Proverbs 15 Cross References - LEB

¹ A soft answer will turn away wrath, but a word of trouble will stir _⌊anger_⌋.* ² The tongue of the wise will dispense knowledge, but the mouth of fools will pour out folly. ³ In every place, the eyes of Yahweh keep watch over the evil and the good. ⁴ Gentleness* of tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it* causes a break in spirit. ⁵ A fool will despise the instruction of his father, but he who guards reproof is prudent. ⁶ In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but the income of the wicked brings trouble. ⁷ The lips of the wise will spread knowledge, but the heart* of fools, not so. ⁸ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination of Yahweh, but the prayer of the upright is his delight. ⁹ An abomination of Yahweh is the way of the wicked, but he who pursues righteousness he will love. ¹⁰ Severe discipline belongs to him who forsakes the way; he who hates a rebuke will die. ¹¹ Sheol* and Abaddon* are before Yahweh, _⌊how much more_⌋* the hearts of the children of men! ¹² A scoffer does not like _⌊his rebuke_⌋;* to the wise he will not go. ¹³ A heart* of gladness will make good _⌊countenance_⌋,* but in sorrow of heart* a spirit is broken. ¹⁴ The heart of him who understands will seek knowledge, but the faces of fools, they* will feed on folly. ¹⁵ All the days of the poor are hard, but goodness of heart* is a continuous feast. ¹⁶ Better is little with the fear of Yahweh than great treasure and trouble with it.* ¹⁷ Better is a dinner of vegetables when* love is there than a fattened ox and hatred with it.* ¹⁸ A man who is hot-tempered will stir up strife, but he who is slow to _⌊anger_⌋,* he will calm contention. ¹⁹ The way of the lazy is like a hedge of thorns,* but the path of the upright is a highway. ²⁰ A child of wisdom will make a father glad, but a _⌊foolish person_⌋,* he despises his mother. ²¹ Folly is a joy to him who lacks _⌊sense_⌋,* and a person of understanding _⌊will walk upright_⌋.* ²² Plans go wrong when there is no counsel, but with many advisors it will succeed. ²³ Joy belongs to a man with answers in his mouth, and a word in its time, how good it is! ²⁴ The path of life leads upward for him who has insight, in order to turn away from Sheol below. ²⁵ The house of the proud, Yahweh will tear it down, but he will maintain the _⌊property line_⌋* of the widow. ²⁶ Plans of evil are an abomination of Yahweh, but gracious words are pure. ²⁷ He who makes trouble for his house is he who is greedy for unjust gain, but he who hates bribes will live. ²⁸ A heart* of righteousness will ponder the answer, but a mouth of wickedness will pour out deceit. ²⁹ Yahweh is far from the wicked, but the prayers of the righteous he will hear. ³⁰ From the light of the eyes, the heart* will rejoice, and good news will enliven the bones.* ³¹ The ear of him who listens to admonitions of life, in the midst of the wise it will lodge. ³² He who ignores instruction despises himself,* but he who hears admonition gains heart.* ³³ Fear of Yahweh is the instruction of the wise, and before honor comes humility.

¹ The men of Ephraim said to him, "What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against the Midianites?"* And they quarreled with him severely. ² And he said to them, "What I have done now in comparison with you? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer? ³ God has given into your hand the commanders of Midian, Oreb, and Zeeb. What have I been able to do in comparison with you?" And their _⌊anger_⌋* against him subsided when _⌊he said that_⌋.*

³ I saw that you would not deliver us; _⌊I risked my own life_⌋,* and I crossed over to the _⌊Ammonites_⌋,* and Yahweh gave them into my hand. Why have you come up to me this day to fight against me?" ⁴ Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead, and he made war with Ephraim; and the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim because they said, "You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and Manasseh." ⁵ Then Gilead captured the fords of the Jordan from Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive of Ephraim said, "Let me cross over," the men of Gilead said to him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" When he said, "No," ⁶ they said to him, "Please say Shibboleth," and if he said, "Sibboleth"—because he could not _⌊pronounce it_⌋* correctly—they grabbed him and executed him at the fords of Jordan. At that time forty-two thousand from Ephraim fell.

¹⁰ But Nabal answered David's servants and said, "Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? Today, there are many servants breaking away from the presence of their masters. ¹¹ Should I take my bread and my water and my meat which I have slaughtered for my shearers and give it to men whom I do not know where they are from? ¹² So David's young men turned on their way and returned and came and told him according to all these words. ¹³ Then David said to his men, "Each man strap on his sword!" So each one strapped on his sword, and David also strapped on his sword. About four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage.

