain us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he entertained them while they made him stand between the pillars.

⁵ Shimei Curses DavidLater on, as King David approached Bahurim, Gera’s son Shimei, who was related to the family of Saul’s household, went out to meet David, cursing continually as he approached. ⁶ He threw rocks at David and all of David’s staff who were accompanying him, while all the rest of the entourage, including all of David’s security detail, were close by him. ⁷ “Get out of here! Get out!” Shimei yelled as he cursed. “You murderer! You who think you’re above the law! ⁸ The LORD has repaid you personally for murdering the entire dynasty of Saul, whose place you’ve taken to reign! And the LORD has given the kingdom into your son Absalom’s control. Now look! Your own evil has caught up with you, because you’re guilty of murder!”
⁹ At this point, Zeruiah’s son Abishai asked the king, “Why should this dead dog be cursing your majesty the king? May I have permission to go over and cut off his head?”
¹⁰ But the king responded, “What do I have in common with you sons of Zeruiah? If he continues to curse—and if the LORD has told him, ‘Curse David!’—then who are you to be demanding to know ‘Why have you done this?’”
¹¹ So David ordered Abishai and all of his staff: “Look! My own son wants to kill me! How much more now is this descendant of Benjamin? Leave him alone and let him go on cursing, because the LORD has ordered him to do this. ¹² Perhaps the LORD will take note of my troubles and return good to me instead of curses today!”
¹³ So David and his entourage went on their way, and Shimei walked along the hillside with him, cursing, throwing rocks, and tossing dirt at David as they went along. ¹⁴ Eventually, the king and his entourage arrived exhausted at their destination, and David refreshed himself there.

²⁹ No Rejoicing over the Plight of Adversary“Have I rejoiced in the destruction of those who hate me, or have I been happy that evil caught up with him?

¹⁵ But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together. They gathered together against me— attackers whom I did not know. They tore me apart and would not stop.

¹⁹ Do not let my deceitful enemies gloat over me, nor let those who hate me without justification mock me with their eyes.

¹⁰ Like the shattering of my bones are the taunts of my oppressors, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

⁵ Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their maker, and whoever is happy about disaster will not go unpunished.

¹² “You should not have gloated over your brother, on the day of his calamity. You should not have rejoiced when the descendants of Judah were perishing. You should not have boasted when they were in distress.

⁶ is never glad with sin; she’s always glad to side with truth, and pleased that truth will win. ⁷ She bears up under everything; believes the best in all; there is no limit to her hope, and never will she fall.

²¹ Celebrate and rejoice, you women of Edom, who live in the land of Uz. But to you the cup also will pass— you will become drunk and stripped naked. ²² The punishment for your sin is complete, you women of Zion, and God will no longer exile you. He will punish your iniquity, you women of Edom, and he will expose your sins.

¹⁵ I am deeply angry with the nations who are complacent, with whom I was only a little displeased—but they made things worse!” ¹⁶ ‘Therefore this is what the LORD says: “I have returned to Jerusalem with compassionate intentions. My Temple will be rebuilt there,” declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, “and the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.”’”

²⁶ Then he told the community, “Move away from the camps of these wicked men and don’t touch anything that belongs to them. That way you won’t be destroyed along with all their sins.”

¹ BOOK I (Psalms 1-41)
The Righteous and the Wicked How blessed is the person, who does not take the advice of the wicked, who does not stand on the path with sinners, and who does not sit in the seat of mockers.

⁴ I do not sit with those committed to what is false, nor do I travel with hypocrites. ⁵ I hate the company of those who practice evil, nor do I sit with the wicked.

¹¹⁵ Leave me, you who practice evil, that I may observe the commands of my God.

¹ Benefits of Wisdom Don’t be envious of wicked men or wish you were with them,

¹⁷ Therefore, “Get away from them and separate yourselves from them,” declares the Lord, “and don’t touch anything unclean. Then I will welcome you.

¹¹ and have nothing to do with the unfruitful actions that darkness produces. Instead, expose them for what they are.

² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ unfeeling, uncooperative, slanderous, degenerate, brutal, hateful of what is good, ⁴ traitors, reckless, conceited, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. ⁵ They will hold to an outward form of godliness but deny its power. Stay away from such people.

⁴ The Warning to Leave BabylonThen I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you don’t participate in her sins and also suffer from her diseases. ⁵ The Wicked are Trapped“Indeed, the light of the wicked is extinguished; the flame from his fire doesn’t shine. ⁶ Light in his tent is dark, and his lamp goes out above him.

¹⁷ God will Punish the Wicked“How often do the wicked have their lights put out? Does calamity ever fall on them? Will God in his anger ever apportion their destruction?

¹⁷ The wicked will turn back to where the dead are— all the nations that have forgotten God.

