Proverbs 15 Cross References - WEB

¹ A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. ² The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of fools gush out folly. ³ Yahweh’s eyes are everywhere, keeping watch on the evil and the good. ⁴ A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but deceit in it crushes the spirit. ⁵ A fool despises his father’s correction, but he who heeds reproof shows prudence. ⁶ In the house of the righteous is much treasure, but the income of the wicked brings trouble. ⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so with the heart of fools. ⁸ The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but the prayer of the upright is his delight. ⁹ The way of the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but he loves him who follows after righteousness. ¹⁰ There is stern discipline for one who forsakes the way: whoever hates reproof shall die. ¹¹ Sheol and Abaddon are before Yahweh— how much more then the hearts of the children of men! ¹² A scoffer doesn’t love to be reproved; he will not go to the wise. ¹³ A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but an aching heart breaks the spirit. ¹⁴ The heart of one who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. ¹⁵ All the days of the afflicted are wretched, but one who has a cheerful heart enjoys a continual feast. ¹⁶ Better is little, with the fear of Yahweh, than great treasure with trouble. ¹⁷ Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a fattened calf with hatred. ¹⁸ A wrathful man stirs up contention, but one who is slow to anger appeases strife. ¹⁹ The way of the sluggard is like a thorn patch, but the path of the upright is a highway. ²⁰ A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish man despises his mother. ²¹ Folly is joy to one who is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding keeps his way straight. ²² Where there is no counsel, plans fail; but in a multitude of counselors they are established. ²³ Joy comes to a man with the reply of his mouth. How good is a word at the right time! ²⁴ The path of life leads upward for the wise, to keep him from going downward to Sheol. ²⁵ Yahweh will uproot the house of the proud, but he will keep the widow’s borders intact. ²⁶ Yahweh detests the thoughts of the wicked, but the thoughts of the pure are pleasing. ²⁷ He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live. ²⁸ The heart of the righteous weighs answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes out evil. ²⁹ Yahweh is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. ³⁰ The light of the eyes rejoices the heart. Good news gives health to the bones. ³¹ The ear that listens to reproof lives, and will be at home among the wise. ³² He who refuses correction despises his own soul, but he who listens to reproof gets understanding. ³³ The fear of Yahweh teaches wisdom. Before honor is humility.

¹ The men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you treated us this way, that you didn’t call us when you went to fight with Midian?” They rebuked him sharply. ² He said to them, “What have I now done in comparison with you? Isn’t the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? ³ God has delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb! What was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger was abated toward him when he had said that.

³ When I saw that you didn’t save me, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and Yahweh delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me today, to fight against me?” ⁴ Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the middle of Ephraim, and in the middle of Manasseh.” ⁵ The Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. Whenever a fugitive of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No;” ⁶ then they said to him, “Now say ‘Shibboleth;’” and he said “Sibboleth”; for he couldn’t manage to pronounce it correctly, then they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time, forty-two thousand of Ephraim fell.

¹⁰ Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants who break away from their masters these days. ¹¹ Shall I then take my bread, my water, and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men who I don’t know where they come from?” ¹² So David’s young men turned on their way, and went back, and came and told him all these words. ¹³ David said to his men, “Every man put on his sword!” Every man put on his sword. David also put on his sword. About four hundred men followed David, and two hundred stayed by the baggage.

²¹ Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him. He has returned me evil for good. ²² God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that belongs to him by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall.” ²³ When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got off her donkey, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground. ²⁴ She fell at his feet, and said, “On me, my lord, on me be the blame! Please let your servant speak in your ears. Hear the words of your servant. ²⁵ Please don’t let my lord pay attention to this worthless fellow, Nabal; for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; but I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men, whom you sent. ²⁶ Now therefore, my lord, as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, since Yahweh has withheld you from blood guiltiness, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now therefore let your enemies, and those who seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. ²⁷ Now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord. ²⁸ Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For Yahweh will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights Yahweh’s battles. Evil will not be found in you all your days. ²⁹ Though men may rise up to pursue you, and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord will be bound in the bundle of life with Yahweh your God. He will sling out the souls of your enemies, as from the hollow of a sling. ³⁰ It will come to pass, when Yahweh has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you prince over Israel, ³¹ that this shall be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When Yahweh has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.” ³² David said to Abigail, “Blessed is Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me! ³³ Blessed is your discretion, and blessed are you, who have kept me today from blood guiltiness, and from avenging myself with my own hand.