²¹ Now David had said, "Surely _⌊in vain_⌋* I guarded all that this fellow had in the desert. And nothing was missed of all that was his, but he returned evil against me in place of good! ²² _⌊May God severely punish the enemies of David_⌋* and again do thus if I leave behind _⌊anything that is his_⌋* until the morning, not even _⌊one male_⌋!"* ²³ When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell on her face before _⌊David's anger_⌋,* and she bowed down to the ground. ²⁴ She fell at his feet and said, "On me, my lord, be the guilt! Please let your female servant speak _⌊to you personally_⌋!* Hear the words of your female servant! ²⁵ Please do not let my lord set his heart against _⌊this worthless man_⌋,* Nabal; for as his name, so is he. Nabal is his name, and stupidity is with him! But I, your female servant, did not see the young men* of my lord whom you sent. ²⁶ So then, my lord, _⌊as Yahweh lives and as your soul lives_⌋,* since Yahweh restrained you from bloodguilt _⌊by taking matters into your own hand_⌋,* so then, may your enemies be like Nabal, even _⌊those who seek to do my lord harm_⌋.* ²⁷ So then, this gift which your female servant has brought to my lord, may it be given to the young men _⌊who follow my lord_⌋.* ²⁸ Please forgive the transgression of your female servant, because Yahweh will certainly make a lasting house* for my lord, because my lord is fighting the battles of Yahweh, and evil will not be found in you _⌊as long as you live_⌋.* ²⁹ Should a man arise to pursue you and to seek your life, may the life of my lord be wrapped in the pouch* of the living with Yahweh your God. But as for the life of your enemy, he will sling it from within* the pocket of the sling! ³⁰ _⌊And then_⌋* when Yahweh has done for my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you as leader over Israel, ³¹ then this will not be an obstacle for you or a stumbling block of conscience for my lord either by the shedding of blood without cause or by _⌊my lord taking matters into his own hands_⌋.* And when Yahweh does good to my lord, then remember your female servant." ³² Then David said to Abigail, "Blessed be Yahweh the God of Israel who has sent you this day to meet me! ³³ And blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you who have prevented me this day from bloodguilt and from delivering myself by my own hand.

⁴³ Then the people of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, "I have _⌊ten times as much_⌋* in the king, moreover in David I have more than you. Why did you treat me with contempt _⌊by not giving me first chance_⌋* to bring back my king?" But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the word of the men of Israel.

¹³ Then the king answered all the people harshly, as he had rejected the advice of the old men that they had offered. ¹⁴ He spoke to them according to the advice of the youngsters, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add onto your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions." ¹⁵ So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turning of events from Yahweh in order to fulfill his word which Yahweh had spoken through the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. ¹⁶ When all of Israel saw that the king would not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, "_⌊What share do we have in David_⌋?* There is no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now look to your house, David!" Then Israel went to their* tents.

¹² Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers over all offenses.

¹⁸ A man who is hot-tempered will stir up strife, but he who is slow to _⌊anger_⌋,* he will calm contention.

¹⁵ _⌊With patience_⌋* a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone.*

²⁵ The _⌊greedy person_⌋* will stir up strife, but he who trusts in Yahweh will be enriched.

²² A man of anger will stir strife, and the owner of anger, much transgression.

¹ For the music director; according to The Lilies. Of the sons of Korah. A maskil. A song of love.*
My heart is moved with a good word; I recite my _⌊compositions_⌋* to the king. My tongue is the pen of a skilled scribe.

⁷ Look, they pour out talk with their mouth. Swords are on their lips, for they say, "Who hears?"

²³ A clever person conceals knowledge, but the heart* of a fool* announces folly.

¹⁶ Anyone who is clever will act with intelligence, but the fool will display folly.

²³ Joy belongs to a man with answers in his mouth, and a word in its time, how good it is!

²⁸ A heart* of righteousness will ponder the answer, but a mouth of wickedness will pour out deceit.

²³ The heart* of the wise will make his mouth judicious, and upon his lips, it* will add persuasiveness.

¹¹ Apples of gold in a setting of silver is a matter spoken at* its proper time. ¹² A ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a rebuke of the wise to the ear of a listener.

¹² The wise man wins favor by the words of his mouth, but the fool is devoured by his own lips. ¹³ He begins by saying what is foolish and ends by uttering what is wicked delusion.

⁴ The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of a pupil, to know how to help the weary with a word. He awakens _⌊morning by morning_⌋,* awakens an ear for me to listen as do the pupils.

⁹ For the eyes of Yahweh roam throughout all the earth to strengthen those whose heart is fully devoted to him. You have been foolish in this, for from now on you will have wars."

⁴ Does he not see my ways and count all my steps?

²¹ "Indeed, his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he sees all his steps. ²² There is no darkness, and there is no deep shadow where instigators of mischief might hide themselves.

²¹ For before the eyes of Yahweh are _⌊human ways_⌋,* and all his paths he examines.

¹⁷ For my eyes are on all their ways, they are not hidden _⌊from before me_⌋,* and their iniquity is not concealed from before my eyes.

²⁴ Or can a person hide himself in secret places and I cannot see him?" _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. "Do I not fill up the heaven and the earth?" _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh.

