Proverbs 3 Cross References - ISV

¹ The Blessings of Trusting God My son, don’t forget my instruction, and keep my commandments carefully in mind. ² For they will add length to your days, years to your life, and abundant peace to you. ³ Do not let gracious love and truth leave you. Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, ⁴ and find favor and a good reputation with God and men. ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not depend on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. ⁷ Do not be wise in your own opinion. Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. ⁸ This will bring healing to your body, and refreshment to your bones. ⁹ Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first of all your produce, ¹⁰ so your barns will be filled with abundance, and your vats will burst open with new wine. ¹¹ My son, do not reject the LORD’s discipline, and do not despise his correction, ¹² because the LORD corrects the person he loves, just as a father corrects the son he delights in.
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. ¹⁹ By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, and by understanding he set the heavens in place. ²⁰ By his knowledge the depths broke open, and the clouds drip with dew.
²¹ Benefits of WisdomMy son, do not let wisdom leave your sight. Carefully observe sound judgment and discernment, ²² and they will be life to you and a graceful ornament for your neck. ²³ Then you will travel safely on your way, and your foot will not stumble. ²⁴ When you sit down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be pleasant. ²⁵ Do not be afraid of sudden disaster, or the devastation that comes to the wicked. ²⁶ Indeed, the LORD will be your confidence, and he will keep your foot from being caught.
²⁷ Wisdom in ActionDo not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. ²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back. I will pay you tomorrow,” when you have cash with you. ²⁹ Do not plan to harm your neighbor, when he is living peacefully beside you. ³⁰ Do not bring a lawsuit against a person for no reason, when he has done you no harm. ³¹ Do not envy a violent man, and do not emulate his lifestyle. ³² Indeed, a perverse man is utterly disgusting to the LORD, but he takes the upright into his confidence. ³³ The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. ³⁴ Though God scoffs at scoffers, he gives grace to the humble. ³⁵ The wise will inherit honor, but he holds fools up for ridicule.

⁹ Only guard yourselves carefully so you won’t forget the things that you saw and let them slip from your mind for the rest of your life. Tell them to your children and to your grandchildren.

²³ Be careful! Otherwise, you will forget the covenant of the LORD your God, who established that covenant with you. Don’t make carved images of any likeness in violation of everything that you were commanded by the LORD your God.

⁶ Let these words that I’m commanding you today be always on your heart. ⁷ Teach them repeatedly to your children. Talk about them while sitting in your house or walking on the road, and as you lie down or get up. ⁸ Tie them as reminders on your forearm, bind them on your forehead, ⁹ and write them on the door frames of your house and on your gates.”

¹ Remember the LORD’s Provisions“Be careful to observe every command that I’m instructing you today, in order that you may live, increase, and enter and take possession of the land that the LORD promised by an oath to your ancestors.

¹⁶ That’s why I’m commanding you today to love the LORD your God by walking in his ways and by observing his commands, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live long, increase, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in the land that you are about to enter to possess. ¹⁷ But if you turn your heart away, and do not obey, but instead if you stray away to worship and serve other gods, ¹⁸ I’m declaring to you today that you will surely be destroyed. You won’t live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan River to enter and possess. ¹⁹ I call heaven and earth to testify against you today! I’ve set life and death before you today: both blessings and curses. Choose life, that it may be well with you—you and your children. ²⁰ Love the LORD your God, obey his voice, and cling to him, because he is your life—even your long life—so that you may live in the land that the LORD promised to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

¹¹ I have stored what you have said in my heart, so I won’t sin against you.

¹⁶ I am delighted with your statutes; I will not forget your word.

³⁴ Give me understanding and I will observe your instruction. I will keep it with all of my heart.

⁴⁷ I will take delight in your commands, which I love. ⁴⁸ I will lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.

⁹³ I will never forget your precepts, for you have revived me with them.

¹⁵³ Resh
God’s Word is TruthLook on my misery, and rescue me, for I do not ignore your instruction.

¹⁷⁶ I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come find your servant, for I do not forget your commands.

⁸ The Minor ThemeMy son, listen to your father’s instruction, and do not let go of your mother’s teaching.

⁵ Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget or turn aside from the words of my mouth!

⁵ Otherwise, they may drink and forget what has been ordained, perverting justice for all the oppressed.

¹⁷ “Awake, Awake! Stand up, Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the LORD’s hand from the cup that is his anger. You have drunk to the dregs the cup that makes you stagger, and have drained it.

³³ “Rather, this is the covenant that I’ll make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD. “I’ll put my Law within them and will write it on their hearts. I’ll be their God and they will be my people.

⁶ My people are destroyed because they lack knowledge of me. Because you rejected that knowledge, I will reject you as a priest for me. Since you forget the Law of your God, I will also forget your children.

²¹ The person who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I, too, will love him and reveal myself to him.”
²² Judas (not Iscariot) asked him, “Lord, how is it that you are going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”
²³ Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. Then my Father will love him, and we will go to him and make our home within him. ²⁴ The one who doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The words that you’re hearing me say are not mine, but come from the Father who sent me.

²⁶ You’ll go to your grave at a ripe old age; like a stack of grain that’s harvested at just the right time.

⁴ He asked life from you, and you gave it to him— a long life for ever and ever.

¹¹ Come, children, listen to me, and I will teach you the fear of the LORD. ¹² Who among you desires life, and wants long life in order to see good? ¹³ Then keep your tongue from doing evil and your lips from spreading lies. ¹⁴ Avoid evil and do good! Seek peace and pursue it!

¹⁶ I will satisfy him with long life; I will show him my deliverance.

¹⁶⁵ Great peace belongs to those who love your instruction, and nothing makes them stumble.

⁶ And may you see your children’s children! Peace be on Israel!

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.

¹⁰ Listen, my son: accept my words, and you’ll live a long, long time.

¹¹ For because of me you will live a long life, and years will be added to your life.

²⁷ Fearing the LORD prolongs life, but the wicked will not live long.

¹⁷ The effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.

¹⁹ when I create the fruit of the lips: Peace to the one who is far away or near,” says the LORD, “and I’ll heal him. ²⁰ But the wicked are tossed like the sea; for it is not able to keep still, and its waters toss up mire and mud. ²¹ “Yet there is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

¹ We Enjoy Peace with God through JesusTherefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus the Messiah.

¹⁷ For God’s kingdom does not consist of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace, and joy produced by the Holy Spirit.

¹³ Now may God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace as you believe, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

¹ Advice for Children and ParentsChildren, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. ² “Honor your father and mother…” (This is a very important commandment with a promise.) ³ “…so that it may go well for you, and that you may have a long life on the earth.”

⁸ Physical exercise is of limited value, but Godliness is very dear, a pledge of life, both there and here.

⁹ It is to be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead, so that you may speak about the instruction of the LORD; for the LORD brought you out of Egypt with a strong show of force.

⁸ Tie them as reminders on your forearm, bind them on your forehead,

¹⁸ Take these commands to heart and keep them in mind, tying them as reminders on your arm and as bands on your forehead. ¹⁹ Teach them to your children, talking about them while sitting in your house, walking on the road, or when you are about to lie down or get up. ²⁰ Also write them upon the doorposts of your house and gates ²¹ so that you and your children may live long on the land that the LORD promised to give your ancestors—as long as the sky remains above the earth.”

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!”

¹⁰ All the paths of the LORD lead to gracious love and truth for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

⁹ They will be a graceful wreath for your head and a chain for your neck.

²¹ by binding them to your heart continuously, fastening them around your neck.

³ Strap them to your fingers and engrave them on the tablet of your heart.

⁶ Iniquity is atoned for by gracious love and truth, and through fear of the LORD people turn from evil.

²⁸ Gracious love and truth preserve a king; through love his throne is made secure.

¹ Judah’s Sin and Its Consequence The sin of Judah is engraved with an iron stylus. It is inscribed with a diamond point on the tablet of their heart and on the horns of their altars.

¹ God Accuses Israel “Hear this message from the LORD, people of Israel. Indeed, the LORD brings a charge against the people who live in the land— for there is no truth and no gracious love or knowledge of God in the land.

¹⁸ Who is like God?Is there any God like you, forgiving iniquity, passing over transgressions by the survivors who are your heritage? He is not angry forever, because he delights in gracious love. ¹⁹ He will again show us compassion; he will subdue our iniquities. You will hurl all their sins into the deepest sea. ²⁰ You will remain true to Jacob, and merciful to Abraham, as you promised our ancestors long ago.

⁶ True teachings were in his mouth, and falsehood was not found on his lips. He walked with me peacefully and righteously, and he turned many from sin.

²³ “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your mint, dill, and cummin, but have neglected the more important matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the things you should have practiced, without neglecting the others.

³ You are demonstrating that you are the Messiah’s letter, produced by our service, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

¹ So be imitators of God, as his dear children. ² Live lovingly, just as the Messiah also loved us and gave himself for us as an offering and sacrifice, a fragrant aroma to God.

⁹ for the fruit that the light produces consists of every form of goodness, righteousness, and truth.

¹⁶ “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts and will write them on their minds,

² But the LORD was with Joseph. He became a very prosperous man while in the house of his Egyptian master, ³ who could see that the LORD was with Joseph, because the LORD made everything prosper that Joseph did. ⁴ That’s how Joseph pleased Potiphar as he served him. Eventually, Potiphar appointed Joseph as overseer of his entire household. Moreover, he entrusted everything that he owned into his care.

²¹ But the LORD was with Joseph. He extended gracious love to him, causing the prison warden to be pleased with Joseph.

⁷ Only be strong and very courageous to ensure that you obey all the instructions that my servant Moses gave you—turn neither to the right nor to the left from it—so that you may succeed wherever you go. ⁸ This set of instructions is not to cease being a part of your conversations. Meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to carry out everything that’s written in it, for then you’ll prosper and succeed.