⁴³ The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?” The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

¹³ The king answered the people roughly, and abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him, ¹⁴ and spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.” ¹⁵ So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about from Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. ¹⁶ When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion have we in David? We don’t have an inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David.” So Israel departed to their tents.

¹² Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all wrongs.

¹⁸ A wrathful man stirs up contention, but one who is slow to anger appeases strife.

¹⁵ By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone.

²⁵ One who is greedy stirs up strife; but one who trusts in Yahweh will prosper.

²² An angry man stirs up strife, and a wrathful man abounds in sin.

¹ For the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.” A contemplation by the sons of Korah. A wedding song. My heart overflows with a noble theme. I recite my verses for the king. My tongue is like the pen of a skillful writer.

⁷ Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, “For”, they say, “who hears us?”

²³ A prudent man keeps his knowledge, but the hearts of fools proclaim foolishness.

¹⁶ Every prudent man acts from knowledge, but a fool exposes folly.

²³ Joy comes to a man with the reply of his mouth. How good is a word at the right time!

²⁸ The heart of the righteous weighs answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes out evil.

²³ The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.

¹¹ A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. ¹² As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear.

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips. ¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

⁴ The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary. He awakens morning by morning, he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.

⁹ For Yahweh’s eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you will have wars.”

⁴ Doesn’t he see my ways, and count all my steps?

²¹ “For his eyes are on the ways of a man. He sees all his goings. ²² There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

²¹ For the ways of man are before Yahweh’s eyes. He examines all his paths.

¹⁷ For my eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from my face. Their iniquity isn’t concealed from my eyes.

²⁴ Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I can’t see him?” says Yahweh. “Don’t I fill heaven and earth?” says Yahweh.

¹⁹ great in counsel, and mighty in work; whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of men, to give everyone according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings;

¹³ There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.

²² Yahweh God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever—” ²³ Therefore Yahweh God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴ So he drove out the man; and he placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

² Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. ³ You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking the truth. Selah. ⁴ You love all devouring words, you deceitful tongue.

²² for I am poor and needy. My heart is wounded within me.

¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.

¹⁸ There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise heals.

²⁴ Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

⁸ The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.

¹⁴ A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?

²² The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.

² But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall.

³ If anyone teaches a different doctrine, and doesn’t consent to sound words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness,

⁷ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God.

²³ He said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. ²⁴ No, my sons; for it is not a good report that I hear! You make Yahweh’s people disobey. ²⁵ If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will intercede for him?” Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them.

¹ After this, Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, and fifty men to run before him. ² Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. When any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, “What city are you from?” He said, “Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.” ³ Absalom said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.” ⁴ Absalom said moreover, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!” ⁵ It was so, that when any man came near to bow down to him, he stretched out his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him. ⁶ Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

¹¹ Now, my son, may Yahweh be with you and prosper you, and build the house of Yahweh your God, as he has spoken concerning you. ¹² May Yahweh give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel; that so you may keep the law of Yahweh your God. ¹³ Then you will prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which Yahweh gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid, and don’t be dismayed.

⁹ You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

²⁰ David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed; for Yahweh God, even my God, is with you. He will not fail you, nor forsake you, until all the work for the service of Yahweh’s house is finished.

⁵ Let the righteous strike me, it is kindness; let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head; don’t let my head refuse it; Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.

²³ Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.

²³ For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

¹ The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

¹ A wise son listens to his father’s instruction, but a scoffer doesn’t listen to rebuke.

¹⁸ Poverty and shame come to him who refuses discipline, but he who heeds correction shall be honored.

³¹ The ear that listens to reproof lives, and will be at home among the wise. ³² He who refuses correction despises his own soul, but he who listens to reproof gets understanding.

²⁰ Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end.

¹² As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear.

¹³ This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

¹⁵ Say these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one despise you.

¹⁹ For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he will not build it up. ²⁰ “Because he knew no quietness within him, he will not save anything of that in which he delights. ²¹ There was nothing left that he didn’t devour, therefore his prosperity will not endure. ²² In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress will overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery will come on him. ²³ When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him. It will rain on him while he is eating.

¹⁶ Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked.