¹⁹ great in counsel and great in deed, whose eyes are opened to all the ways of the children of humankind, to give to each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds,

¹³ And no creature is hidden in the sight of him, but all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of him to whom _⌊we must give our account_⌋*.

²² And Yahweh God said, "Look—the man has become as one of us, to know good and evil. _⌊What if_⌋* he stretches out his hand and takes also from the tree of life and eats, and lives forever?" ²³ And Yahweh God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴ So* he drove the man out, and placed cherubim east of the garden of Eden, and _⌊a flaming, turning sword_⌋* to guard the way to the tree of life.

² Your tongue plans destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceit. ³ You love evil more than good, a lie more than speaking _⌊what is right_⌋.* Selah ⁴ You love all devouring words, O deceitful tongue,

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

¹⁸ She is a tree of life for those who seize her; those who take hold of her are considered happy.

¹⁸ There is one who speaks rashly, like the thrust of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

²⁴ Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and healing to the bones.

⁸ The words of a whisper are like delicious morsels, and they themselves go down to inner parts of the body.

¹⁴ The spirit of a man will endure his sickness, but a broken spirit, who may bear it?

²² The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels, and they go down to the inner parts of the body.

² But for you who revere* my name, the sun of righteousness will rise, with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like _⌊fattened calves_⌋.*

³ If anyone teaches other doctrine and does not devote himself to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness,

⁷ The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will grant to him to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God.'

²³ And he asked them, "Why are you doing all these things that I am hearing, namely, your evil dealings with all these people? ²⁴ No, my sons, the report is not good that I am hearing the people of Yahweh spreading. ²⁵ If a man sins against a man, then God can intercede for him. But if a man sins against Yahweh, who can intercede for him?" But they did not _⌊obey_⌋* their father, because Yahweh wanted to kill them.

¹ It happened afterward that Absalom made himself a chariot with horses and fifty men running before him. ² Absalom used to rise early in the morning, and he stood _⌊beside_⌋* the road at the gate; _⌊anyone_⌋* who had a legal dispute to bring to the king for judgment Absalom would call to him and say, "_⌊Where are you from?_⌋"* And he would say, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel." ³ Then Absalom would say to him, "Look, your case is good and right, but for you there is no hearing with the king." ⁴ Then Absalom would say, "_⌊Oh, that someone would_⌋* appoint me as judge in the land, that _⌊anyone_⌋* might come to me who had a legal dispute or a case, and I would give him justice." ⁵ It happened whenever anyone drew near to do obeisance to him, that he would stretch his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. ⁶ Absalom did like this to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts* of the people of Israel.

¹¹ Now, my son, Yahweh will be with you, that you may succeed and build the house of Yahweh your God as he has spoken concerning you. ¹² Only may Yahweh give to you understanding and insight that he might give you charge over Israel and the keeping of the law of Yahweh your God. ¹³ Then you will prosper if you take care to do the statutes and judgments which Yahweh commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and be courageous; fear not and do not be dismayed.

⁹ "And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for Yahweh searches all hearts and understands every plan and all thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will reject you forever.

²⁰ Then David said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do this! Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for Yahweh God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you and will not forsake you until all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh is finished.

⁵ Let a righteous one strike me in kindness, and let him chasten me. It is oil for my head;* let not my head refuse. For still my prayer is against their evil deeds.

²³ May you turn to my argument!* Behold, I shall pour out my spirit upon you; I will make my words known to you.

²³ For like a lamp is a commandment, and instruction is light, and the way of life* is the reproof of discipline,

¹ The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child makes a father glad, but a foolish child grieves his mother.

¹ A wise child hears the discipline of a father, but a scoffer does not listen to a rebuke.

¹⁸ Poverty and disgrace belong to him who ignores instruction, but he who guards reproof will be honored.

³¹ The ear of him who listens to admonitions of life, in the midst of the wise it will lodge. ³² He who ignores instruction despises himself,* but he who hears admonition gains heart.*

²⁰ Listen to advice and accept instruction so that you will gain wisdom for your _⌊future_⌋.*

¹² A ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a rebuke of the wise to the ear of a listener.

¹³ This testimony is true, for which reason reprove them severely, in order that they may be sound in the faith,

¹⁵ Speak these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

¹⁹ for he has oppressed; he has abandoned the poor; he has seized a house but* did not build it. ²⁰ Because he has not known satisfaction in his stomach, _⌊he lets nothing escape that he desires_⌋.* ²¹ _⌊There is nothing left after he has eaten_⌋;* therefore his prosperity will not endure. ²² In the fullness of his excess _⌊he will be in distress_⌋;* all of misery's power will come upon him. ²³ _⌊When his stomach fills up_⌋,* God will send _⌊his burning anger_⌋* upon him, and he will let it rain down upon him* as his food.

¹⁶ The little belonging to the righteous is better than the wealth of many wicked.

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

²¹ in order to endow those who love me with wealth, and I will fill their treasuries.

²² The blessing of Yahweh makes one rich, and he does not increase sorrow with it.