²⁶ But the boy Samuel continued to grow both physically and in favor with the LORD and the people.

¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; sound understanding belongs to those who practice it. Praise of God endures forever.

⁹ God granted to Daniel grace and compassion on the part of the chief officer.

⁵² Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.

⁴⁷ They were praising God and enjoying the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord was adding to their number those who were being saved.

¹⁸ For the person who serves the Messiah in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.

¹⁵ Even though he kills me, I’ll continue to hope in him. At least I’ll be able to argue my case to his face!

³ Trust in the LORD and do good. Dwell in the land and feed on faithfulness.

⁵ Commit your way to the LORD; Trust him, and he will act.

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.

⁸ People, in every situation put your trust in God; pour out your heart before him; for God is a refuge for us. Interlude

⁹ Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their helper and shield. ¹⁰ House of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their helper and shield. ¹¹ You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their helper and shield.

¹ A Song of Ascents
God is Secure Those who are trusting in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be overthrown. They remain forever.

³ Do not look to nobles, nor to mere human beings who cannot save. ⁴ When they stop breathing, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans evaporate! ⁵ Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

⁷ Do not be wise in your own opinion. Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

¹⁹ As a result, your trust will be in the LORD, that’s why I’m teaching you today, even you.

⁴ Don’t exhaust yourself acquiring wealth; be smart enough to stop.

²⁶ Whoever trusts in himself is foolish, but whoever lives wisely will be kept safe.

² “Look! God—yes God—is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid. For the LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

³ You will keep perfectly peaceful the one whose mind remains focused on you, because he remains in you. ⁴ “Trust in the LORD forever, for in the LORD GOD you have an everlasting rock.

²³ True Wisdom and the Coming JudgmentThis is what the LORD says: “The wise man is not to boast in his wisdom; the strong man is not to boast in his strength; and the rich man is not to boast in his riches.

²³ Jeremiah’s PrayerLORD, I know that a person’s life is not his to control, nor does a person establish his way in life.

⁷ Blessed is the person who trusts in the LORD, making the LORD his trust. ⁸ He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by a stream. He won’t fear when the heat comes, and his leaves will be green. In a year of drought he won’t be concerned, nor will he stop producing fruit.”

¹⁶ Live in harmony with each other. Do not be arrogant, but associate with humble people. Do not think that you are wiser than you really are.

¹⁸ True WisdomLet no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in the ways of this world, he must become a fool to become really wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is nonsense in God’s sight. For it is written, “He catches the wise with their own trickery,”
²⁰ and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless.”

¹ Concerning Food Offered to IdolsNow concerning food offered to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. ² If anyone thinks he really knows something, he has not yet learned it as he ought to know it.

¹² so that we who had already fixed our hope on the Messiah might live for his praise and glory.

¹¹ The Ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, died.
¹² The Death of EliThat very same day, a man who was a descendant of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh, with his garments torn and dirt on his head.

⁸ David inquired of the LORD: “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”
The LORD told David, “Pursue them! You will definitely overtake them and rescue the captives.”

⁹ David Addresses Solomon Directly“Now as for you, my son Solomon, get to know the God of your father. Serve him with a sound heart and a devoted soul, because the LORD is searching every heart, every plan and thought. He will be found by you, assuming you are seeking him, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you forever.

²⁷ Ezra’s Response to the LetterBlessed be the LORD God of our ancestors, who placed this decree into the king’s heart to beautify the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem

²² because I was ashamed to ask the king for a contingent of soldiers and cavalry to protect us from enemies we might encounter on the way. After all, we had told the king, “The hand of our God seeks the good of all who seek him, but his power and anger are against everyone who forsakes him.” ²³ So we fasted and asked our God about this, and he listened to us.

¹¹ “And now, Lord, I ask you to listen to the prayer of your servant—and to the prayers of your servants who delight in revering your Name. I ask you, please prosper your servant today by granting him to receive favor from this man.”
Now I was the king’s senior security advisor.

⁴ The king answered, “What do you want?”
So I prayed to the God of heaven

⁸ The LORD is good and just; therefore he will teach sinners concerning the way. ⁹ He will guide the humble to justice; he will teach the humble his way.

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you concerning the path you should walk; I will direct you with my eye.

³ Entrust your work to the LORD, and your planning will succeed.

⁹ A person plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

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

²¹ And whether you turn to the right or turn to the left, your ears will hear a message behind you: “This is the way, walk in it.”

¹³ God will Bless Cyrus“I have aroused him in righteousness, and I’ll make all his pathways smooth. It is he who will rebuild my city and set my exiles free, but not for a price nor reward, ” says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

¹⁷ “This is what the LORD says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you how to succeed, who directs you in the path by which you should go.

³¹ Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

¹⁶ Titus and His CompanionsBut thanks be to God, who placed in the heart of Titus the same dedication to you that I have.

⁶ Never worry about anything. Instead, in every situation let your petitions be made known to God through prayers and requests, with thanksgiving.

¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether by speech or action, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

²³ Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people.

⁵ Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to everyone generously without a rebuke, and it will be given to him.

¹⁵ Nevertheless, the former governors before me placed a heavy burden on the people. They received food and wine, plus a tax of 40 shekels of silver. Even their young men took advantage of the people, but I never did so because I feared God.

¹ Job’s FaithfulnessThere once was a man in the land of Uz named Job. The man was blameless as well as upright. He feared God and kept away from evil.

²⁸ He has commanded mankind: ‘To fear the Lord—that is wisdom; to move away from evil—that is understanding.’”

²⁷ The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, enabling anyone to escape the snares of death.

¹² Do you see a man who is wise in his own opinion? There’s more hope for a fool than for him.

¹³ Let the conclusion of all of these thoughts be heard: Fear God and obey his commandments, for this is what it means to be human.

²¹ Judgment on the Arrogant“How terrible it will be for those who are wise in their own opinion, and clever in their own reckoning!

²⁵ The Restoration of IsraelFor I want to let you know about this secret, brothers, so that you will not claim to be wiser than you are: Stubbornness has come to part of Israel until the full number of the gentiles comes to faith.

²⁴ His buckets are filled with milk, his bone marrow is healthy.

³ He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their injuries.

²² For they are life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.

²⁴ Pleasant words are honey from a honeycomb— sweet to the soul and healing for the body.

⁶ From the sole of your foot to the top of your head, there’s no soundness evident— only bruises, sores, and festering wounds that haven’t been cleaned out, bandaged, or treated with oil.”

¹² The Healing of Zion’s Wounds“For this is what the LORD says: ‘Your injury won’t heal; your wound is severe. ¹³ There is no one to plead your cause. There is no medicine for your sore; no healing for you.

⁴ Now as to your birth, on the day you were born your umbilical cord wasn’t cut. You weren’t washed with water to clean you, and nobody rubbed you with salt. And it’s certain that you weren’t wrapped in strips of cloth. ⁵ Nobody pitied you to do any of these things for you, and nobody showed you any compassion. You were tossed outside on the ground, because you were detested from the day you were born.

¹⁸ King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine, since he was serving as the priest of God Most High. ¹⁹ Melchizedek blessed Abram and said, “Abram is blessed by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, ²⁰ and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your control.”
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
²¹ Conversation with the King of SodomThe king of Sodom told Abram, “Return the people to me, and you take the possessions for yourself.”

²² this stone that I’ve erected in the form of a pillar will be God’s house, and I’ll give you a tenth of everything that you give to me.”

²⁹ “You are not to hold back the fullness of your harvest and the outflow of your wine presses. You are to give to me the firstborn of your sons.

¹⁹ “You are to bring the best of the first fruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God.
“You are not to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

²⁶ “You are to bring the best of the first fruits of the ground to the house of the LORD your God.
“You are not to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

²⁰ Then the entire congregation of the Israelis withdrew from Moses’ presence, ²¹ and every person whose heart moved him and all whose spirits prompted them, brought an offering to the LORD for constructing the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. ²² Both the men and women came—all whose hearts prompted them—and brought brooches, earrings, rings, pendants, and all kinds of gold jewelry. Every person presented a wave offering of gold to the LORD.
²³ Everyone who had blue, purple, and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair, ram skins dyed red, and dolphin skins brought them. ²⁴ Everyone who could give an offering of silver and bronze brought it as a contribution for the LORD. Also all who had acacia wood for any use in the work brought it.
²⁵ Every skilled woman spun with her hands, and brought what she had spun: blue, purple, and scarlet material, and fine linen. ²⁶ All the women who were skilled artisans spun the goat hair.
²⁷ The leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set in the ephod and the breast piece, ²⁸ spices and oil for the light and for the anointing oil and the aromatic incense. ²⁹ Each Israeli man and woman whose heart was prompted brought something as a freewill offering to the LORD for all the work that the LORD had commanded them to do through Moses.