⁶ He rains on the wicked burning coals and sulfur; a scorching wind is their destiny.

⁹ The light of the righteous shines, but the lamp of the wicked is extinguished.

²⁰ Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in the deepest darkness.

¹¹ Warning to the Wicked“How terrible it will be for the wicked! Disaster is headed their way, because what they did with their hand will be repaid to them.

¹² But the unfaithful heirs of that kingdom will be thrown into the darkness outside. In that place there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

⁸ “But the foolish ones told the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out!’

¹³ They are wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their own shame. They are wandering stars for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever.

³¹ When Israel saw the great force by which the LORD had acted against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed the LORD and Moses his servant.

¹ The Rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and AbiramNow Izhar’s son Korah, the grandson of Kohath, a descendant of Levi, along with Eliab’s sons Dathan and Abiram, and Peleth’s son On, a descendant of Reuben, took charge ² of a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 community leaders, Israelis who were famous men and representatives from the assembly. ³ They gathered together against Moses and Aaron and told them, “You have appropriated too much for yourselves from the entire congregation, since all of them are holy, and the LORD is among them, too. Why do you exalt yourselves over the LORD’s assembly?”

⁵ They told him, “Look, you’re old, and your sons don’t follow your example. So appoint a king to govern us like all the other nations.” ⁶ Samuel was displeased when they said, “Give us a king to govern us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD.
⁷ The LORD told Samuel, “Listen to the people in all that they say to you. In fact, it’s not you they have rejected, but rather they have rejected me from being their king.

¹² But when you saw that Nahash, king of the Ammonites, was coming to fight you, you told me, ‘No, let a king rule over us instead,’ even though the LORD your God was your king.
¹³ “Now, here is the king you have chosen, the one whom you asked for. See, the Lord has appointed a king over you. ¹⁴ If you fear the LORD, serve him, obey him, and don’t rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who rules over you will truly follow the LORD your God. ¹⁵ But if you don’t obey the LORD and rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the LORD will turn against you as he did against your ancestors.
¹⁶ “Now then, stand up and see this great thing that the LORD is about to do before your eyes. ¹⁷ Is it not the wheat harvest today? I’ll call upon the LORD, and he will send thunder and rain. Then you will know and understand that you have done a great evil in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king for yourselves.” ¹⁸ Samuel called upon the LORD that same day, and the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
¹⁹ Then all the people told Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants, so that we don’t die, because we made all our sins worse by asking for a king for ourselves.”

⁶ He told his men, “God forbid that I should do this thing to your majesty, the LORD’s anointed, by stretching out my hand against him, since he’s the LORD’s anointed.”

¹³ David Flees from JerusalemThen a messenger arrived to inform David, “The loyalties of the men of Israel have shifted to Absalom.”
¹⁴ So David told all of his staff who were with him in Jerusalem, “Let’s get up and get out of here! Otherwise, none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry, or he’ll overtake us quickly, bring disaster on all of us, and execute the inhabitants of the city!”
¹⁵ “Look!” the king’s staff replied. “Your servants will do whatever the king chooses.” ¹⁶ So the king left, taking his entire household with him except for ten mistresses, who were to keep the palace in order. ¹⁷ The king left, along with all of his people with him, and they paused at the last house. ¹⁸ All of his staff were going on ahead of him—that is, all of the special forces and mercenaries, all of the Gittites, and 600 men who had come to serve him from Gath, went on ahead of the king.
¹⁹ Then the king suggested to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you have to go with us? Return and stay with the new king, since you’re a foreigner and exile. Stay where you want to stay. ²⁰ It seems only yesterday that you arrived, so should I make you wander around with us while I go wherever I can? Go back, and take your brothers with you. May gracious love and truth accompany you!”
²¹ “As the LORD lives,” Ittai answered in reply, “and as your majesty the king lives, wherever your majesty my king may be—whether living or dying—that’s where your servant will be!”
²² So David replied, “Come along, then!” So Ittai the Gittite went along also, accompanied by all of his men and all of his little ones. ²³ With all of the people in the territory crying loudly, everybody passed over the Kidron brook, along with the king. Then everyone headed out toward the road that leads to the wilderness.
²⁴ Meanwhile, Zadok showed up also, along with all of the descendants of Levi with him, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God and Abiathar approached while all the people finished abandoning the city. ²⁵ The king told Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I’m shown favor in the LORD’s sight, then he’ll bring me back again and show me both it and the place where it rests. ²⁶ But if he should say something like ‘I’m not pleased with you,’ well then, here I am—let him do to me whatever seems right to him.”
²⁷ The king also asked Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer, too? Go back to the city in comfort, along with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. ²⁸ Look! I’ll camp at the wilderness fords until you send word to inform me.”
²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar returned the Ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there. ³⁰ David then left, going up the Mount of Olives, crying as he went, with his head covered and his feet bare. All of the people who were with him covered their own heads and climbed up the Mount of Olives, crying as they went along.
³¹ Just then, someone told David, “Ahithophel is one of Absalom’s conspirators!”
So David prayed, “LORD, please turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”
³² Hushai Serves as a SpyJust as David was coming to the top of the Mount of Olives where God was being worshipped, there was Hushai the Archite to meet him, with his coat ripped and dust all over his head! ³³ David greeted him, “If you come along with me, you’ll be a burden to me. ³⁴ So go back to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I’ll be your servant, your majesty! Just as I served your father in the past, I can be your servant now.’ That way you can manipulate Ahithophel’s advice to my benefit. ³⁵ Won’t Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? So whatever you hear from the king’s palace, you’re to report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. ³⁶ Their two sons—Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan—are with them there. You’ll be sending me everything that you hear through them.” ³⁷ So David’s friend Hushai went back to the city just as Absalom was arriving in Jerusalem.