²² He who is good will leave an inheritance to _⌊his grandchildren_⌋,* and stored up for the righteous is the wealth of a sinner.

¹⁶ Better is little with the fear of Yahweh than great treasure and trouble with it.*

⁸ Better is little with righteousness than great income with no justice.

²⁰ Precious treasure and oil are in the house of the wise, but the foolish person* will devour them.*

⁶ Better is one handful with peace than two fists full with toil and chasing wind.

¹⁰ Whoever loves money is not satisfied with money, and whoever loves wealth is not satisfied with profit. This also is vanity! ¹¹ When prosperity increases, those who consume it increase. _⌊So its owner gains nothing, except to see his wealth before it is spent_⌋.* ¹² The sleep of the laborer is pleasant, whether he eats little or much, but the wealth of the rich man does not allow him to rest. ¹³ There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth _⌊hoarded_⌋* by its owner to his harm. ¹⁴ That wealth was lost in a bad venture. Although he has borne a child, _⌊he has nothing to leave to him_⌋.*

²⁶ considering _⌊reproach endured for the sake of Christ_⌋* greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

¹ Come now, you rich people, weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming upon you! ² Your wealth has rotted, and your clothing has become moth-eaten. ³ Your gold and silver have become corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you, and it will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days.

³⁰ The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

² You are the most handsome of the sons of humankind; grace is poured out on your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. ¹⁴ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation; then my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. ¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will proclaim your praise.

¹⁵ My mouth will tell of your righteousness, your salvation _⌊all day long_⌋,* though I do not know the full sum of them. ¹⁶ I will come in to tell the mighty deeds of Lord Yahweh. I will _⌊make known_⌋* your righteousness, yours only. ¹⁷ O God, you have taught me from my youth, and up to now I have proclaimed your wonderful deeds. ¹⁸ And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not abandon me until I proclaim your _⌊strength_⌋* to this generation, your power to every one that comes after.

² I will offer* a parable with my mouth. I will pour out riddles from long ago, ³ that we have heard and known, and our ancestors* have told us. ⁴ We will not hide them from their children,* telling the next generation the praises of Yahweh, and his power and his wonders that he has done. ⁵ For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law* in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors* to teach to their children, ⁶ so that the next generation might know— children yet to be born— that they might rise up and tell their children,

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

²⁰ Choice silver is a tongue of righteousness, a heart* of wickedness is _⌊of little worth_⌋.* ²¹ Lips of righteousness feed many, but fools _⌊die for lack of sense_⌋.*

⁹ The Teacher* was full of wisdom, and he taught the people with knowledge. He carefully considered many proverbs and carefully arranged them. ¹⁰ The Teacher* sought to find delightful words,* and he wrote* what is upright—truthful words.

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

²⁷ What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear in your ear, proclaim on the housetops.

³⁴ Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say good things when you* are evil? For from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

¹⁸ And Jesus approached and* spoke to them, saying, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore, go* and* make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the age."

¹⁵ And he said to them, "Go* into all the world and* preach the gospel to all creation.

⁹ And the Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, "Do not be afraid, but speak and do not keep silent, ¹⁰ because I am with you and no one will attack you to harm you, because many people are mine in this city."

¹⁴ How then will they call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in him about whom they have not heard? And how will they hear about him without one who preaches to them? ¹⁵ And how will they preach, unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "How timely are the feet of those who bring good news of good things."* ¹⁶ But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"* ¹⁷ Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word about Christ.

¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak about anything except that which Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, ¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit,* so that from Jerusalem and traveling around as far as Illyricum I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. ²⁰ And so, having as my ambition to proclaim the gospel where Christ has not been named, in order that I will not build on the foundation belonging to someone else, ²¹ but just as it is written,
"Those to whom it was not announced concerning him will see, and those who have not heard will understand."*

²⁹ _⌊No rotten word must proceed_⌋* from your mouth, but only something good for the building up of the need, in order that it may give grace to those who hear,

² and the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these things to faithful people who will be competent to teach others also.

⁶ And the tongue is a fire! The world of unrighteousness,* the tongue, is set among our members, defiling the whole body and setting on fire _⌊the course of human existence_⌋*, being set on fire by hell.

¹⁷ And I know, my God, that you yourself test the heart and are pleased with uprightness. I, in the uprightness of my heart, have willingly offered all these things, and now I have seen your people who are found here willingly offer to you.

¹ A prayer of David.*
O Yahweh, hear a just cause. Hear my cry; heed my prayer I make without deceitful lips.

²⁹ Yahweh is far from the wicked, but the prayers of the righteous he will hear.

²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it in divisiveness!

⁹ He who turns his ear from listening to instruction, even his prayer is an abomination.

¹ * Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.

¹⁴ My dove, in the clefts of the rock, _⌊in the secluded place_⌋** _⌊in the mountain_⌋,** Let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely.