² Then the presiding leaders of Israel, as heads of the ancestral houses, brought an offering. They were the leaders of the tribes who supervised the census. ³ They brought their offering into the LORD’s presence, consisting of six covered carts and twelve oxen—one cart each from two leaders and an ox from each one. After they presented them in front of the tent, ⁴ the LORD told Moses, ⁵ “Take these gifts from them and use them in service at the Tent of Meeting. Present them to the descendants of Levi, distributing them to each person according to his work.”
⁶ So Moses took the carts and the oxen and presented them to the descendants of Levi. ⁷ Two carts and four oxen were given to the descendants of Gershon for their work. ⁸ Four carts and eight oxen were given to the descendants of Merari for their work. ⁹ But he gave none of them to the descendants of Kohath, because their responsibility was to carry the holy things on their shoulders. ¹⁰ The leaders brought the offerings for the dedication of the altar the same day that it was anointed. After the leaders brought their offering to the altar, ¹¹ the LORD told Moses, “They are to present their offerings, one leader per day, for the dedication of the altar.”
¹² Day One: Nahshon’s OfferingOn the first day Amminadab’s son Nahshon, from the tribe of Judah, presented ¹³ as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ¹⁴ one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ¹⁵ one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; ¹⁶ and one male goat for a sin offering. ¹⁷ Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Amminadab’s son Nahshon.
¹⁸ Day Two: Nathaniel’s OfferingOn the second day, Zuar’s son Nethanel, leader of the descendants of Issachar, presented ¹⁹ as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁰ one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ²¹ one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; ²² and one male goat for a sin offering. ²³ Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Zuar’s son Nathaniel.
²⁴ Day Three: Eliab’s OfferingOn the third day, Helon’s son Eliab, leader of the descendants of Zebulun presented ²⁵ as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁶ one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ²⁷ one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; ²⁸ and one male goat for a sin offering. ²⁹ Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Helon’s son Eliab.
³⁰ Day Four: Elizur’s OfferingOn the fourth day, Shedeur’s son Elizur, leader of the descendants of Reuben presented ³¹ as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³² one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ³³ one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; ³⁴ and one male goat for a sin offering. ³⁵ Their sacrifice for a peace offering, two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Shedeur’s son Elizur.
³⁶ Day Five: Shelumiel’s OfferingOn the fifth day, Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel, leader of the descendants of Simeon, presented ³⁷ as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for grain offering; ³⁸ one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ³⁹ one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; ⁴⁰ and one male goat for a sin offering. ⁴¹ Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel.
⁴² Day Six: Eliasaph’s OfferingOn the sixth day, Deuel’s son Eliasaph, leader of the descendants of Gad, presented ⁴³ as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁴⁴ one gold pan weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁴⁵ one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; ⁴⁶ and one male goat for a sin offering. ⁴⁷ Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Deuel’s son Eliasaph.
⁴⁸ Day Seven: Elishama’s OfferingOn the seventh day, Ammihud’s son Elishama, leader of the descendants of Ephraim, presented ⁴⁹ as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁰ one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁵¹ one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; ⁵² and one male goat for a sin offering. ⁵³ Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Ammihud’s son Elishama.
⁵⁴ Day Eight: Gamaliel’s OfferingOn the eighth day, Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel, leader of the descendants of Manasseh, presented ⁵⁵ as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for grain offering; ⁵⁶ one gold pan weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁵⁷ one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; ⁵⁸ and one male goat for a sin offering. ⁵⁹ Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel.
⁶⁰ Day Nine: Abidan’s OfferingOn the ninth day, Gideoni’s son Abidan, leader of the descendants of Benjamin, presented ⁶¹ as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for grain offering; ⁶² one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁶³ one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; ⁶⁴ and one male goat for a sin offering. ⁶⁵ Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Gideoni’s son Abidan.
⁶⁶ Day Ten: Ahiezer’s OfferingOn the tenth day, Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer, leader of the descendants of Dan, presented ⁶⁷ as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶⁸ one gold pan weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁶⁹ one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; ⁷⁰ and one male goat for a sin offering. ⁷¹ Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer.
⁷² Day Eleven: Pagiel’s OfferingOn the eleventh day, Ochran’s son Pagiel, leader of the descendants of Asher, presented ⁷³ as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁷⁴ one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁷⁵ one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; ⁷⁶ and one male goat for a sin offering. ⁷⁷ Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Ochran’s son Pagiel.
⁷⁸ Day Twelve: Ahira’s OfferingOn the twelfth day, Enan’s son Ahira, leader of the descendants of Naphtali, presented ⁷⁹ as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for grain offering; ⁸⁰ one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁸¹ one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; ⁸² and one male goat for a sin offering. ⁸³ Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Enan’s son Ahira.
⁸⁴ Summary of OfferingsThis was what was presented at the dedication of the altar from the leaders of Israel on the same day that it was anointed: twelve silver bowls, twelve silver basins, twelve gold ladles. ⁸⁵ Each bowl weighed 130 silver shekels and each basin weighed 70 shekels. All the silver vessels weighed a total of 2,400 shekels, calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary. ⁸⁶ Also, twelve gold ladles filled with incense were presented, each ladle weighing ten shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary). All of the gold of the ladles weighed 120 shekels. ⁸⁷ All the livestock for burnt offerings totaled twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve sheep in their first year with corresponding meal offerings, and twelve male goats for sin offerings. ⁸⁸ All the livestock for peace offerings totaled 24 bulls, 60 rams, 60 male goats, and 60 one year old lambs—all this was for the altar’s dedication after it was anointed.
⁸⁹ God Speaks above the Mercy SeatWhen Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard a voice speaking to him above the Mercy Seat over the Ark of the Testimony. He spoke to him from between the two cherubim.

⁵⁰ We’ve brought offerings to the LORD from whatever each man found—jewel-encrusted gold, anklets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves in the LORD’s presence.”
⁵¹ Then Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from them and everything that was fashioned into jewels. ⁵² The gold for the raised offering that they brought to the LORD totaled 16,750 shekels, ⁵³ because every soldier had confiscated war booty for his own use. ⁵⁴ Moses and Eleazar took the gold from the captains of thousands and hundreds and brought it to the Tent of Meeting, to serve as a memorial to the Israelis in the LORD’s presence.

² Gather all the first produce of the ground that you harvest from your land that the LORD your God is about to give you, place it in a basket, and bring it to the place where the LORD your God will choose to establish his name. ³ Approach the priest who is in charge at that time and say to him, ‘I acknowledge today to the LORD your God that I’ve arrived in the land that the LORD promised our ancestors to give us.’ ⁴ Then the priest will take the basket from you and place it in front of the altar of the LORD your God. ⁵ Then you are to affirm and declare in the presence of the LORD your God: ‘A wandering Aramean was my ancestor, who went down to Egypt and traveled there with very few family members, yet there he became a great, powerful, and populous nation. ⁶ But the Egyptians oppressed us, afflicted us, and assigned us to hard labor. ⁷ So we cried out to the LORD God of our ancestors, and he heard our cries and observed our affliction, trouble, and oppression. ⁸ The LORD brought us out of Egypt with his awesome power, with great terror, signs, and wonders. ⁹ And then we arrived at this place, and he gave this land to us, flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁰ Now, look—I brought the first produce of the land that you, LORD, have given me.’
Then set it in the presence of the LORD your God and worship him. ¹¹ Rejoice with the descendants of Levi and the foreigner among you at all the good things that the LORD your God has given you and your family.”
¹² Levitical Tithes“When you have finished your harvest, reserve the tithe in the third year (the year of the tithe), and give the entire tithe to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows, so they may eat and be satisfied in your cities. ¹³ Then declare in the presence of the LORD your God: ‘I’ve removed the holy offering from my house and given it to the descendants of Levi, to the foreigners, to the orphans, and to the widows just as you have commanded me. I haven’t violated or forgotten your commands. ¹⁴ I haven’t eaten any part of it while mourning, nor removed any part of it while unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I’ve obeyed the voice of the LORD my God and did all that he commanded me. ¹⁵ Look down from your holy habitation in heaven and bless your people Israel and the land that you have given us, just as you promised our ancestors—a land flowing with milk and honey.’”

³¹ Whoever oppresses the poor defies their Creator, but whoever is kind to the needy honors them.

⁴ “Is it the right time for all of you to live in your own paneled houses while this house remains in ruins?”
⁵ Consequences of Not Rebuilding“Now this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, says: ‘Carefully consider your ways: ⁶ You have sowed much but have reaped little. You have eaten but don’t have enough to become satisfied. You have drunk but don’t have enough to become intoxicated. You have clothed yourself but don’t have enough to keep warm. And the hired laborer deposits his salary in a bag full of holes!’”
⁷ Command to Rebuild the Temple“This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: ‘Carefully consider your ways: ⁸ Go up into the mountains, bring timber, and reconstruct my house. Then I will be pleased with it and I will be honored,’ says the LORD. ⁹ ‘You turned away in pursuit of abundance, but look at how little you found! What you did manage to bring home, I blew away! And why?’ declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. ‘It’s because of my house! It lies in ruins while each of you runs off to his own house!

⁸ “Will a person rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “By the tithe and the offering. ⁹ You are cursed under the curse—the entire nation—because you are robbing me!
¹⁰ “Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house. So put me to the test in this right now,” says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, “and see if I won’t throw open the windows of heaven for you and pour out on you blessing without measure.

⁷ because you’ll always have the destitute with you and can help them whenever you want, but you won’t always have me. ⁸ She has done what she could. She poured perfume on my body in preparation for my burial.

¹⁰ Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the high priests to betray Jesus to them. ¹¹ After they had listened to him, they were delighted and promised to give him money. So he began to look for a good opportunity to betray him.
¹² The Passover with the Disciples
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover meal?”
¹³ He sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and you will meet a man carrying a jug of water. Follow him. ¹⁴ When he goes into a house, say to its owner that the Teacher asks, ‘Where is my room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ ¹⁵ Then he will show you a large upstairs room that is furnished and ready. Get everything ready for us there.” ¹⁶ So the disciples left and went into the city. They found everything just as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal.
¹⁷ When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. ¹⁸ While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell all of you with certainty, one of you is going to betray me, one who is eating with me.”
¹⁹ They began to be very sad and asked him, one after the other, “Surely I am not the one, am I?”
²⁰ He told them, “It’s one of you Twelve, the one who is dipping his bread into the bowl with me. ²¹ For the Son of Man is going away, just as it has been written about him, but how terrible it will be for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had never been born.”

¹³ Instead, when you give a banquet, make it your habit to invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. ¹⁴ Then you will be blessed because they can’t repay you. And you will be repaid when the righteous are resurrected.”

² After the Sabbath ends, each of you should set aside and save something from your surplus in proportion to what you have, so that no collections will have to be made when I arrive.