¹⁶ When all of Israel saw that the king wasn’t listening to them, the people responded to the king’s message, “What’s the point in following David? We have no inheritance in the descendants of Jesse. Let’s go home, Israel! David, take care of your own household!’ So Israel left for home.

² The Wisdom of Pleasing LeadersI advise doing what the king says, especially regarding an oath to God. ³ Don’t be in a hurry to leave him, and don’t persist in evil, for he does whatever he pleases. ⁴ Since a king’s command is powerful, who is able to challenge him, asking, “What are you doing?”
⁵ Whoever obeys his commands will not experience harm, and the wise in heart will discern both the appropriate time and response.

²¹ They told him, “Caesar’s.”
So he told them, “Then give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

¹ Obey Your GovernmentEvery person must be subject to the governing authorities, for no authority exists except by God’s permission. The existing authorities have been established by God, ² so that whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has established, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. ³ For the authorities are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you like to live without being afraid of the authorities? Then do what is right, and you will receive their approval. ⁴ For they are God’s servants, working for your good.
But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for it is not without reason that they bear the sword. Indeed, they are God’s servants to administer punishment to anyone who does wrong. ⁵ Therefore, it is necessary for you to be acquiescent to the authorities, not only for the sake of God’s punishment, but also for the sake of your own conscience. ⁶ This is also why you pay taxes. For rulers are God’s servants faithfully devoting themselves to their work. ⁷ Pay everyone whatever you owe them—taxes to whom taxes are due, tolls to whom tolls are due, fear to whom fear is due, honor to whom honor is due.

¹ Concentrate on Doing What is GoodRemind believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, and to be ready to do any honorable kind of work.

¹³ For the Lord’s sake submit yourselves to every human authority: whether to the king as supreme, ¹⁴ or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live like free people, and do not use your freedom as an excuse for doing evil. Instead, be God’s servants. ¹⁷ Honor everyone. Keep on loving the community of believers, fearing God, and honoring the king.

³¹ God Executes Korah’s FamiliesJust as he finished saying all these things, the ground under them split open. ³² The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, all their households, everyone who was affiliated with Korah, and all of their property. ³³ So they and all that belonged to them descended alive to Sheol. Then the earth closed over them. That’s how they were annihilated from the assembly.
³⁴ Then all of the Israelis who were around them ran away when they heard them crying, “…so the ground won’t swallow us up, too.” ³⁵ After this, fire came from the LORD and incinerated the 250 men who offered the incense.

¹ Saul Killed by the Philistines
The Philistines fought against Israel, and the army of Israel fled before the Philistines. They fell slain on Mount Gilboa. ² The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons. The Philistines struck down Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, Saul’s sons. ³ The heaviest fighting was directed toward Saul, and when the bowmen who were shooting located Saul, he was severely wounded by them.
⁴ Saul told his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised people will come and run me through and make sport of me.” But his armor bearer did not want to do it because he was very frightened, so Saul took the sword and fell on it. ⁵ When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. ⁶ As a result, Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men died together that day. ⁷ When the men of Israel who were across the valley and who were across the Jordan saw that the army of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled, and the Philistines came and occupied them.

⁷ where David’s army of servants defeated the Israelis. Many died that day—20,000 men. ⁸ The battle spread throughout the entire countryside, and the forest claimed more casualties that day than did the sword fighting.

¹⁶ When the descendants of Israel ran away from the army of Judah, God handed them over to the army of Judah. ¹⁷ Abijah and his army defeated them in a tremendous slaughter that resulted in 500,000 special forces from Israel being slain.

¹¹ Who can know the intensity of your anger? Because our fear of you matches your wrath,

¹⁴ The king’s wrath results in a death sentence, but whoever is wise will appease him.