¹⁰ Hear the word of Yahweh, rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, people of Gomorrah! ¹¹ What is the abundance of your sacrifices to me? says Yahweh. I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened animals and I do not delight in the blood of bulls and ram-lambs and goats. ¹² When you come to appear before me, who asked for this from your hand: you trampling my courts? ¹³ You must not _⌊continue_⌋* to bring offerings* of futility, incense—it is an abomination to me; new moon and Sabbath, the calling of a convocation— I cannot endure iniquity with solemn assembly. ¹⁴ Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become to me like a burden, I am not able to bear them. ¹⁵ And when you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers,* I will not be listening. Your hands are full of blood.

⁸ For I, Yahweh, love justice, hate robbery and* injustice, and I will _⌊faithfully_⌋* give their reward, and I will _⌊make_⌋* an everlasting covenant _⌊with_⌋* them.

³ The one who slaughters a bull strikes a man; the one who slaughters a lamb for sacrifice breaks the neck of a dog. The one who offers an offering, the blood of swine; the one who offers frankincense blesses an idol. Indeed, they themselves have chosen their ways, and their soul delights in their abhorrence.

²⁰ What is this to me? Frankincense comes from Sheba, and the precious spice reed from a distant land. Your burnt offerings are not _⌊acceptable_⌋,* your sacrifices are not pleasing to me."

²¹ Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, "Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. ²² For I did not speak with your ancestors,* nor did I command them in the day of bringing them out from the land of Egypt, concerning the matter of burnt offering and sacrifice. ²³ But I only commanded them this word, _⌊saying_⌋,* 'Obey my voice, and I will be to you God, and you will be to me people, and you must walk in all of the way that I command you, so that it goes well with you.'

²¹ "I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your assemblies. ²² Yes, even if you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them, and I will not look at the fellowship offerings of your fattened animals.

²⁴ God is spirit, and the ones who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

⁶ for Yahweh knows the way of the righteous,* but the way of the wicked will perish.

⁸ Yahweh opens the eyes of the blind; Yahweh raises up those bowed down; Yahweh loves the righteous; ⁹ Yahweh protects* the strangers. He helps up the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he _⌊thwarts_⌋.*

¹⁹ The way of the wicked ones is like deep darkness; they do not know what they stumble over.

⁴ Haughtiness of the eyes and pride of heart, the lamp of the wicked are sin.

⁸ Crooked is the way of a man and a foreigner, but the pure is upright in his conduct.

²¹ He who pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.

⁷ The way of the righteous is a straight path; _⌊you clear the level path of the righteous_⌋.*

¹ "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, who seek Yahweh. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the excavation of the pit from which you were quarried.

⁷ Listen to me, you who know righteousness, people who have my teaching in their heart; you must not fear the reproach of men, or be terrified because of their abuse.

⁴ And I sent to you all my servants the prophets, _⌊sending over and over again_⌋,* _⌊saying_⌋,* "Please, you must not do this detestable thing that I hate."

³ Let us know, let us press on to know Yahweh; his rising is sure like the dawn. He will come like the showers to us, like the spring rain that waters the earth.

¹³ Your eyes are too pure to see evil, and you are not able to look at wrongdoing.* Why do you look at the treacherous? Why are you silent when the wicked swallows up someone more righteous than him?

¹³ "Enter through the narrow gate, because broad is the gate and spacious is the road that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it,

¹¹ But you, O man of God, flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patient endurance, gentleness.

²² But flee from youthful desires, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, in company with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart.

¹⁷ When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is this you who throws Israel into confusion?"

²⁰ Then Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, my enemy?" He said, "I have found you because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of Yahweh.

⁸ Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man to inquire from Yahweh, but I despise him, for he never prophesies anything good concerning me, but only bad: Micaiah the son of Imlah." Then Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say so."

³⁰ they were not willing to accept my counsel, they despised all my reproof.

¹² and say "How I hated discipline, and I despised reproof!"

¹⁷ On the path to life is he who guards instruction, but he who rejects rebuke goes astray.

¹ He who loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates rebuke is stupid.

³⁵ "They struck me; I was not hurt. They beat me; I did not know it. When I will awake, I will continue; I will seek it again."

⁵ Why do you want to be beaten again? You continue in rebellion. The whole of the head is sick, and the whole of the heart is faint. ⁶ From the sole of the foot and up to the head there is no health in it; bruise and sore and bleeding wound have not been cleansed, and they have not been bound up and not softened with the oil.

¹³ In your uncleanness is obscene conduct, because I cleansed you, but you were not clean from your uncleanness; you will not be clean again until _⌊I fully vent my rage_⌋* on you. ¹⁴ I, Yahweh, I have spoken. It is coming, and I did it; I will not disregard, and I will not take pity, and I will not reconsider. According to your ways and according to your deeds they will judge you!"* _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh.

²⁰ For everyone who practices evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds be exposed.

⁷ The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I am testifying about it, that its deeds are evil.