² In spite of their terrible ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and deep poverty have led them to be abundantly generous. ³ I can testify that by their own free will they have given to the utmost of their ability, yes, even beyond their ability.

⁸ I am not commanding you but testing the genuineness of your love by the enthusiasm of others. ⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah. Although he was rich, for your sakes he became poor, so that you, through his poverty, might become rich.

¹⁷ It is not that I am looking for a gift. No, I want to see that you receive the fruit that increases to your benefit. ¹⁸ I have been paid in full and have more than enough. I am fully supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus what you sent—a fragrant aroma, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.

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? ¹⁸ Little children, we must stop expressing love merely by our words and manner of speech; we must love also in action and in truth.

² “You are to keep my Sabbath and fear my sanctuary. I am the LORD.
³ “If you live by my statutes, obey my commands, and observe them, ⁴ then I’ll send your rain in its season so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will yield their fruit. ⁵ Threshing will extend to the time of vintage and the vintage will extend to the time of sowing, so that you’ll eat your bread to your satisfaction and live securely in your land.

⁸ “The LORD will send blessings for you with regard to your barns and everything you undertake. Indeed, he will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is about to give you.

²⁴ Those who give freely gain even more; others hold back what they owe, becoming even poorer. ²⁵ A generous person will prosper, and anyone who gives water will receive a flood in return.

¹⁷ Whoever is kind to the poor is lending to the LORD— the benefit of his gift will return to him in abundance.

⁹ Whoever is generous will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

¹ Preparing for the Future Spread your bread on the water— after a while you will find it. ² Apportion what you have into seven, or even eight parts, because you don’t know what disaster might befall the land.

²⁴ The threshing floors will be smothered in grain, and the vats will overflow with wine and oil.

¹⁹ Is there seed left in the granary? Up until now, neither the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, nor the olive tree has borne fruit, but from this very day I will bless you.’”

¹⁰ “Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house. So put me to the test in this right now,” says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, “and see if I won’t throw open the windows of heaven for you and pour out on you blessing without measure. ¹¹ And I’ll prevent the devourer from harming you, so that he does not destroy the crops of your land. Nor will the vines in your fields drop their fruit,” says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

⁴² I tell all of you with certainty, whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple will never lose his reward.”

⁶ Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each of you must give what you have decided in your heart, not with regret or under compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ Besides, God is able to make every blessing of yours overflow for you, so that in every situation you will always have all you need for any good work. ⁹ As it is written, “He scatters everywhere and gives to the poor; his righteousness lasts forever.” ¹⁰ Now he who supplies seed to the farmer and bread to eat will also supply you with seed and multiply it and enlarge the harvest that results from your righteousness. ¹¹ In every way you will grow richer and become even more generous, and this will cause others to give thanks to God because of us,

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!

¹⁷ “Indeed, how blessed is the person whom God reproves! So never disrespect the discipline of the Almighty,

¹² How blessed is the man whom you instruct, LORD, whom you teach from your Law,

¹⁰ If you grow weary when times are troubled, your strength is limited.

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.”

³² Now, while we are being judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so we won’t be condemned along with the world.

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

¹⁶ Life in an Earthly TentThat’s why we are not discouraged. No, even if outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are being renewed each and every day. ¹⁷ This light, temporary nature of our suffering is producing for us an everlasting weight of glory, far beyond any comparison,

³ The Father Disciplines UsThink about the one who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you may not become tired and give up.

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. ⁶ For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he punishes every son he accepts.” ⁷ What you endure disciplines you: God is treating you as sons. Is there a son whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ Now if you are without any discipline, in which all sons share, then you are illegitimate and not God’s sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them for it. We should submit even more to the Father of our spirits and live, shouldn’t we? ¹⁰ For a short time they disciplined us as they thought best, but God does it for our good, so that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, for those who have been trained by it, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.
¹² Live as God’s PeopleTherefore, strengthen your tired arms and your weak knees,

¹⁹ I correct and discipline those whom I love, so be serious and repent!

⁵ Be convinced in your heart that as a father disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

¹³ As a father has compassion for his children, so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him.

²⁴ Whoever does not discipline his son hates him, but whoever loves him is diligent to correct him.

¹⁷ Correct your son and he will comfort you; he will also delight your soul.

¹ The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon
When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon’s reputation with the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions. ² She brought along a large retinue, camels laden with spices, and lots of gold and precious stones. Upon her arrival, she spoke with Solomon about everything that was on her mind. ³ Solomon answered all of her questions. Nothing was hidden from Solomon that he did not explain to her. ⁴ When the queen of Sheba had seen all of Solomon’s wisdom for herself, the palace that he had built, ⁵ the food set at his table, his servants who sat with him, his ministers in attendance and how they were dressed, his personal staff and how they were dressed, and even his personal stairway by which he went up to the LORD’s Temple, she was breathless!
⁶ “Everything I heard about your wisdom and what you have to say is true!” she gasped, ⁷ “but I didn’t believe it at first! But then I came here and I’ve seen it for myself! It’s amazing! I wasn’t told half of what’s really great about your wisdom. You’re far better in person than what the reports have said about you! ⁸ How blessed are your staff! And how blessed are your employees, who serve you continuously and get to listen to your wisdom! ⁹ And blessed be the LORD your God, who is delighted with you! He set you in place on the throne of Israel because the LORD loved Israel forever. That’s why he made you to be king, so you could carry out justice and implement righteousness.”

²³ As a result, King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in regards to wealth and wisdom. ²⁴ All the earth continued to seek audiences with Solomon so they could hear the wise things that God had put in his heart.

⁴ if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure,

⁵ Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget or turn aside from the words of my mouth! ⁶ Do not abandon her, and she will protect you. Love her, and she will watch over you. ⁷ Wisdom is of utmost importance, therefore get wisdom, and with all your effort work to acquire understanding. ⁸ Prize her and she will exalt you. Indeed, if you embrace her, she will honor you. ⁹ She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will present to you a crown of beauty.”

³² The Exhortation of Wisdom“So listen to me, children! Blessed are those who obey me. ³³ Listen to instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it. ³⁴ Blessed is the person who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorways— ³⁵ because those who find me find life and gain favor from the LORD.

¹ How Fools Talk Whoever isolates himself pursues selfish ends; he resists all sound advice.

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.

¹¹ God told Solomon, “Since you had this in mind, to ask neither to focus on riches, wealth, honor, or the lives of those who hate you, nor have you requested a long life, but instead you have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself, so that you may rule my people over whom I have established you as king, ¹² wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. Furthermore, I will give you riches, wealth, and honor—such as none of the kings owned who lived before you and none after you are to ever attain their equal.”

¹³ Mankind doesn’t appreciate their value; and you won’t find it anywhere on earth. ¹⁴ The deepest ocean says, ‘It’s not within me.’ and the sea says, ‘You’ll never find it with me.’ ¹⁵ You can’t buy it with gold, and its value cannot be calculated in silver. ¹⁶ It cannot be compared to gold from Ophir, with precious onyx, or with sapphire. ¹⁷ It cannot be compared to gold and fine glass crystal, nor can it be exchanged for gold-plated weaponry. ¹⁸ Don’t even bother to mention coral and crystal— wisdom is more valuable than a bag of rubies. ¹⁹ It can neither be compared with the topaz of Ethiopia nor valued in comparison to pure gold.”

⁷² Instruction that comes from you is better for me than thousands of gold and silver coins.

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

¹⁶² I find joy at what you have said like one who has discovered a great treasure.

¹⁰ Grab hold of my instruction in lieu of money and knowledge instead of the finest gold, ¹¹ because wisdom is better than precious gems and nothing you desire can compare to it.”

¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, better than even refined gold, and my benefit surpasses the purest silver.

¹⁶ How much better than gaining gold is the acquisition of wisdom, the attainment of wisdom better than silver!

²⁶ because what profit will a person have if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life?

⁸ What is more, I continue to consider all these things to be a loss for the sake of what is far more valuable, knowing the Messiah Jesus, my Lord. It is because of him that I have experienced the loss of all those things. Indeed, I consider them rubbish in order to gain the Messiah ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the Law, but one that comes through the faithfulness of the Messiah, the righteousness that comes from God and that depends on faith.

¹⁸ Therefore, I advise you to buy from me gold purified in fire so you may be rich, white clothes to wear so your shameful nakedness won’t show, and ointment to put on your eyes so you may see.

¹⁸ Don’t even bother to mention coral and crystal— wisdom is more valuable than a bag of rubies.

³ Because your gracious love is better than life itself, my lips will praise you.

²⁵ Whom do I have in heaven but you? I desire nothing on this earth. ²⁶ My body and mind may fail, but God is my strength and my portion forever.

¹¹ because wisdom is better than precious gems and nothing you desire can compare to it.”

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

¹⁰ The Honorable WomanWho can find a capable wife? Her value far exceeds the finest jewels.

⁴⁴ The Parable about a Hidden Treasure“The kingdom from heaven is like treasure hidden in a field that a man found and hid. In his excitement he went and sold everything he had and bought that field.”
⁴⁵ The Parable about a Valuable Pearl“Again, the kingdom from heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found a very valuable pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.”

¹⁸ God’s Spirit Helps UsFor I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.

¹³ I’m also giving you what you haven’t requested: both riches and honor, so that no other king will be comparable to you during your lifetime.

⁹ Don’t throw me away when I am old; do not abandon me when my strength fails.

² For they will add length to your days, years to your life, and abundant peace to you.

⁶ Do not abandon her, and she will protect you. Love her, and she will watch over you. ⁷ Wisdom is of utmost importance, therefore get wisdom, and with all your effort work to acquire understanding. ⁸ Prize her and she will exalt you. Indeed, if you embrace her, she will honor you. ⁹ She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will present to you a crown of beauty.” ¹⁰ Listen, my son: accept my words, and you’ll live a long, long time.