³ Wealth and riches are in his house. His righteousness endures forever.

²¹ that I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.

²² Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.

²² A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous.

¹⁶ Better is little, with the fear of Yahweh, than great treasure with trouble.

⁸ Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.

²⁰ There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man swallows it up.

⁶ Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and chasing after wind.

¹⁰ He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity. ¹¹ When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes? ¹² The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep. ¹³ There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm. ¹⁴ Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.

²⁶ considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

¹ Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming on you. ² Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten. ³ Your gold and your silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be for a testimony against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up your treasure in the last days.

³⁰ The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice.

² You are the most excellent of the sons of men. Grace has anointed your lips, therefore God has blessed you forever.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners will be converted to you. ¹⁴ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. ¹⁵ Lord, open my lips. My mouth will declare your praise.

¹⁵ My mouth will tell about your righteousness, and of your salvation all day, though I don’t know its full measure. ¹⁶ I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Yahweh. I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone. ¹⁷ God, you have taught me from my youth. Until now, I have declared your wondrous works. ¹⁸ Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don’t forsake me, until I have declared your strength to the next generation, your might to everyone who is to come.

² I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old, ³ Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. ⁴ We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of Yahweh, his strength, and his wondrous deeds that he has done. ⁵ For he established a covenant in Jacob, and appointed a teaching in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; ⁶ that the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; who should arise and tell their children,

¹³ With my lips, I have declared all the ordinances of your mouth.

²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver. The heart of the wicked is of little worth. ²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding.

⁹ Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs. ¹⁰ The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.

¹¹ Your lips, my bride, drip like the honeycomb. Honey and milk are under your tongue. The smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

²⁷ What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops.

³⁴ You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

¹⁸ Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation.

⁹ The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Don’t be afraid, but speak and don’t be silent; ¹⁰ for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

¹⁴ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” ¹⁶ But they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” ¹⁷ So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, ¹⁹ in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ; ²⁰ yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation. ²¹ But, as it is written, “They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who haven’t heard will understand.”

²⁹ Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.

² The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same things to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

⁶ And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna.

¹⁷ I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. Now I have seen with joy your people, who are present here, offer willingly to you.

¹ A Prayer by David. Hear, Yahweh, my righteous plea; Give ear to my prayer, that doesn’t go out of deceitful lips.

²⁹ Yahweh is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination— how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind!

⁹ He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

¹ Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil.

¹⁴ My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the mountainside, let me see your face. let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely.

¹⁰ Hear Yahweh’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! ¹¹ “What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?”, says Yahweh. “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed animals. I don’t delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats. ¹² When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts? ¹³ Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations: I can’t stand evil assemblies. ¹⁴ My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them. ¹⁵ When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.

⁸ “For I, Yahweh, love justice. I hate robbery and iniquity. I will give them their reward in truth and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

³ He who kills an ox is as he who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers an offering, as he who offers pig’s blood; he who burns frankincense, as he who blesses an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations:

²⁰ To what purpose does frankincense from Sheba come to me, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not pleasing to me.”

²¹ Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel says: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat meat. ²² For I didn’t speak to your fathers or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices; ²³ but this thing I commanded them, saying, ‘Listen to my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. Walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’

²¹ I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can’t stand your solemn assemblies. ²² Yes, though you offer me your burnt offerings and meal offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat animals.

²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

⁶ For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.

⁸ Yahweh opens the eyes of the blind. Yahweh raises up those who are bowed down. Yahweh loves the righteous. ⁹ Yahweh preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, but he turns the way of the wicked upside down.

¹⁹ The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.

⁴ A high look and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin.

⁸ The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

²¹ He who follows after righteousness and kindness finds life, righteousness, and honor.

⁷ The way of the just is uprightness. You who are upright make the path of the righteous level.

¹ “Listen to me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek Yahweh. Look to the rock you were cut from, and to the quarry you were dug from.

⁷ “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law. Don’t fear the reproach of men, and don’t be dismayed at their insults.

⁴ However I sent to you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, “Oh, don’t do this abominable thing that I hate.”

³ Let’s acknowledge Yahweh. Let’s press on to know Yahweh. As surely as the sun rises, Yahweh will appear. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth.”