⁷ But Yahweh said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For God does not see what man sees, for a man _⌊looks on the outward appearance_⌋,* but Yahweh _⌊looks on the heart_⌋."*

³⁰ then may you yourself hear from the heavens, your dwelling place, and forgive and give to each according to all his ways, since you know the heart of the children of humankind,

⁶ Sheol is naked before him, and there is no covering for Abaddon.

⁹ Let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous, and test the hearts and innermost being, O righteous God.

²¹ would not God discover this, for he knows the secrets of the heart?

⁸ If I ascend to heaven, there you are, and if I make my bed in Sheol, look! There you are.

²⁰ Sheol* and Abaddon* will not be satisfied, and the eyes of a person will not be satisfied either.

¹⁰ I, Yahweh, examine the _⌊mind_⌋,* I test the _⌊heart_⌋,* and give to each one according to his way, according to the fruit of his deeds.

²⁴ But Jesus himself did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people,* ²⁵ and because he did not _⌊need_⌋* anyone _⌊to testify_⌋* about man, for he himself knew what was in man.*

¹⁷ He said to him a third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was distressed because he said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything! You know that I love you!" Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep!

¹⁸ and the one who lives, and I was dead, and behold, I am living _⌊forever and ever_⌋*, and I hold the keys of death and of Hades.

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

⁷ Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom to seek Yahweh, but I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, but _⌊always_⌋* disaster. He is Micaiah the son of Imlah." Then Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say thus."

¹⁴ And they say to God, 'Turn away from us, for* we do not desire to know your ways.

⁷ He who corrects a scoffer gains abuse for himself, and he who rebukes the wicked _⌊gets hurt_⌋.* ⁸ Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke the wise and he will love you.

¹⁰ Severe discipline belongs to him who forsakes the way; he who hates a rebuke will die.

¹⁰ They hate the one who reproves in the gate and they abhor the one who speaks honestly.

¹⁸ The one who believes in him is not judged,* but the one who does not believe has already been judged,* because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the judgment: that the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who practices evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds be exposed. ²¹ But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, in order that his deeds may be revealed, that they are done in God.

³ For there will be a time when they will not put up with sound teaching, but in accordance with their own desires, they will accumulate for themselves teachers, _⌊because they have an insatiable curiosity_⌋*,

² So the king said to me, "Why is your face sad since you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart." And I was very much afraid.

²⁵ Anxiety in the heart* of a man will weigh him down, but a good word will cheer him.

¹⁵ All the days of the poor are hard, but goodness of heart* is a continuous feast.

²² A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a downcast spirit will dry out bones.

¹ "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe* in God; believe* also in me.

¹² For our reason for boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, in holiness* and purity of motive from God, not* in merely human wisdom, but by the grace of God.

⁷ So then, you should rather forgive and comfort him, lest somehow this person should be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

¹⁰ For grief according to the will of God brings about a repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted, but worldly grief brings about death.

⁶ Then Solomon said, "You have shown great loyal love with your servant David my father, as he walked before you in faithfulness and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with you. You have shown for him this great loyal love, and you have given a son to him who is sitting on his throne as it is this day. ⁷ So then, O Yahweh, you are my God. You have made your servant king in place of David my father though I am a young boy. I do not know going out or coming in. ⁸ Your servant is in the middle of your people whom you have chosen; a great people who cannot be counted or numbered because of abundance. ⁹ Give to your servant a listening heart to judge your people, to discern between good and bad, because who is able to judge this, your difficult people?" ¹⁰ The word was good in the eyes of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. ¹¹ And God said to him, "Because you have asked this thing and you did not ask for yourself _⌊a long life_⌋* and you did not ask riches for yourself and you did not ask for the life of your enemies, but you have asked for yourself _⌊the ability to make wise judgments_⌋;* ¹² behold, I do hereby do according to your word. I hereby give you a wise and discerning heart; there was no one like you before you, nor afterwards will one like you arise.

⁹⁷ How I love your law! The whole day it is my meditation.

¹⁰⁰ I understand more than the elders, for I keep your precepts.

⁵ may the wise hear and increase learning, and the one who understands gain direction,*

⁹ Give to a wise one and he will become more wise; _⌊teach_⌋* a righteous one and he will increase learning.

¹⁵ An intelligent _⌊mind_⌋* will acquire knowledge, and the ear of the wise will seek knowledge.

¹⁰ who say to those who do see, "You must not see!" and to the seers, "You must not see truth for us; speak smooth things to us, see illusions,

²⁰ He feeds on ashes; a _⌊deceived mind_⌋* misleads him. And he cannot save _⌊himself_⌋,* and he cannot say, "Is this not an illusion in my right hand?"

¹ Ephraim herds the wind* and is pursuing the east wind all day long; he multiplies deception and violence and he* _⌊makes a treaty with Assyria_⌋,* and oil is brought to Egypt.

¹¹ Now these were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica. _⌊They_⌋* accepted the message with all eagerness, examining the scriptures every day to see if 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 to the day of eternity. Amen.