¹⁸ Wealth and honor accompany me, as do enduring wealth and righteousness. ¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, better than even refined gold, and my benefit surpasses the purest silver. ²⁰ I walk on the way of righteousness, along paths that are just, ²¹ I bequeath wealth to those who love me, and I will fill their treasuries.”

⁴ The reward of humility is the fear of the LORD, along with wealth, honor, and life.

³⁰ who will not receive a hundred times as much here in this world—homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields, along with persecution—as well as eternal life in the age to come.

²¹ So let no one boast about human beings, since everything belongs to you, ²² whether Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, the present, or the future—everything belongs to you, ²³ but you belong to the Messiah, and the Messiah belongs to God.

¹⁰ as sorrowful and yet always rejoicing, as poor and yet enriching many, as having nothing and yet possessing everything.

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.

¹¹ The humble will inherit the land; they will take in abundant peace.

³ Because your gracious love is better than life itself, my lips will praise you. ⁴ So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in your name. ⁵ Just as I am satisfied with the choicest of foods, so my lips will praise you joyfully.

¹ The Gracious Person Hallelujah! How happy is the person who fears the LORD, who truly delights in his commandments.

¹⁴ I find joy in the path of your decrees, as if I owned all kinds of riches.

⁴⁷ I will take delight in your commands, which I love.

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

¹⁷⁴ I am longing for your deliverance, LORD, and your instruction is my joy.

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

⁷ When a person’s ways please the LORD, even his enemies will be at peace with him.

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

³ You will keep perfectly peaceful the one whose mind remains focused on you, because he remains in you.

¹⁹ when I create the fruit of the lips: Peace to the one who is far away or near,” says the LORD, “and I’ll heal him.

²⁸ “Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Place my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest for your souls, ³⁰ because my yoke is pleasant, and my burden is light.”

⁷⁹ to shine on those who sit in darkness and in death’s shadow, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is fair, whatever is pure, whatever is acceptable, whatever is commendable, if there is anything of excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—keep thinking about these things. ⁹ Likewise, keep practicing these things: what you have learned, received, heard, and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.

⁹ The LORD God caused every tree that is both beautiful and suitable for food to spring up out of the ground. The tree of life was also in the middle of the garden, along with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

²² Later, the LORD God said, “Look! The man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, so he won’t reach out, also take from the tree of life, eat, and then live forever—”

³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who wins people is wise.

¹² Delayed hope makes the heart ill, but fulfilled longing is a tree of life.

⁴ A gentle statement is a tree of life, but perverted speech shatters the spirit.

⁷ ‘Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To everyone who conquers I will give the privilege of eating from the tree of life that is in God’s paradise.’”

² Between the city street and the river, the tree of life was visible from each side. It produced twelve kinds of fruit, each month having its own fruit. The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

²⁴ How numerous are your works, LORD! You have made them all wisely; the earth is filled with your creations.

⁵ to the one who by wisdom made the heavens, for his gracious love is everlasting—

²⁷ when he crafted the heavens, I was there— when he marked out a circle on the face of the deep, ²⁸ when he made the clouds from above, when the springs of the depths were established, ²⁹ when he set a boundary for the sea so the waters would not exceed his limits, when he marked out the foundations of the earth.

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.

¹⁵ Praise to the God of JacobHe made the earth by his power. He established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he spread out the heavens.

³ Through him all things were made, and apart from him nothing was made that has been made.

⁹ Then God said, “Let the water beneath the sky come together into one area, and let dry ground appear!” And that is what happened:

¹¹ On the seventeenth day of the second month, when Noah was 600 years old, all the springs of the great deep burst open, the floodgates of the heavens were opened,

²⁸ May the LORD grant you dew from the skies, and from the fertile land; may he grant you abundant grain and fresh wine.

³⁷ In response, Isaac told Esau, “Look! I’ve predicted that he’s going to become your master, and I’ve assigned all his brothers to be his servants. What then can I do for you, my son?”
³⁸ Then Esau implored his father, “Don’t you have even one blessing for me, my father? Bless me, even me too, my father!” Then Esau lifted his voice and wept bitterly.
³⁹ At this, his father Isaac replied to him, “Look! Away from the fertile land will be your dwellings; away from the dew of the skies above.

²⁸ So Israel lives in confidence, isolated as the fountain of Jacob in a land of grain and new wine, where the heavens rain down dew.

²⁷ He draws up drops of water, distilling it to rain and mist. ²⁸ When the clouds pour down; they drop their rain on all of humanity.

⁸ “Who enclosed the sea with limits when it gushed out of the womb, ⁹ when I made clouds to be its clothes and thick darkness its swaddling blanket, ¹⁰ when I proscribed a boundary for it, set in place bars and doors for it; ¹¹ and said, ‘You may come only this far and no more. Your majestic waves will stop here.’?

²⁶ to bring rain upon a land without inhabitants, a desert in which no human beings live, ²⁷ to satisfy a desolate and devastated desert, causing it to sprout vegetation? ²⁸ “Does the rain have a father? Who fathered the dew?

⁹ You take care of the earth, you water it, and you enrich it greatly with the river of God that overflows with water. You provide grain for them, for you have ordained it this way. ¹⁰ You fill the furrows of the field with water so that their ridges overflow. You soften them with rain showers; their sprouts you have blessed. ¹¹ You crown the year with your goodness; your footsteps drop prosperity behind them. ¹² The wilderness pastures drip with dew, and the hills wrap themselves with joy.

⁸ Mountains rise up and valleys sink to the place you have ordained for them. ⁹ You have set a boundary they cannot cross; they will never again cover the earth.

²² Can any of the worthless gods of the nations make it rain? Can the heavens themselves bring forth showers? Aren’t you the one who does this, LORD our God? So we hope in you, for you are the one who does all these things.

²³ And so be glad, children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, because he has given you the right amount of early rain, and he will cause the rain to fall for you, both the early rain and the later rain as before.

⁴⁶ he told them, “Take to heart my entire testimony against you today. Command your children to observe carefully every word of this Law, ⁴⁷ because they’re not just empty words for you—they are your very life. Through these instructions you will live long in the land that you are about to cross over the Jordan River to possess.”

⁸ This set of instructions is not to cease being a part of your conversations. Meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to carry out everything that’s written in it, for then you’ll prosper and succeed.

⁷ He stores up sound wisdom for the upright and is a shield to those who walk in integrity—

¹ The Blessings of Trusting God My son, don’t forget my instruction, and keep my commandments carefully in mind. ² For they will add length to your days, years to your life, and abundant peace to you. ³ Do not let gracious love and truth leave you. Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart,

²¹ Do not let them out of your sight; keep them within your heart.

³¹ Freedom and SlaverySo Jesus told those Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are really my disciples.

⁶ Unless a person abides in me, he is thrown away like a pruned branch and dries up. People gather such branches, throw them into a fire, and they are burned up.
⁷ “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you can ask for anything you want, and you’ll receive it.

¹ We Must Not Neglect Our SalvationFor this reason we must pay closer attention to the things we have heard, or we may drift away, ² because if the message spoken by angels was reliable, and every violation and act of disobedience received its just punishment, ³ how will we escape if we neglect a salvation as great as this? It was first proclaimed by the Lord himself, and then it was confirmed to us by those who heard him,

²⁴ What you have heard from the beginning must abide in you. If what you have heard from the beginning abides in you, you will also abide in the Son and in the Father.

²⁷ The anointing you received from God abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you this. Instead, because God’s anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not a lie, abide in him, as he taught you to do.

¹⁶ “My Lord is against them, yet they live, and among all of them who live is his spirit. Now you have restored me to health, so let me live!

⁴⁹ because I haven’t spoken on my own authority. Instead, the Father who sent me has himself commanded me what to say and how to speak. ⁵⁰ And I know that what he commands brings eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.”

²³ A man’s steps are established by the LORD, and the LORD delights in his way. ²⁴ Though he stumbles, he will not fall down flat, for the LORD will hold up his hand.

³¹ The instruction of his God is in his heart; his steps will not slip.

¹¹ for he will command his angels to protect you in all your ways. ¹² With their hands they will lift you up so you will not trip over a stone.

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.

⁸ guarding the paths of the just and protecting the way of his faithful ones.

¹² When you walk, your step will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble.

⁹ Whoever walks in integrity lives prudently, but whoever perverts his way of life will be exposed.

¹² “I will strengthen them in the LORD, and they will march here and there in his name,” declares the LORD.

⁶ I’ll give peace in the land so that you’ll lie down without fear. I’ll remove wild beasts from the land, and not even war will come to your land.

¹⁹ When you sleep, there’ll be nothing to fear; and many will court your favor.

⁵ I lie down and sleep, I wake up, because the LORD sustains me.

⁸ I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, LORD, enable me to live securely.

⁴ Look! The one who is guarding Israel never sleeps and does not take naps. ⁵ The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade at your right side. ⁶ The sun will not ravage you by day, nor the moon by night. ⁷ The LORD will guard you from all evil, preserving your life.

² It is useless to get up early and to stay up late, eating the food of exhausting labor— truly he gives sleep to those he loves.

²² During your travels wisdom will lead you; she will watch over you while you rest; and when you are startled from your sleep, she will commune with you.

²⁶ Then I awoke and looked around, and I had had a pleasant sleep.

¹⁵ I will feed my sheep and give them rest,’ declares the Lord GOD.

⁶ That very night, before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, and guards in front of the door were watching the prisoners.

¹³ Comfort about Christians who Have DiedBut we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve like other people who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so through Jesus God will bring those who have died with him.

²¹ You’ll be protected from the accusing tongue; you need not fear destruction when it heads your way. ²² You’ll laugh at destruction and famine; and you need not fear the beasts of the earth.