² A king’s anger is like a lion’s roar; anyone who angers him forfeits his life.

¹¹ Ephraim is crushed, broken by judgment, because he willingly pursued idols.

¹⁰ Now where is your king? Will he save you in all your cities? And where are your judges, about whom you demanded, ‘Give me a king and officials!’? ¹¹ I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my fury.”

¹⁵ “You are not to be unjust in deciding a case. You are not to show partiality to the poor or honor the great. Instead, decide the case of your neighbor with righteousness.”

¹⁷ When you hold a hearing, don’t be partial in judgment toward the least important or toward the great. Never fear men, because judgment belongs to God. If the matter is difficult for you, bring it to me for a hearing.’

¹⁹ You must not twist justice, show favoritism, or take bribes, because a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the speech of the righteous.

⁷ So let the fear of the LORD rest upon you, be on your guard, and act carefully, because with the LORD our God there is neither injustice, nor partiality, nor bribery.”

² “How long will you judge partially by showing favor on the wicked? Interlude ³ “Defend the poor and the fatherless. Vindicate the afflicted and the poor. ⁴ Rescue the poor and the needy, delivering them from the power of the wicked.

⁴³ Let whoever is wise observe these things, that they may comprehend the gracious love of the LORD.

⁶ in understanding proverbs, clever sayings, words of the wise, and their riddles.

⁵ It’s not good to be partial towards an evil person, thereby depriving the righteous of justice.

¹⁷ Sayings of the WisePay attention and listen to the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my teaching,

²¹ To show partiality isn’t good, yet for a piece of bread the valiant will transgress.

¹ The Wise Use of Power Who is really wise? Who knows how to interpret this saying: “A person’s wisdom improves his appearance, softening a harsh countenance.”

⁹ Concluding CounselWhoever is wise, let him understand these things. Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right: the righteous follow his example, but the rebellious stumble in them.

²⁴ Stop judging by appearances, but judge with righteous judgment!”

²⁰ As for those who keep on sinning, rebuke them in front of everyone so that the rest will also be afraid. ²¹ With God as my witness, as well as the Messiah Jesus and the chosen angels, I solemnly call on you to carry out these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing on the basis of partiality.

⁴ then you will have made false distinctions among yourselves and will have judged from evil motives, will you not?
⁵ Listen, my dear brothers! God has chosen the poor in the world to become rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who keep on loving him, has he not? ⁶ But you have humiliated the man who is poor. Are not rich people the ones who oppress you and drag you into court?

¹⁷ However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, willing to yield, full of compassion and good deeds, and without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.

¹⁷ If you call “Father” the one who judges everyone impartially according to what they have done, you must live in reverent fear as long as you are strangers in a strange land.

⁶ “You are not to pervert justice for the poor among you in their lawsuits. ⁷ Stay far away from a false charge, and don’t kill the innocent or the righteous, because I won’t acquit the guilty.

²⁶ People will curse whoever withholds grain, but blessing will come to whoever is selling.

¹⁵ Exonerating the wicked and condemning the righteous are both detestable to the LORD.

²⁷ Whoever gives to the poor will never lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to their poverty will be cursed.

¹⁰ On Different Kinds of PeopleDon’t lie about a servant to his master, or that servant will curse you and you will pay for it.

²⁰ Judgment on Moral Relativists“How terrible it will be for those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute what is bitter for what is sweet and what is sweet for what is bitter!”

²³ who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of justice!”

²⁴ “Then they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of the people who rebelled against me. For their worm will not die, nor will their fire be extinguished, and they will remain an object of revulsion to all humanity.”

¹³ “Indeed, from the least important to the most important, they’re all greedy for dishonest gain. From prophet to priest, they all act deceitfully. ¹⁴ They treated my people’s wound superficially, telling them, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace.

¹⁰ Therefore, I’ll give their wives to others, and their fields to new owners. Indeed, from the least important to the most important, they’re all greedy for dishonest gain. From prophet to priest, they all act deceitfully. ¹¹ They have treated my people’s wound superficially, telling them, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.

²² “‘“Because you’ve dismayed the heart of the righteous—whom I never intended to dismay—with lies, and because you’ve encouraged the wicked so that he wouldn’t abandon his evil behavior and by doing so live,

¹⁷ “You are not to hate your relative in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor if you must, but you are not to incur guilt on account of him.

¹³ I’ve told him that I’m about to judge his family forever because of the iniquity that he knew about. His sons committed blasphemy and he did not rebuke them.

¹⁹ Ask the king, ‘Did you commit murder? And now you’re going to steal as well?’ Also tell him, ‘This is what the LORD says: “Where the dogs were licking up Naboth’s blood, dogs will also lick up your blood—that’s right—yours!”’”
²⁰ Later on, Ahab asked Elijah, “Have you found me, my enemy?”
But Elijah answered, “I’ve found you because you sold yourself to do what the LORD considers to be evil!