³⁵ And all his sons and daughters tried to console him, but he refused to be consoled. And he said, "No, I shall go down to my son, to Sheol, mourning." And his father wept for him.

⁹ And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty years. Few and hard have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not reached the days of the years of the lives of my ancestors* in the days of their sojourning."

⁷ For we are brought to an end by your anger, and we hasten off* by your wrath. ⁸ You have put our iniquities before you, our hidden sins into the light of your countenance. ⁹ For all of our days dwindle away in your rage; we complete our years like a sigh.

¹³ A heart* of gladness will make good _⌊countenance_⌋,* but in sorrow of heart* a spirit is broken.

²² A fountain of life is wisdom for its owner,* but the instruction* of fools is folly.

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

² through whom also we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only this, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we* know that affliction produces patient endurance,

¹¹ And not only this, but also we are boasting in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

¹² rejoicing in hope, enduring in affliction, being devoted to prayer,

⁵ For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, thus through Christ our comfort overflows also.

¹⁰ as grieving, but always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing, and possessing everything.

⁶ in which you rejoice greatly, although* now for a short time, if necessary,* you are distressed by various trials, ⁷ so that the genuineness of your faith, more valuable than gold that is passing away, but is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ, ⁸ whom, although you* have not seen, you love; in whom now you believe, although you* do not see him, and you rejoice greatly with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

¹³ But to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that also at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice and be glad.

⁶ Better to be poor and walking in one's integrity than to be crooked of ways when one is rich.

¹⁰ I neither withheld anything from my eyes that they desired, nor did I deprive any pleasure from my heart. My heart rejoiced in all my toil, for this was my reward from all my toil. ¹¹ Yet when I considered* all the effort which I expended and the toil with which I toiled to do, then behold, "Everything is vanity and chasing wind! There is nothing profitable under the sun!"

¹⁸ So I hated all my toil with which I have toiled under the sun, for I must leave it behind to someone who will be after me. ¹⁹ And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will exercise control of all the fruit of my toil with which I toiled wisely under the sun. This also is vanity! ²⁰ So _⌊I began to despair_⌋* of all the toil with which I toiled under the sun. ²¹ For although a person may toil with great wisdom and skill, he must leave his reward to someone who has not toiled for it. This also is vanity and a great calamity. ²² For what does a person receive for all his toil and in the longing of his heart with which he toils under the sun? ²³ All his days are painful, his labor brings grief, and his heart cannot rest at night. This also is vanity!

¹⁰ Whoever loves money is not satisfied with money, and whoever loves wealth is not satisfied with profit. This also is vanity! ¹¹ When prosperity increases, those who consume it increase. _⌊So its owner gains nothing, except to see his wealth before it is spent_⌋.* ¹² The sleep of the laborer is pleasant, whether he eats little or much, but the wealth of the rich man does not allow him to rest.

⁶ But godliness with contentment is a great means of gain.

¹ A song of ascents. Of David.*
Look, how good and how pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity. ² It is like the fragrant oil upon the head, running down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, that runs down upon the edges of his robes. ³ It is like the dew of Hermon that runs down upon the mountains of Zion, because there Yahweh commanded the blessing— life forever.

¹ Better a dry morsel and quiet with it than a house filled with feasts of strife.

¹⁹ Better to live in a land of wilderness than with a wife of quarrels and provocation.

⁴ Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding celebration!" '

²³ And bring the fattened calf—kill it* and let us eat and* celebrate,

¹ Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

¹⁶ And we have come to know and have believed the love that God has in us. God is love, and the one who resides in love resides in God, and God resides in him.

⁸ Then Abram said to Lot, "Please, let there not be quarreling between me and you, and between my shepherds and your shepherds, for we men are brothers. ⁹ Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you want what is on the left, then I will go right; if you want what is on the right, I will go left."