¹³ Zophar Counsels Job to Repent“Now for you, if you will prepare your heart, spread out your hands to him. ¹⁴ If you have any iniquity, throw it far away. Don’t let evil live in your residence. ¹⁵ Then your confidence will be flawless, and your security will keep you from terror.

¹ Davidic
Confidence in the LORD The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom will I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom will I be afraid? ² When those who practice evil, my enemies, and my oppressors come near me to devour my flesh, they stumble and fall.

¹ To the Director: A song by the Sons of Korah, to the tune of “The Maidens”.
God is the Refuge of His People God is our refuge and strength, a great help in times of distress. ² Therefore we will not be frightened when the earth roars, when the mountains shake in the depths of the seas, ³ when its waters roar and rage, when the mountains tremble despite their pride. Interlude

¹⁹ How desolate they quickly become, completely destroyed by calamities.

⁵ You need not fear terror that stalks in the night, the arrow that flies in the day,

⁷ He need not fear a bad report, for his heart is unshaken, since he trusts in the LORD.

²⁷ when what you dread comes like a storm, and your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.

¹² “Don’t call conspiracy everything that this people calls conspiracy, and don’t fear what they fear, or live in terror. ¹³ The LORD of the Heavenly Armies— he’s the one you are to regard as holy. Let him be the one whom you fear, and let him be the one before whom you stand in terror!

¹⁰ Don’t be afraid, because I’m with you; don’t be anxious, because I am your God. I keep on strengthening you; I’m truly helping you. I’m surely upholding you with my victorious right hand.”
¹¹ The Coming Defeat of God’s Enemies“Look! All who are enraged at you will be put to shame and disgraced; those who contend with you will all die. ¹² Those who quarrel with you will be as nothing; those who fight you like nothing at all!”
¹³ A Call to Courage“For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand, who says to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I’ll help you. ¹⁴ Don’t be afraid, you little worm Jacob, and you insects of Israel! I myself will help you,’ declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.”

¹⁷ Your majesty, if it be his will, our God whom we serve can deliver us from the blazing fire furnace, and he will deliver us from you. ¹⁸ But if not, rest assured, your majesty, that we won’t serve your gods, and we won’t worship the golden statue that you have set up.”

²⁴ Suddenly, a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat began to be swamped by the waves. Yet Jesus kept sleeping. ²⁵ They went to him and woke him up. “Lord!” they cried, “Save us! We’re going to die!”
²⁶ He asked them, “Why are you afraid, you who have little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

⁶ You’ll hear of wars and rumors of wars. See to it that you aren’t alarmed. These things must take place, but the end hasn’t come yet,

¹⁵ Signs of the End
“So when you see the destructive desecration, mentioned by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place (let the reader take note),

⁴⁰ He asked them, “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith yet?”

⁹ When you hear of wars and revolutions, never be alarmed, because these sort of things must take place first, but the end won’t come right away.”

¹⁸ And yet not a hair on your head will be lost. ¹⁹ By your endurance you will protect your lives.”
²⁰ Signs of the End
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then understand that its devastation is approaching. ²¹ Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains, those inside the city must leave it, and those in the countryside must not go into it, ²² because these are the days of vengeance when all that is written will be fulfilled.
²³ “How terrible it will be for those women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days!—because there will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. ²⁴ They will fall by the edge of the sword and be carried off as captives among all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the unbelievers until the times of the unbelievers are fulfilled.”
²⁵ The Coming of the Son of Man
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and there will be distress on earth among the nations that are confused by the roaring of the sea and its waves. ²⁶ People will faint from fear and apprehension because of the things that are to come on the inhabited world, because the powers of heaven will be shaken. ²⁷ Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory.
²⁸ “Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is approaching.”

¹ Jesus the Way to the Father “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.

¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. “Never be afraid of their threats, and never get upset.

⁹ He guards the steps of his faithful ones, while the wicked are made silent in darkness. He grants the request of the one who prays. He blesses the year of the righteous. Indeed it’s not by strength that a person prevails.

³ He will surely deliver you from the hunter’s snare and from the destructive plague.

⁹ “LORD, you are my refuge!” Because you chose the Most High as your dwelling place, ¹⁰ no evil will fall upon you, and no affliction will approach your tent,

²⁶ Rock-solid security is found in the fear of the LORD, and within it one’s children find refuge.

¹⁷ Even though the fig tree does not blossom, and there are no grapes on the vines; even if the olive harvest fails, and the fields produce nothing edible; even if the flock is snatched from the sheepfold, and there is no herd in the stalls— ¹⁸ as for me, I will rejoice in the LORD. I will find my joy in the God who delivers me.

²⁹ It’s actually in my power to do some serious evil to you, but last night the God of your father told me, ‘Be careful what you say to Jacob whether good or evil.’

¹ God’s Warning to His People “Woe to those who are crafting iniquity, planning evil well into the night! When morning’s light comes, they carry out their plans because they have the power to do so.

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.

¹⁰ So then, whenever we have the opportunity, let’s practice doing good to everyone, especially to the family of faith.

¹⁴ He gave himself for us to set us free from every wrong and to cleanse us so that we could be his special people who are enthusiastic about doing good deeds.
¹⁵ Suppose a brother or sister does not have any clothes or daily food ¹⁶ and one of you tells them, “Go in peace! Stay warm and eat heartily.” If you do not provide for their bodily needs, what good does it do?

⁴ Look! The wages that you kept back from the workers who harvested your fields are shouting out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies.

¹³ “You are not to oppress your neighbor or rob him.
“The wages of a hired laborer are not to remain in your possession until morning.

¹² If he is a poor man, don’t go to sleep with his collateral in your possession. ¹³ Be sure to return his garment to him at sunset so that he may sleep with it, and he will bless you. It will be a righteous deed in the presence of the LORD your God. ¹⁴ Don’t take advantage of a hired person who is poor and needy, whether he’s your fellow citizen or a foreigner who lives in your city. ¹⁵ Pay his wages that same day before the sun sets, because he is poor and his livelihood depends on it. Otherwise, he may cry out to the LORD against you, and you will incur guilt.”

¹ General Counsel Never brag about the day to come, because you don’t know what it might bring.

¹⁰ Whatever the activity in which you engage, do it with all your ability, because there is no work, no planning, no learning, and no wisdom in the next world where you’re going.

⁶ Sow your seed in the morning, and don’t stop working until evening, since you don’t know which of your endeavors will do well, whether this one or that, or even if both will do equally well.

¹¹ Now finish what you began, so that your eagerness to do so may be matched by your eagerness to complete it.

³ Now I have sent the brothers so that our boasting about you in this matter may not prove to be an idle boast, and so that you may stand ready, just as I said.

¹⁸ They are to do good, to be rich in good actions, to be generous, and to share.

²⁰ For they do not speak peace; they devise clever lies against the peaceful people of the land.

²⁰ Each of my friends raises his hand against his allies; each of my friends breaks his word.

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.

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

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.

²⁹ A violent man entices his companion and leads him on a path that is not good. ³⁰ Whoever winks knowingly is plotting deceit; anyone who purses his lips is bent towards evil.

¹⁸ Jeremiah Reacts to the Plot against HimThen they said, “Come, let’s make up a plot against Jeremiah. After all, the priest’s instruction, the wise man’s counsel, and the prophet’s message won’t be destroyed. So let’s verbally attack him. Pay no attention to anything he says!” ¹⁹ LORD, pay attention to me. Listen to the voice of my accusers! ²⁰ Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit to take my life. Remember! I stood before you and spoke good on their behalf in order to turn your wrath away from them.

¹ God’s Warning to His People “Woe to those who are crafting iniquity, planning evil well into the night! When morning’s light comes, they carry out their plans because they have the power to do so. ² They covet fields and seize them; they covet houses, and grab them, too. They harass the valiant man, along with his household, an individual and his estate.

¹⁴ Starting a quarrel is like spilling water— so drop the dispute before it escalates.

⁶ A fool’s words bring strife, and his mouth invites fighting.

⁸ don’t be in a hurry to argue in court. Otherwise, what will you do later on when your neighbor humiliates you? ⁹ Instead, take up the matter with your neighbor, and don’t betray another person’s confidence.

²² An angry man stirs up arguments, and a hot-tempered man causes many transgressions.

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.

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.

⁶ Instead, one brother goes to court against another brother, and before unbelieving judges, at that! ⁷ The very fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves is already a defeat for you. Why not rather just accept the wrong? Why not rather be cheated? ⁸ Instead, you yourselves practice doing wrong and cheating others, and brothers at that!

²⁴ A servant of the Lord must not argue. Instead, he must be kind to everyone, teachable, willing to suffer wrong,

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. ⁸ Calm your anger and abandon wrath. Don’t be angry— it only leads to evil. ⁹ Those who do evil will perish. But those who wait on the LORD will inherit the land.

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

¹⁵ My son, do not go along with them, and keep your feet away from their paths! ¹⁶ For they run toward evil; these enticers shed blood without hesitation. ¹⁷ Look, it is useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds, ¹⁸ but these people lie in wait for their own blood. They ambush only themselves.

¹² delivering you from the way of evil, from men who speak perverse things, ¹³ and from those who abandon the right path to travel along the ways of darkness; ¹⁴ who delight in doing evil, and rejoice in the perverseness of evil; ¹⁵ whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways,

¹² The wicked desires what evil people gain, but the foundation of the righteous is productive.

²² Don’t rob the poor person because he is poor, and don’t crush the helpless in court, ²³ for the LORD will plead their case and ruin the lives of those who ruin them. ²⁴ Don’t make friends with a hot-tempered man, and do not associate with someone who is easily angered, ²⁵ or you may learn his ways and find yourself caught in a trap.

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

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.

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.

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.

⁴ like when I was in my prime and God trusted me with his secrets!