⁷ So after thinking it over carefully, I accused the officials and nobles openly, “Every one of you is charging your fellow countrymen interest!” So I opened a public investigation against them.
⁸ I accused them, “To the best of our ability, we’ve been buying back our fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. Even now you’re selling your fellow countrymen, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet and never spoke a word.
⁹ So I said, “What you’re doing isn’t right! Shouldn’t you live in the fear of our God to avoid shame from our foreign enemies?

⁸ I was greatly upset, so I threw out all of Tobiah’s property from the room. ⁹ I ordered them to purify the chambers, and then they brought back the vessels from the Temple of God, along with the grain offerings and incense.
¹⁰ Neglecting Levitical AllotmentsI also learned that the allotments for the descendants of Levi had not been distributed. As a result, the descendants of Levi and singers who were responsible for the service had each left to go back to their fields. ¹¹ So I confronted the officials and asked, “Why is the Temple of God neglected?” Then I gathered them together and put them back in their places.

¹⁷ I rebuked the officials of Judah, saying to them, “What’s this evil thing that you’re doing by profaning the Sabbath day?

²⁵ So I rebuked them, cursed them, struck some of their men, tore out their hair, and made them take this oath in the name of God: “You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

²⁸ One of the sons of Eliashib the high priest’s son Joiada was a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me.

¹⁶ I was a father to the needy; I diligently inquired into the case of those I didn’t know. ¹⁷ I broke the fangs of the wicked, and made him drop the prey.”
¹⁸ Job Remembers His Previous Condition“I used to say: ‘I will die in my home. I’m going to live as many days as there are grains of sand on the shore.

²³ Whoever rebukes a man will later on find more favor than someone who flatters with his words.

⁴ John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

²⁰ As for those who keep on sinning, rebuke them in front of everyone so that the rest will also be afraid.

² to proclaim the message. Be ready to do this whether or not the time is convenient. Refute, warn, and encourage with the utmost patience when you teach.

¹³ That statement is true. For this reason, refute them sharply so that they may become healthy in the faith

¹⁵ These are the things you should teach. Encourage and refute with full authority. Do not let anyone look down on you.

³⁸ so Pharaoh asked his servants, “Can we find anyone else like this—someone in whom the Spirit of God lives? ³⁹ Since God has revealed all of this to you,” Pharaoh told Joseph, “there is no one so wise and discerning as you. ⁴⁰ So you are to be appointed in charge over my palace, and all of my people are to do whatever you command them to do. Only the throne will have greater authority than you.”
⁴¹ “Look!” Pharaoh confirmed to Joseph, “I’ve put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt!”
⁴² Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand, placed it on Joseph’s hand, had him clothed in fine linen garments, and placed a gold chain around his neck. ⁴³ Then he provided him with a chariot as his second-in-command, outfitted with a group of people who shouted out in front of him, “Bow your knees!” And that’s how Pharaoh set Joseph over the entire land of Egypt.
⁴⁴ Pharaoh Rewards JosephPharaoh also told Joseph, “I’m still Pharaoh, but without your permission nobody in all of the land of Egypt will so much as lift up their hands or take a step!” ⁴⁵ Pharaoh also changed Joseph’s name to Zaphenath-paneah and gave Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On, to him as his wife. And that’s how Joseph gained authority over the land of Egypt.
⁴⁶ Joseph Begins Gathering GrainJoseph was 30 years old when he began to serve Pharaoh, king of Egypt, by traveling throughout the land of Egypt, independent from Pharaoh’s oversight. ⁴⁷ While bumper crops grew during the seven abundant years, ⁴⁸ Joseph collected the surplus food throughout the land of Egypt, storing food in cities; that is, he gathered the food from fields that surrounded every city and stored it there. ⁴⁹ Joseph stored up so much grain—like sand on the seashore in so much abundance!—that he stopped keeping records because it was proving to be impossible to measure how much they were gathering.
⁵⁰ Joseph’s Children are BornBefore the years of famine arrived, Joseph fathered two sons with Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. ⁵¹ Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh because, he said, “God has made me forget all of my hard life and my father’s house.” ⁵² He named his second son Ephraim because, he said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my troubles.”
⁵³ The Famine BeginsAs soon as the seven years of abundance throughout the land of Egypt ended, ⁵⁴ the seven years of famine started, just as Joseph had predicted. It was an international famine, but there was food everywhere throughout the land of Egypt. ⁵⁵ Eventually, the land of Egypt began to feel the effects of the famine, so the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. “Go see Joseph,” Pharaoh announced to all the Egyptians, “and do whatever he tells you to do.”
⁵⁶ Joseph opened all of the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, because the famine was beginning to be severe throughout the land of Egypt. ⁵⁷ In addition, all of the surrounding nations came to Joseph to buy grain from Egypt, because the famine had become severe throughout the world.