¹³ You who have purer eyes than to see evil, and who cannot look on perversity, why do you tolerate those who deal treacherously, and keep silent when the wicked swallows up the man who is more righteous than he,

¹³ “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.

¹¹ But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

²² Flee from youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

¹⁷ When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”

²⁰ Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do that which is evil in Yahweh’s sight.

⁸ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t let the king say so.”

³⁰ They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.

¹² and say, “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;

¹⁷ He is in the way of life who heeds correction, but he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.

¹ Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

³⁵ “They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I don’t feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I can find another.”

⁵ Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. ⁶ From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it: wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven’t been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil.

¹³ “‘“In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you and you weren’t cleansed, you won’t be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my wrath toward you to rest. ¹⁴ I, Yahweh, have spoken it. It will happen, and I will do it. I won’t go back. I won’t spare. I won’t repent. According to your ways, and according to your doings, they will judge you,” says the Lord Yahweh.’”

²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.

⁷ The world can’t hate you, but it hates me, because I testify about it, that its works are evil.

⁷ But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”

³⁰ then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know (for you, even you only, know the hearts of the children of men)

⁶ Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.

⁹ Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; their minds and hearts are searched by the righteous God.

²¹ won’t God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.

⁸ If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there!

²⁰ Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man’s eyes are never satisfied.

¹⁰ “I, Yahweh, search the mind. I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”

²⁴ But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them, because he knew everyone, ²⁵ and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.

¹⁷ He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?” Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

¹⁸ and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.

²³ I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.

⁷ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.” Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t let the king say so.”

¹⁴ They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we don’t want to know about your ways.

⁷ One who corrects a mocker invites insult. One who reproves a wicked man invites abuse. ⁸ Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise person, and he will love you.

¹⁰ There is stern discipline for one who forsakes the way: whoever hates reproof shall die.

¹⁰ They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks blamelessly.

¹⁸ He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. ¹⁹ This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. ²¹ But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”

³ For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts,

² The king said to me, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart.” Then I was very much afraid.

²⁵ Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad.

¹⁵ All the days of the afflicted are wretched, but one who has a cheerful heart enjoys a continual feast.

²² A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

¹ “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.

¹² For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

⁷ so that on the contrary you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow.

¹⁰ For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world produces death.

⁶ Solomon said, “You have shown to your servant David my father great loving kindness, because he walked before you in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you. You have kept for him this great loving kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today. ⁷ Now, Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am just a little child. I don’t know how to go out or come in. ⁸ Your servant is among your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can’t be numbered or counted for multitude. ⁹ Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of yours?” ¹⁰ This request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. ¹¹ God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have you asked for riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice; ¹² behold, I have done according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart; so that there has been no one like you before you, and after you none will arise like you.

⁹⁷ MEM How I love your law! It is my meditation all day.

¹⁰⁰ I understand more than the aged, because I have kept your precepts.

⁵ that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:

⁹ Instruct a wise person, and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous person, and he will increase in learning.

¹⁵ The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

¹⁰ who tell the seers, “Don’t see!” and the prophets, “Don’t prophesy to us right things. Tell us pleasant things. Prophesy deceits.

²⁰ He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can’t deliver his soul, nor say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?”

¹ Ephraim feeds on wind, and chases the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and desolation. They make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.

¹¹ Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

³⁵ All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” His father wept for him.

⁹ Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are one hundred thirty years. The days of the years of my life have been few and evil. They have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”

⁷ For we are consumed in your anger. We are troubled in your wrath. ⁸ You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. ⁹ For all our days have passed away in your wrath. We bring our years to an end as a sigh.

¹³ A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but an aching heart breaks the spirit.

²² Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly.

²⁵ But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

² through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance;

¹¹ Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

¹² rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer;

⁵ For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.

¹⁰ as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

⁶ Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved in various trials, ⁷ that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ— ⁸ whom, not having known, you love. In him, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory,

¹³ But because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy.

⁶ Better is the poor who walks in his integrity, than he who is perverse in his ways, and he is rich.

¹⁰ Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor. ¹¹ Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

¹⁸ I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. ¹⁹ Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. ²⁰ Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun. ²¹ For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. ²² For what does a man have of all his labor and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun? ²³ For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

¹⁰ He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity. ¹¹ When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes? ¹² The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain.