²⁶ to the pure, you show yourself pure, and to the morally corrupt, you appear to be perverse.

¹⁴ The intimate counsel of the LORD is for those who fear him so they may know his covenant.

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.

¹³ The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. Pride, arrogance, an evil lifestyle, and perverted speech I despise.

²⁰ Devious minds are abhorrent to the LORD, but those whose ways are innocent are his delight.

¹⁰ The heart knows its own bitterness— an outsider cannot share in its joy.

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

²⁵ Jesus Praises the Father and Invites the Disciples to Come to Him
At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from wise and intelligent people and have revealed them to infants.

¹¹ He answered them, “You have been given knowledge about the secrets of the kingdom from heaven, but it hasn’t been given to them,

¹⁵ So he told them, “You try to justify yourselves in front of people, but God knows your hearts, because what is highly valued by people is detestable to God.

¹⁵ I don’t call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. But I’ve called you friends, because I’ve made known to you everything that I’ve heard from my Father.

¹⁷ ‘Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone. On the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the person who receives it.’”

¹⁴ Cascading Consequences“But if you won’t listen to me and obey all these commands, ¹⁵ and if you refuse my statutes, loathe my ordinances, and fail to carry out all of my commands, thereby breaching my covenant, ¹⁶ then I will certainly do this to you: I’ll appoint sudden terror to infect you like tuberculosis and fever. Your eyes will fail and your life will waste away. You’ll plant in vain, because your enemies will consume what you plant. ¹⁷ I’ll set my face against you so that you’ll be defeated before your enemies. Those who hate you will have dominion over you and you’ll keep fleeing even when no one is pursuing you.
¹⁸ “If, despite all of this, you still don’t listen to me, then I’ll punish you seven times more on account of your sins. ¹⁹ I’ll break your mighty pride. I’ll make the heavens to be like iron and the ground like bronze. ²⁰ Your strength will be spent in vain, because your land won’t yield its produce and the trees of the land won’t yield their fruit.
²¹ “If you live life contrary to me and remain unwilling to listen to me, then I’ll add to your wounds seven times more on account of your sins. ²² I’ll send wild beasts against you from the open country to deprive you of your children, destroy your cattle, and decrease your number so that your roads become desolate.
²³ “If, despite these things, you still won’t return to me, but live life contrary to me, ²⁴ then I’ll certainly oppose you. I’ll take vengeance against you seven fold on account of your sins. ²⁵ I’ll bring the sword against you to execute the vengeance of my covenant. When you gather in your cities, I’ll send a pestilence. As a result, you’ll be delivered into the control of your enemies. ²⁶ When I destroy the source of your bread, ten women will bake bread in one oven. Then they’ll return back your bread by weight. You’ll eat but won’t be satisfied.
²⁷ “If, after all of this time, you don’t listen to me, but instead live life contrary to me, ²⁸ I’ll oppose you with vicious rage. Indeed, I myself will punish you seven fold on account of your sins. ²⁹ At that time, you’ll eat the flesh of your sons and you’ll eat the flesh of your daughters. ³⁰ I’ll destroy your high places and cut down your sun pillars. Then I’ll cast your dead bodies on top of the bodies of your idols. I’ll loathe you. ³¹ I’ll lay your cities to waste and destroy your sanctuaries so I don’t have to smell the scent of your soothing odors. ³² I’ll make the land so desolate that your enemies who live in it will be astonished.”
³³ Captivity among the Nations“I’ll scatter you among the nations and draw the sword after you so that your land becomes desolate and your towns become ruins. ³⁴ Then the land will finally be pleased with its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate while you are in the land of your enemies. At that time, the land will rest and take its Sabbaths. ³⁵ As long as it lies desolate, it will have rest that it will not have had during your Sabbaths when you were living in it.
³⁶ “As for the remnants among you, I’ll bring despair in their hearts in the land of their enemies so that even the sound of a blown leaf will chase them and they flee as though pursued by the sword and fall when no one is pursuing. ³⁷ They’ll stumble over each other as though fleeing before the sword, even though no one is pursuing.
“You won’t have power to resist your enemies. ³⁸ You’ll perish among the nations and the land of your enemies will consume you. ³⁹ The remnants among you will waste away in the land of your enemies due to their iniquity. Indeed, they’ll also waste away on account of the iniquities of their ancestors with them.”
⁴⁰ Return from Captivity“Nevertheless, when they confess their iniquity, the iniquity of their ancestors, and their unfaithfulness by which they acted unfaithfully against me by living life contrary to me— ⁴¹ causing me to oppose them and take them to the land of their enemies so that the uncircumcised foreskin of their hearts can be humbled and so that they accept the punishment of their iniquity— ⁴² then I’ll remember my covenant with Jacob, my covenant with Isaac, and my covenant with Abraham. I’ll also remember the land. ⁴³ They will leave the land so it can rest while it lies desolate without them. That’s when they’ll receive the punishment of their iniquity, because indeed they will have rejected my ordinances and despised my statutes. ⁴⁴ Yet, despite all of these things, when they’re in the land of their enemies, I won’t reject or despise them so as to completely destroy them and by doing so violate my covenant with them, because I am the LORD their God. ⁴⁵ Instead, on account of them, I’ll remember my covenant with their ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt right before the eyes of the nations, so that I could be their God. I am the LORD.”
⁴⁶ These are the statutes, ordinances, and laws that the LORD made between himself and the Israelis on Mount Sinai, as recorded by the hand of Moses.

²⁶ Don’t bring any detestable thing to your house, because you yourself will be utterly destroyed along with these detestable things. You must absolutely abhor and detest all of it, because it has been devoted to destruction.”

²⁸ or a curse if you don’t obey the commands of the LORD your God, by turning from the way that I’m commanding you today and following other gods whom you have not known.”