²⁵ The truth can be painful, but what has your argument proven?

²³ An appropriate answer brings joy to a person, and a well-timed word is a good thing.

¹ Wisdom’s Blessings People do the planning, but the end result is from the LORD.

¹¹ Like golden apples set in silver is a word spoken at the right time. ¹² Like a gold earring and a necklace of pure gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear.

⁴⁶ Nebuchadnezzar Promotes Daniel and His FriendsThen King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face before Daniel, paid honor to him, and commanded that an offering and incense be presented on his behalf. ⁴⁷ The king told Daniel, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and the Revealer of Secrets, because you were able to reveal this mystery.” ⁴⁸ Then the king promoted Daniel to a high position and lavished many great gifts on him, including making him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over the advisors of Babylon.

¹⁷ So Jesus told them, “Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him.
¹⁸ A Question about the Resurrection
Then some Sadducees, who claim there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked him,

³² Then the scribe told him, “Well said, Teacher! You have told the truth that ‘God is one, and there is no other besides him.’ ³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
³⁴ When Jesus saw how wisely the man answered, he told him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one dared to ask him another question.

¹⁷ The king specified that large, expensive stones be quarried so the foundation of the Temple could be laid with cut stones. ¹⁸ As a result, Solomon’s builders worked with Hiram’s builders, accompanied by the Gebalites, to quarry the stone and to prepare the timber and other stone for the Temple’s construction.

⁷ The Temple was constructed of stone precut at the quarry so that no hammer, axe, or any other iron implement would be heard in the Temple while it was being built.

²⁸ “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. He will first sit down and estimate the cost to see whether he has enough money to finish it, won’t he? ²⁹ Otherwise, if he lays a foundation and can’t finish the building, everyone who watches will begin to ridicule him ³⁰ and say, ‘This person started a building but couldn’t finish it.’

¹⁶ “You are not to testify falsely against your neighbor.י

¹ Laws about Truthful Testimony“You are not to spread a false report, nor are you to join forces with the wicked to be a malicious witness.

⁹ Then Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul’s servants answered: “I saw Jesse’s son coming to Nob to Ahitub’s son Ahimelech. ¹⁰ Ahimelech inquired of the LORD for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

⁹ In the memos, she wrote the following directives: “Proclaim a public fast and seat Naboth in the front row. ¹⁰ Seat two wicked men in front of him, and make them testify against him. Tell them to claim ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
¹¹ So the leading men of the city, along with the elders and nobles who lived there, did precisely what Jezebel had directed them to do. They followed the instructions that she had set forth in the memos: ¹² They proclaimed a public fast and seated Naboth in the front row. ¹³ Two wicked men came in, sat down in front of them, and testified against Naboth in public, “Naboth cursed God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.

³ The LORD asked Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on earth. The man is blameless as well as upright. He fears God and keeps away from evil. He remains firm in his integrity, even though you have been urging me to overwhelm him without cause.”

⁷ Without justification they laid a snare for me; without justification they dug a pit to trap me.

¹¹ False witnesses stepped forward and questioned me concerning things about which I knew nothing.

¹ To the Director: A Davidic instruction about Doeg, the Edomite, when he went to Saul and told him, “David went to the house of Abimelech.”
A Rebuke to the Deceitful Why do you make evil the foundation of your boasting, mighty one? God’s gracious love never ceases.

⁵ A trustworthy witness does not deceive, but a false witness spews lies.

⁵ A witness to lies will not go unpunished; the teller of falsehoods will not escape.

⁹ A witness to lies will not go unpunished; the teller of falsehoods will perish.

²⁸ A false witness will perish, but whoever listens will testify successfully.

¹⁸ A club, a sword, and a sharp arrow— that’s what a man is who lies about his neighbor.

⁵⁹ Meanwhile, the high priests and the whole Council were looking for false testimony against Jesus in order to have him put to death. ⁶⁰ But they couldn’t find any, even though many false witnesses had come forward. At last two men came forward

²³ He asked, “What has he done wrong?”
But they kept shouting louder and louder, “Let him be crucified!”

²⁵ But this happened so that what has been written in their Law might be fulfilled: ‘They hated me for no reason.’

²⁵ Therefore, stripping off falsehood, “let each of us speak the truth to his neighbor,” for we belong to one another.

⁹ Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old nature with its practices

⁸ But people who are cowardly, unfaithful, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”

¹⁵ Outside are dogs, sorcerers, immoral people, murderers, idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

¹¹ In response, 3,000 soldiers from the tribe of Judah went down to the caves of the rock of Etam and asked Samson, “Don’t you know that the Philistines have us in their control? What have you done to us?”
“I did to them what they did to me,” he answered.