¹ A Song of Ascents. By David. See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity! ² It is like the precious oil on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aaron’s beard, that came down on the edge of his robes, ³ like the dew of Hermon, that comes down on the hills of Zion; for there Yahweh gives the blessing, even life forever more.

¹ Better is a dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife.

¹⁹ It is better to dwell in a desert land, than with a contentious and fretful woman.

⁴ Again he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding feast!”’

²³ Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat, and celebrate;

¹ If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion,

¹⁶ We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

⁸ Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are relatives. ⁹ Isn’t the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left.”

²⁴ She fell at his feet, and said, “On me, my lord, on me be the blame! Please let your servant speak in your ears. Hear the words of your servant. ²⁵ Please don’t let my lord pay attention to this worthless fellow, Nabal; for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; but I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men, whom you sent. ²⁶ Now therefore, my lord, as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, since Yahweh has withheld you from blood guiltiness, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now therefore let your enemies, and those who seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. ²⁷ Now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord. ²⁸ Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For Yahweh will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights Yahweh’s battles. Evil will not be found in you all your days. ²⁹ Though men may rise up to pursue you, and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord will be bound in the bundle of life with Yahweh your God. He will sling out the souls of your enemies, as from the hollow of a sling. ³⁰ It will come to pass, when Yahweh has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you prince over Israel, ³¹ that this shall be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When Yahweh has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.” ³² David said to Abigail, “Blessed is Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me! ³³ Blessed is your discretion, and blessed are you, who have kept me today from blood guiltiness, and from avenging myself with my own hand. ³⁴ For indeed, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, who has withheld me from harming you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there wouldn’t have been left to Nabal by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall.” ³⁵ So David received from her hand that which she had brought him. Then he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. Behold, I have listened to your voice, and have granted your request.” ³⁶ Abigail came to Nabal; and behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. Therefore she told him nothing until the morning light. ³⁷ In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. ³⁸ About ten days later, Yahweh struck Nabal, so that he died. ³⁹ When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed is Yahweh, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil. Yahweh has returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head.” David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to himself as wife. ⁴⁰ When David’s servants had come to Abigail to Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, “David has sent us to you, to take you to him as wife.” ⁴¹ She arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, “Behold, your servant is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” ⁴² Abigail hurried, and arose, and rode on a donkey, with five ladies of hers who followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. ⁴³ David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they both became his wives. ⁴⁴ Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

⁴³ The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?” The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

²⁹ He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper displays folly.

¹ A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

²⁸ A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends.

²¹ As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.

⁴ If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

¹ Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service. ² The twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables. ³ Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. ⁴ But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.” ⁵ These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch;

¹⁹ So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; ²⁰ for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.

¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. ¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.

¹ All the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. ² All the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “We wish that we had died in the land of Egypt, or that we had died in this wilderness! ³ Why does Yahweh bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be captured or killed! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return into Egypt?”

⁷ They spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. ⁸ If Yahweh delights in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us: a land which flows with milk and honey. ⁹ Only don’t rebel against Yahweh, neither fear the people of the land; for they are bread for us. Their defense is removed from over them, and Yahweh is with us. Don’t fear them.”

⁸ Lead me, Yahweh, in your righteousness because of my enemies. Make your way straight before my face.

⁸ Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way. ⁹ He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.

¹² What man is he who fears Yahweh? He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose.

¹¹ Teach me your way, Yahweh. Lead me in a straight path, because of my enemies.

⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

⁹ They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.

⁵ Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked: whoever guards his soul stays from them.

¹³ The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!”

¹³ The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!”

²¹ and when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way. Walk in it.”

⁸ A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called “The Holy Way”. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who walk in the Way. Wicked fools shall not go there.

¹⁴ He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.”

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.

³ “‘Each one of you shall respect his mother and his father. You shall keep my Sabbaths. I am Yahweh your God.

⁴⁸ Also thus said the king, ‘Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne today, my eyes even seeing it.’”

⁹ Now therefore don’t hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood.”

⁷ When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and said, “Blessed is Yahweh today, who has given to David a wise son to rule over this great people.”

¹⁵ My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine. ¹⁶ Yes, my heart will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.

²² Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.

³ Whoever loves wisdom brings joy to his father; but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

¹⁷ “The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother: the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.

²² But you know the proof of him, that as a child serves a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Good News.