² Moreover, all these blessings will come upon you in abundance, if you obey the LORD your God:
³ “Blessed will you be in the city and blessed will you be in the country.
⁴ “Blessed will your children be, as well as the produce of your land, the offspring of your beasts and cattle, and the offspring of your flock.
⁵ “Blessed will be your grain basket and your kneading bowl.
⁶ “Blessed will you be in your comings and goings.”
⁷ “The LORD will make your enemies, who rise against you and attack from one direction, to flee from you in seven directions.
⁸ “The LORD will send blessings for you with regard to your barns and everything you undertake. Indeed, he will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is about to give you.
⁹ “The LORD will assign you to be a holy people for himself, just as he promised you, as long as you keep his commands and walk in his ways.
¹⁰ “Then all the people of the earth will observe that the name of the LORD is proclaimed among you, and they will fear you.
¹¹ “The LORD will show his abundant goodness with respect to your children, the offspring of your animals, and the produce of your farmland that he promised your ancestors he would give you.
¹² “The LORD will open his rich treasury, the heavens, to release rain upon your land in season and bless everything you undertake so that you’ll lend to many nations but won’t borrow.
¹³ “The LORD your God will make you the head and not the tail—placing you above and not beneath—if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I’m giving you today to keep and observe. ¹⁴ Do not deviate from any of his commands that I’m giving you today—neither to the right nor the left—to follow and serve other gods.”
¹⁵ Reversal of Blessings“But if you don’t obey the LORD your God and faithfully carry out all his commands and statutes that I’m giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you and overwhelm you.
¹⁶ “Cursed will you be in the city and cursed will you be in the country.
¹⁷ “Cursed will be your grain basket and your kneading bowl.
¹⁸ “Cursed will your children be, as well as the produce of your land, the offspring of your beasts and cattle, and the offspring of your flock.
¹⁹ “Cursed will you be in your comings and goings.”
²⁰ Diseases and Drought“The LORD will send the curse among you, will confuse you, and will rebuke you in everything you undertake until you are destroyed and perish quickly because of your evil deeds, since you will have forsaken him. ²¹ The LORD will cause you to be ill with long-lasting diseases until you are wiped out from the land that you are entering to possess. ²² The LORD will afflict you with tuberculosis, fever, inflammation, high fever, drought, blight, and mildew. These will attack you until you are completely destroyed. ²³ The sky above your head will become bronze while the ground beneath you will become iron. ²⁴ The LORD will change the rain on your land to powder and dust. It will come down from the sky until you are exterminated.”
²⁵ From Defeat to Exile“The LORD will cause you to be defeated by your enemies. You’ll go out against them in one direction, but you’ll flee from them in seven directions. Consequently, you’ll be in a state of great terror throughout all the kingdoms of the earth. ²⁶ Your dead bodies will be food for the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth, with no one to chase them away.
²⁷ “The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, skin disease, and festering rashes, and none of them will be curable. ²⁸ The LORD will afflict you with insanity, blindness, and mental confusion. ²⁹ As a result, you’ll wander aimlessly in broad daylight just as a blind person wanders in darkness. You won’t prosper in life. Instead you’ll be oppressed and plundered all day long, with no deliverer.
³⁰ You’ll be engaged to a woman, but another man will rape her. You’ll build a house but you won’t live in it. You’ll plant a vineyard but you won’t harvest it. ³¹ Your ox will be slaughtered in front of you, and you won’t be able to eat it. Your donkey will be stolen from you while you watch and won’t be returned to you. Your flock of sheep will be handed to your enemies and there will be no deliverer. ³² Your sons and daughters will be given to another people while you watch, and you won’t be able to approach them at all, and you’ll be powerless to help.
³³ “A people whom you don’t know will devour what your land and labor produces. You’ll be only oppressed and discouraged continuously ³⁴ until you are driven insane from what your eyes will see.
³⁵ “The LORD will inflict you with incurable boils on your knees and legs, and from the sole of your foot to the top of your head.
³⁶ “The LORD will banish you and your king whom you will appoint over you to go to a nation that neither you nor your ancestors have known, and there you’ll serve other gods of wood and stone. ³⁷ You’ll become a desolation and a proverb, and you’ll be mocked among the people where the LORD will drive you.”
³⁸ Complete Reversal“You’ll plant many seeds in a field, but your harvest will be small because the locust will consume it. ³⁹ You’ll plant a vineyard, but you won’t drink wine or harvest any grapes, because worms will consume it. ⁴⁰ You’ll have olive trees throughout your territory, but you won’t be able to anoint yourself with oil, because the olives will drop off the trees. ⁴¹ You’ll bear sons and daughters, but they won’t belong to you, because they’ll go into captivity. ⁴² Whirling locusts will consume every tree and the produce of your land. ⁴³ The foreigner in your midst will be elevated higher and higher over you, while you are brought low little by little. ⁴⁴ He will lend to you, but you won’t lend to him. He’ll be the head, but you’ll be the tail. ⁴⁵ All these curses will come upon you and will overwhelm you until you are exterminated, because you didn’t obey the LORD your God to keep his commands and statutes, which he had commanded you. ⁴⁶ These curses will serve as a sign and wonder for you and your descendants as long as you live.”
⁴⁷ Servitude and Bondage“Because you didn’t serve the LORD your God joyfully and wholeheartedly, despite the abundance of everything you have, ⁴⁸ you’ll serve your enemies whom the LORD your God will send against you. You will serve in famine and in drought, in nakedness, and in lack of everything. They’ll set a yoke of iron upon your neck until they have exterminated you.
⁴⁹ “The LORD will raise a distant nation against you from the other side of the earth. Swooping down like a vulture, ⁵⁰ it will be a nation whose language you don’t understand, whose stern appearance neither shows regard nor extends grace to anyone whether old or young. ⁵¹ Its army will consume the offspring of your animals and the produce of your soil until you are exterminated. They will leave you without your grain, wine, oil, the increase of your cattle, and the lamb of your flock, until you are completely destroyed. ⁵² They’ll besiege all your cities until your high and fortified walls in which you have trusted collapse throughout the land. Indeed, they will besiege all your cities, which the LORD your God gave you.”
⁵³ Cannibalism“You’ll eat your own children—the flesh of your sons and daughters, whom the Lord your God gave you—on account of the siege and the distress with which your enemy will oppress you. ⁵⁴ Even the compassionate man among you—the very sensitive one—will look with evil in his eyes toward his brother, his beloved wife, and his surviving sons, whom he spared. ⁵⁵ He will withhold from each of them the flesh of his sons that he is eating—since there will be nothing left—on account of the siege and distress with which your enemy will oppress you in all your cities. ⁵⁶ The most tender and sensitive lady among you, who doesn’t venture to touch the soles of her feet to the ground on account of her daintiness, will look with hostility in her eyes against her beloved husband, her sons, and her daughters. ⁵⁷ She will eat her afterbirth and her newborn children secretly—since there will be nothing left—on account of the siege and distress with which your enemy will oppress you in your cities.”
⁵⁸ Reduction in Population“If you aren’t careful to observe all the words of this Law that have been written in this book, instructing you to fear this glorious and awesome name of the LORD your God, ⁵⁹ then he will inflict extraordinary plagues on you and your children, great and lasting plagues, and severe and lasting illnesses. ⁶⁰ He will inflict on you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they won’t be curable. ⁶¹ Moreover, the LORD will inflict you with illnesses and plagues that were not written in this Book of the Law, until you are exterminated. ⁶² Because you will not have obeyed the LORD your God, very few of you will be left—instead of you being as numerous as the stars in the heavens. ⁶³ Just as the LORD delighted to prosper and increase you, so now the LORD will delight to destroy, exterminate, and banish you from the land that you are about to enter to possess.”
⁶⁴ Scattering among the Nations“He’ll scatter you among the peoples from one end of the earth to the other, and there you’ll serve other gods made of wood and stones, which neither you nor your ancestors have known. ⁶⁵ Among those nations you’ll have no rest. There’ll be no resting place for the soles of your feet. Instead, the LORD will give you an anxious heart, failing eyesight, and a despairing spirit. ⁶⁶ You’ll cling to life, being fearful by both night and day, with no assurance of survival. ⁶⁷ In the morning you’ll say, ‘I wish it were evening.’ Yet in the evening you’ll say, “I wish it were morning,” on account of what you’ll dread and what you’ll see. ⁶⁸ Finally, the LORD will bring you back to Egypt by ship, a place that I said you’ll never see again. There you’ll try to sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.”

¹⁹ because when such a person hears the words of this oath, he will bless himself and say: ‘I will have a peaceful life, even though I’m determined to be stubborn.’ By doing this he will be sweeping away both watered and parched ground alike.’
²⁰ “The LORD won’t forgive such a person. Instead, the zealous anger of the LORD will blaze against him. All the curses that were written in this book will fall on him. Then the LORD will wipe out his memory from under heaven. ²¹ The LORD will set him apart from all the tribes of Israel for destruction, according to the curses of the covenant that were written in this Book of the Law.”
²² A Reminder of Sodom and Gomorrah“Then the generation to come—your descendants after you and the foreigners who come from afar—will see plagues and illnesses infecting the land that the LORD will inflict on it. ²³ The whole land will be covered with salt pits and burning sulfur, with nothing planted, nothing sprouting, and producing no vegetation—overthrown like Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, when the LORD overthrew them in his raging fury. ²⁴ All the nations will ask, ‘Why did the LORD do this to this land? What is the meaning of this fierce and great anger?’ ²⁵ Then they will answer themselves, ‘Because they’ve abandoned the covenant of their LORD, the God of their ancestors that he had made with them when he brought them out of Egypt. ²⁶ They followed and worshipped other gods whom they had not known and whom he did not assign to them. ²⁷ For this reason, the anger of the LORD raged against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that were written in this book. ²⁸ The LORD uprooted them from the land in his anger, wrath, and great fury, deporting them to another land, and that’s the way things are today.’
²⁹ “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but what has been revealed belongs to us and to our children forever, so that we might observe the words of this Law.”

¹⁸ Now as for you, everything has been turned over for destruction. Don’t covet or take any of these things. Otherwise, you’ll make the camp of Israel itself an object worthy of destruction, and bring trouble on it.

¹³ So get up and sanctify the people. Tell them, ‘Sanctify yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, because this is what the LORD God of Israel, says: “There are things turned over to destruction among you, Israel. You won’t be able to defeat your enemies until you remove what has been turned over to destruction.

¹¹ So the ark of the LORD remained for three months in the household of Obed-edom the Gittite while the LORD blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.

⁶ if you are clean and upright, surely then, he’ll act on your behalf and restore your rightful place. ⁷ Your beginning may be small, but later years will be very great.

³ He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither. He will prosper in everything he does.

²² For those blessed by God will inherit the land, but those cursed by him will be cut off.

¹⁰ no evil will fall upon you, and no affliction will approach your tent,

¹² The righteous God considers the house of the wicked, bringing the wicked to ruin.

³ He responded to me, “This is the curse that is going out over the surface of the whole earth, because, according to this side of the scroll, all thieves will be ejected, and according to the other side of the scroll, all liars will be ejected.”
⁴ “I am bringing this about,” declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. “The curse will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who lies in my name. The curse will remain in his house until that house has been completely destroyed, right down to its timber and stones.”

² “If you don’t listen, and if you don’t choose to give honor to my name,” says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, “then I’ll curse both you and your blessings. I’ve even cursed them already, because none of you are taking it to heart.

⁶ Though the LORD is highly exalted, yet he pays attention to those who are lowly regarded, but he is aware of the arrogant from afar.

⁷ Wisdom Extends LifeWhoever corrects a mocker invites only insult, and whoever rebukes the wicked will himself become stained. ⁸ Don’t rebuke a mocker or he will hate you. Rebuke a wise person, and he will love you.

¹² If you are wise, your wisdom will assist you. If you mock, you alone will be held responsible.

²⁹ Condemnation is appropriate for mockers, just as beatings are for the backs of fools.

²⁴ The names “Proud,” “Arrogant,” and “Mocker” fit whoever acts with presumptuous conceit.

¹⁵ “For this is what the high and lofty One says, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “He lives in the height and in holiness, and also with the one who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

⁶ But he gives all the more grace. And so he says, “God opposes the arrogant but gives grace to the humble.”

⁵ Be Humble and AlertIn a similar way, you young people must submit to the elders. All of you must clothe yourselves with humility for the sake of each other, because: “God opposes the arrogant, but gives grace to the humble.”

³⁰ “Therefore, the LORD God of Israel has declared, ‘I did, in fact, say that your family and your ancestor’s family would walk before me forever,’ but now the LORD declares, ‘Far be it from me! The one who honors me I’ll honor, and the one who despises me is to be treated with contempt.

²⁴ You will guide me with your wise advice, and later you will receive me with honor.

¹⁸ I will clothe his enemies with disgrace, but on him his crown will shine.”

⁸ Prize her and she will exalt you. Indeed, if you embrace her, she will honor you.

⁸ The life of a wealthy man may be held for ransom, but whoever is poor receives no threats.

¹³ The Righteous and Wicked ContrastedTherefore, this is what the LORD says: “See, my servants will eat, but you’ll go hungry; my servants will drink, but you’ll go thirsty; my servants will rejoice, but you’ll be put to shame. ¹⁴ My servants will sing in gladness of heart, but you’ll cry for help from anguish of heart, and you’ll howl from brokenness of spirit. ¹⁵ You’ll leave your name to my chosen ones as a curse, and the Lord GOD will put you to death permanently.

² Many of those who are sleeping in the dust of the earth will awaken—some to life everlasting, and some to disgrace and everlasting contempt. ³ Those who manifest wisdom will shine like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like the stars for ever and ever.