²² But Absalom never said a word, either good or bad, to Amnon. Nevertheless, he hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.
²³ Absalom’s Men Kill AmnonTwo full years later, Absalom took some men to Baal-hazor near Ephraim to shear his sheep. He also invited all of the king’s sons to come. ²⁴ Absalom had gone to the king to ask him, “I’ve brought some men to shear the sheep. Won’t you please come and join me, along with your senior staff?”
²⁵ But King David declined, saying to Absalom, “No, my son, we won’t all go, since that would be too much trouble for you.” Although Absalom begged David, he would not go, even though he did give his blessing.
²⁶ So Absalom responded, “If you aren’t coming, please allow my brother Amnon to accompany us.”
The king asked, “Why should he go with you?”
²⁷ But Absalom kept begging David until he sent Amnon and all of David’s sons to accompany Absalom.
²⁸ Then Absalom instructed his young men, “Please keep watching Amnon until he’s drunk. Then I’ll tell you, ‘Attack Amnon!’ As soon as I do, kill him and don’t be afraid! You have your orders, so be strong and brave!”

²² Don’t say “I’ll avenge that wrong!” Wait on the LORD and he will deliver you.

²¹ If your enemy hungers, give him food to eat; and if he thirsts, give him water to drink. ²² For you’ll be piling burning coals of shame on his head and the LORD will reward you.

³⁹ But I tell you not to resist an evildoer. On the contrary, whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. ⁴⁰ If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat as well. ⁴¹ And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go two with him. ⁴² Give to the person who asks you for something, and do not turn away from the person who wants to borrow something from you.”
⁴³ Teaching about Love for Enemies
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You must love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,

¹⁷ Do not pay anyone back evil for evil, but focus your thoughts on what is right in the sight of all people. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with all people. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me. I will pay them back, declares the Lord.” ²⁰ But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him. For if he is thirsty, give him a drink. If you do this, you will pile burning coals on his head.” ²¹ Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

¹⁵ Make sure that no one pays back evil for evil. Instead, always pursue what is good for each other and for everyone else.

⁸ It’s been my experience that those who plow the soil of iniquity and those who sow the seed of trouble will reap their harvest!

²⁷ “Look! We have thought all this through, and what we’ve said is true; So please listen and learn for your own good!”

¹⁷ Eliphaz Describes the Plight of the Wicked“I’ll tell you what, listen to me! Let me relate what I’ve seen,

²⁵ I once was young and now I am old, but I have not seen a righteous person forsaken or his descendants begging for bread.

⁴² The upright see it and rejoice, but the mouth of an evil person is shut.

⁶ The Folly of LazinessGo to the ant, you lazy man! Observe its ways and become wise. ⁷ It has no commander, officer, or ruler, ⁸ but prepares its provisions in the summer and gathers its food in the harvest. ⁹ How long will you lie down, lazy man? When will you get up from your sleep? ¹⁰ A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, ¹¹ and your poverty will come on you like a bandit and your desperation like an armed man.
¹² The Folly of Causing StrifeA worthless man, a wicked man, goes around with devious speech, ¹³ winking with his eyes, making signs with his feet, pointing with his fingers, ¹⁴ planning evil with a perverse mind, continually stirring up discord. ¹⁵ Therefore, disaster will overtake him suddenly. He will be broken in an instant, and he will never recover.
¹⁶ What God HatesHere are six things that the LORD hates— seven, in fact, are detestable to him: ¹⁷ Arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, and hands shedding innocent blood; ¹⁸ a heart crafting evil plans, feet running swiftly to wickedness, ¹⁹ a false witness snorting lies, and someone sowing quarrels between brothers.

³² Whoever commits adultery with a woman is out of his mind; by doing so he corrupts his own soul.

¹³ Wisdom characterizes the speech of the discerning, but the rod is for the backs of those lacking discernment.

¹¹ Whoever tills his soil will have a lot to eat, but anyone who pursues fantasies lacks sense.

¹ On the Abuse of AuthorityNext I turned to consider all kinds of oppression that exists on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed— there is no one to comfort them. Power is on the side of their oppressors; so they have no comforters.
² So I commended the dead who had already died as being happier than the living who are still alive. ³ Better than both of them is someone who has not yet been born, because he hasn’t experienced evil on earth. ⁴ Then I examined all sorts of work, including all kinds of excellent achievements that create envy in others. This also is pointless and chasing after the wind. ⁵ The fool crosses his arms and starves himself. ⁶ It’s better to have one handful of tranquility than to have two handfuls of trouble and to chase after the wind.
⁷ On Aloneness and CompanionshipThen I turned to re-examine something else that is pointless on earth: ⁸ Consider someone who is alone, having neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his work, and he is never satisfied with wealth. “So for whom do I work,” he asks, “and deprive myself of pleasure?” This, too, is pointless and a terrible tragedy.