²⁸ To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”

¹⁰ The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. All those who do his work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

²³ It is a fool’s pleasure to do wickedness, but wisdom is a man of understanding’s pleasure.

¹² One who despises his neighbor is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding holds his peace.

⁹ Fools mock at making atonement for sins, but among the upright there is good will.

¹⁶ A wise man fears and shuns evil, but the fool is hot headed and reckless.

¹⁸ Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death, ¹⁹ is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?”

¹⁵ Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise,

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.

¹⁴ Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls, but in the multitude of counselors there is victory.

¹⁸ Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!

⁶ For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him.

¹⁴ A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth. The work of a man’s hands shall be rewarded to him.

¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of kings. They value one who speaks the truth.

²⁶ An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

¹ For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

¹¹ You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.

²⁴ See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.

¹⁸ for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits.

⁵ Her feet go down to death. Her steps lead straight to Sheol.

²⁷ Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the rooms of death.

⁸ Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise person, and he will love you.

¹⁴ Punish him with the rod, and save his soul from Sheol.

⁸ “You shall say to this people, ‘Yahweh says: “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

¹⁴ How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.

⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.

²⁰ For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

¹ If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.

¹⁷ For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn’t respect persons or take bribes. ¹⁸ He executes justice for the fatherless and widow and loves the foreigner in giving him food and clothing.

¹⁴ You shall not remove your neighbor’s landmark, which they of old time have set, in your inheritance which you shall inherit, in the land that Yahweh your God gives you to possess.

¹¹ Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low. ¹² Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place. ¹³ Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place.

¹ For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has come to Ahimelech’s house.” Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s loving kindness endures continually.

⁵ God will likewise destroy you forever. He will take you up, and pluck you out of your tent, and root you out of the land of the living. Selah.

⁵ A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. ⁶ God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.

⁶ For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly; but he knows the proud from afar.

⁹ Yahweh preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, but he turns the way of the wicked upside down.

⁷ The wicked are overthrown, and are no more, but the house of the righteous shall stand.

¹¹ The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.

¹⁰ Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,

¹² For there will be a day of Yahweh of Armies for all that is proud and arrogant, and for all that is lifted up; and it shall be brought low:

²⁰ But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.

²⁷ Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

⁵ Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Yahweh, my rock, and my redeemer.

³⁰ The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice. ³¹ The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide.

¹⁶ There are six things which Yahweh hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him: ¹⁷ arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸ a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief, ¹⁹ a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.

⁹ The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.

¹⁴ Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long will your evil thoughts lodge within you?

³⁴ You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. ³⁵ The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things. ³⁶ I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.

²¹ Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

⁸ “You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.

²⁶ You shall not bring an abomination into your house and become a devoted thing like it. You shall utterly detest it. You shall utterly abhor it; for it is a devoted thing.

¹⁹ You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality. You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.

¹⁸ But as for you, only keep yourselves from what is devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted it, you take of the devoted thing; so you would make the camp of Israel accursed and trouble it.

¹¹ Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own stuff. ¹² Therefore the children of Israel can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.

²⁴ Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor. ²⁵ Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? Yahweh will trouble you today.” All Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.

³ His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. ⁴ Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah. ⁵ They said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

²⁷ Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your offspring forever.” He went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow.

¹⁹ So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.

¹⁹ He who is truly righteous gets life. He who pursues evil gets death.

²⁹ He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind. The foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

²¹ An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning, won’t be blessed in the end.

¹⁶ A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment. One who hates ill-gotten gain will have long days.

⁴ The king by justice makes the land stable, but he who takes bribes tears it down.

⁸ Woe to those who join house to house, who lay field to field, until there is no room, and you are made to dwell alone in the middle of the land! ⁹ In my ears, Yahweh of Armies says: “Surely many houses will be desolate, even great and beautiful, unoccupied. ¹⁰ For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield an ephah.”

¹⁵ He who walks righteously and speaks blamelessly, he who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing to take a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from looking at evil— ¹⁶ he will dwell on high. His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks. His bread will be supplied. His waters will be sure.

¹¹ As the partridge that sits on eggs which she has not laid, so is he who gets riches, and not by right. In the middle of his days, they will leave him. At his end, he will be a fool.

⁹ Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil! ¹⁰ You have devised shame to your house, by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against your soul. ¹¹ For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork will answer it.

³ Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the surface of the whole land; for everyone who steals shall be cut off according to it on the one side; and everyone who swears falsely shall be cut off according to it on the other side. ⁴ I will cause it to go out,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who swears falsely by my name; and it will remain in the middle of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones.”

²³ Then the king said, “One says, ‘This is my son who lives, and your son is the dead;’ and the other says, ‘No; but your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’” ²⁴ The king said, “Get me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king. ²⁵ The king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.” ²⁶ Then the woman whose the living child was spoke to the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in no way kill him!” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours. Divide him.” ²⁷ Then the king answered, “Give her the living child, and definitely do not kill him. She is his mother.” ²⁸ All Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king; for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.

¹⁹ In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience, but he who restrains his lips does wisely.

² The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of fools gush out folly.

¹¹ A fool vents all of his anger, but a wise man brings himself under control.

²⁰ Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

² Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

⁶ Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips. ¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. ¹⁴ A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?

¹⁰ For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ whose mouths must be stopped: men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.

⁶ And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna. ⁷ For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind; ⁸ but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

¹⁵ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear,

¹⁸ For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error;

¹ Why do you stand far off, Yahweh? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

⁴¹ They cried, but there was no one to save; even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them.

¹⁵ Yahweh’s eyes are toward the righteous. His ears listen to their cry. ¹⁶ Yahweh’s face is against those who do evil, to cut off their memory from the earth. ¹⁷ The righteous cry, and Yahweh hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.

¹⁸ If I cherished sin in my heart, the Lord wouldn’t have listened. ¹⁹ But most certainly, God has listened. He has heard the voice of my prayer.

²⁷ For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.

¹⁸ Yahweh is near to all those who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. ¹⁹ He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them.

⁸ The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh. ⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

⁴⁶ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

³¹ We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God, and does his will, he listens to him.

²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. ²⁷ He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.

¹² that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.

¹⁶ Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it didn’t rain on the earth for three years and six months. ¹⁸ He prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

⁸ Now for a little moment grace has been shown from Yahweh our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and revived us a little in our bondage.

¹⁵ Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you. They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.

⁸ It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.

⁹ The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

²⁵ Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

⁷ Truly the light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to see the sun.

¹¹ and Yahweh will guide you continually, satisfy your soul in dry places, and make your bones strong. You will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters don’t fail.

¹⁰ The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. ¹¹ For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” ¹³ Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.” ¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. ¹⁷ When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. ¹⁸ All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.

²³ The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.

⁵ There will be no night, and they need no lamp light or sun light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.

⁸ Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise person, and he will love you. ⁹ Instruct a wise person, and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous person, and he will increase in learning.

²⁰ One who walks with wise men grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

⁵ A fool despises his father’s correction, but he who heeds reproof shows prudence.

³ Turn your ear, and come to me. Hear, and your soul will live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

³ You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.

¹⁹ They went out from us, but they didn’t belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us.

¹⁸ If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and though they chasten him, will not listen to them,

²⁰ They shall tell the elders of his city, “This our son is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey our voice. He is a glutton and a drunkard.”

¹⁷ since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you?

⁷ The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

²⁴ Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention; ²⁵ but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof; ²⁶ I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you, ²⁷ when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you. ²⁸ Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me; ²⁹ because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh. ³⁰ They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof. ³¹ Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes. ³² For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them. ³³ But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”

¹¹ You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed, ¹² and say, “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; ¹³ neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!

³³ Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it. ³⁴ Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts. ³⁵ For whoever finds me, finds life, and will obtain favor from Yahweh. ³⁶ But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.”

¹⁴ The heart of one who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

²¹ Folly is joy to one who is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding keeps his way straight.

¹⁶ Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, since he has no understanding?

¹ He who is often rebuked and stiffens his neck will be destroyed suddenly, with no remedy.

⁵ Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

³ O Yahweh, don’t your eyes look on truth? You have stricken them, but they were not grieved. You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than a rock. They have refused to return.

²⁴ “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. ²⁶ Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

¹⁵ looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it,

²² But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

¹⁹ As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.

¹¹ Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.

¹³ The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.

¹² Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility.

⁶ Don’t exalt yourself in the presence of the king, or claim a place among great men; ⁷ for it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.

²³ A man’s pride brings him low, but one of lowly spirit gains honor.

¹¹ For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

⁵ Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross. ⁹ Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.