¹⁵ I have seen it all during my pointless life: both a righteous person who dies while he is righteous, and a wicked person who lives to an old age, while remaining wicked.

⁹ I observed all this, and carefully considered everything that is undertaken on earth, especially the time when someone dominates another to his detriment. ¹⁰ So I watched the wicked being entombed. They used to come in and out of the Holy Place, but now they are forgotten in the city, where they used to work. This, too, is pointless.
¹¹ The Wisdom of Fearing GodWhenever a sentence for a crime is not carried out swiftly, the human mind becomes determined to commit evil.

¹⁷ He told the man, “Because you have listened to what your wife said, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ cursed is the ground because of you. You’ll eat from it through pain-filled labor for the rest of your life. ¹⁸ It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you’ll eat the plants from the meadows. ¹⁹ You will eat food by the sweat of your brow until you’re buried in the ground, because you were taken from it. You’re made from dust and you’ll return to dust.”

⁴⁰ may thorns spring up instead of wheat, and obnoxious weeds instead of barley.”
With this, Job’s discourse with his friends is completed.

²³ The fear of the LORD leads to life; whoever is satisfied with it will rest, untouched by evil.

⁴ A lazy person doesn’t plow in the proper season; he looks for a harvest, but there is nothing.

¹³ The lazy person says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the street!”

²¹ because drunks and gluttons tend to become poor, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.

¹⁸ Through slothfulness the roof deteriorates, and a house leaks because of idleness.

⁵ “Now, let me tell you, won’t you please, what I’m going to do to my vineyard. “I’m going to take away its protective hedge, and it will be devoured; I’ll break down its wall, and it will be trampled.

³ For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, “Break up your unplowed ground, and don’t sow among thorns.

⁷ Other seeds fell among thorn bushes, and the thorn bushes grew higher and choked them out.

²² As for what was sown among the thorn bushes, this is the person who hears the word, but the worries of life and the deceitful pleasures of wealth choke the word so that it can’t produce a crop.

⁸ However, if it continues to produce thorns and thistles, it is worthless and in danger of being cursed, and in the end will be burned.

¹¹ Then all Israel will hear about it, be afraid, and won’t do this evil thing again among you.

²¹ Then all the men of his city are to stone him with stones so that he dies. This is how you will remove this evil from among you. Then all Israel will hear of it and will be afraid.”

²⁹ O, that they were wise to understand this and consider their future!

¹⁷ Job Acknowledges Humankind’s Insignificance“What is a human being, that you make so much of him; that you set your affections on him,

⁴ Be angry, yet do not sin. Think about this when upon your beds, and be silent. Interlude

¹⁹ However, Mary continued to treasure all these things in her heart and to ponder them.

⁵¹ Then he went back with them, returning to Nazareth and remaining in submission to them. His mother continued to treasure all these things in her heart.

⁶ Now their experiences serve as examples for us so that we won’t set our hearts on evil as they did.

¹¹ These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down as a warning for us in whom the culmination of the ages has been attained.

⁵ Now I want to remind you, even though you are fully aware of these things, that the Lord who once saved his people from the land of Egypt later destroyed those who did not believe. ⁶ He has also held in eternal chains those angels who did not keep their own position but abandoned their assigned place. They are held in deepest darkness for judgment on the great day. ⁷ Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities near them, which like them committed sexual sins and pursued homosexual activities, serve as an example of the punishment of eternal fire.

⁴ Don’t allow yourself to sleep or even to close your eyes. ⁵ Deliver yourself like a gazelle from a hunter’s hand, or like a bird from a fowler’s hand.
⁶ The Folly of LazinessGo to the ant, you lazy man! Observe its ways and become wise. ⁷ It has no commander, officer, or ruler, ⁸ but prepares its provisions in the summer and gathers its food in the harvest. ⁹ How long will you lie down, lazy man? When will you get up from your sleep? ¹⁰ A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, ¹¹ and your poverty will come on you like a bandit and your desperation like an armed man.

¹¹ Live in the Light of the Messiah’s ReturnThis is necessary because you know the times—it’s already time for you to wake up from sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we became believers.

¹⁴ for the light is making everything visible. That is why it says, “Wake up, sleeper! Arise from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.’’

⁶ Therefore, let’s not fall asleep like others do, but let’s stay awake and be sober. ⁷ For people who go to sleep, go to sleep at night; and people who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let’s be sober. We must put on the breastplate of faith and love, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

⁴ Lazy hands bring poverty, but hard-working hands lead to wealth.

⁴ The lazy person craves, yet receives nothing, but the desires of the diligent are satisfied.