²⁴ She fell at his feet and said, "On me, my lord, be the guilt! Please let your female servant speak _⌊to you personally_⌋!* Hear the words of your female servant! ²⁵ Please do not let my lord set his heart against _⌊this worthless man_⌋,* Nabal; for as his name, so is he. Nabal is his name, and stupidity is with him! But I, your female servant, did not see the young men* of my lord whom you sent. ²⁶ So then, my lord, _⌊as Yahweh lives and as your soul lives_⌋,* since Yahweh restrained you from bloodguilt _⌊by taking matters into your own hand_⌋,* so then, may your enemies be like Nabal, even _⌊those who seek to do my lord harm_⌋.* ²⁷ So then, this gift which your female servant has brought to my lord, may it be given to the young men _⌊who follow my lord_⌋.* ²⁸ Please forgive the transgression of your female servant, because Yahweh will certainly make a lasting house* for my lord, because my lord is fighting the battles of Yahweh, and evil will not be found in you _⌊as long as you live_⌋.* ²⁹ Should a man arise to pursue you and to seek your life, may the life of my lord be wrapped in the pouch* of the living with Yahweh your God. But as for the life of your enemy, he will sling it from within* the pocket of the sling! ³⁰ _⌊And then_⌋* when Yahweh has done for my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you as leader over Israel, ³¹ then this will not be an obstacle for you or a stumbling block of conscience for my lord either by the shedding of blood without cause or by _⌊my lord taking matters into his own hands_⌋.* And when Yahweh does good to my lord, then remember your female servant." ³² Then David said to Abigail, "Blessed be Yahweh the God of Israel who has sent you this day to meet me! ³³ And blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you who have prevented me this day from bloodguilt and from delivering myself by my own hand. ³⁴ But _⌊as Yahweh lives_⌋,* the God of Israel who has prevented me from harming you, if you had not hurried and come to meet me, surely there would not have been _⌊one male_⌋* left alive for Nabal by the light of morning!" ³⁵ Then David took from her hand what she had brought for him, and he said to her, "Go up to your house in peace. See, I have listened to your voice, and I have _⌊granted your request_⌋."* ³⁶ Then Abigail went to Nabal, and look, _⌊he was holding a feast_⌋* in his house like the feast of the king. _⌊Nabal was enjoying himself_⌋,* and he was very drunk, so she did not tell him a thing, _⌊nothing at all_⌋,* until the light of morning. ³⁷ _⌊And then_⌋* in the morning when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these words. Then his heart died _⌊within him_⌋,* and he became like a stone. ³⁸ _⌊And then_⌋,* about ten days later, Yahweh struck Nabal and he died. ³⁹ When David heard that Nabal had died, he said, "Blessed be Yahweh who has vindicated the case of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and he has kept back his servant from evil; but Yahweh has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head." Then David sent and spoke with Abigail to take her for his wife. ⁴⁰ So the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, and they spoke to her, saying, "David has sent us to you to take you for his wife." ⁴¹ She got up and bowed down with her face to the ground and said, "Here is your female servant, as a slave to wash the feet of my lord's servants." ⁴² Then Abigail _⌊quickly got up_⌋* and rode on the donkey, along with five of her maidservants who _⌊attended her_⌋,* and she went after the messengers of David and became his wife. ⁴³ David had also taken Ahinoam from Jezreel, and both of them became his wives. ⁴⁴ (Now Saul had given his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was from Gallim.)

⁴³ Then the people of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, "I have _⌊ten times as much_⌋* in the king, moreover in David I have more than you. Why did you treat me with contempt _⌊by not giving me first chance_⌋* to bring back my king?" But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the word of the men of Israel.

²⁹ He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but the hasty of spirit* exalts folly.

¹ A soft answer will turn away wrath, but a word of trouble will stir _⌊anger_⌋.*

²⁸ A person of perversity will spread dissent, and he who whispers separates a close friend.

²¹ As charcoal is to hot embers and wood is to fire, so a man of quarrels is to kindling strife.

⁴ If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post, for calmness can undo great offenses.

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God.

¹ Now in these days, as* the disciples were increasing in number,* a complaint arose by the _⌊Greek-speaking Jews_⌋* against the _⌊Hebraic Jews_⌋* because* their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.* ² So the twelve summoned the community of disciples and* said, "It is not desirable that we neglect the word of God to serve tables. ³ So, brothers, select from among you seven men _⌊of good reputation_⌋,* full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we will put in charge of this need. ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." ⁵ And the statement pleased the whole group, and they chose Stephen (a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit), and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus (a convert from Antioch),

¹⁹ Understand this, my dear brothers: every person must be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, ²⁰ for human* anger does not accomplish the righteousness of God.

¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth. ¹⁵ This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.

¹ Then all the community _⌊lifted up their voices_⌋,* and the people wept during that night. ² And all the _⌊Israelites_⌋* grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and all the community said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt or in this desert! ³ Why did Yahweh bring us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little children will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?"

⁷ And they said to all the community of the _⌊Israelites_⌋,* "The land that we went through to explore is an _⌊exceptionally good land_⌋.* ⁸ If Yahweh delights in us, then he will bring us into this land, and he will give it to us, a land that is flowing with milk and honey. ⁹ Only do not rebel against Yahweh, and you will not fear the people of the land, because they will be our food. _⌊Their protection_⌋* has been turned from them; Yahweh is with us. You should not fear them."

⁸ O Yahweh, lead me in your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight before me your way.

⁸ Good and right is Yahweh; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. ⁹ He causes the humble to walk in justice, and teaches the humble his way.

¹² Who is the man fearing Yahweh? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.

¹¹ Teach me, O Yahweh, your way, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

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

⁹ All of them are straight to him who understands, and upright to those who find knowledge.

⁵ Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; he who guards himself* will keep away from them.

¹³ A lazy person says "A lion in the street! In the middle of the highway, I shall be killed!"

¹³ A lazy person says "A lion is in the road! A lion among the streets!"

²¹ And your ears shall hear a word from behind you, saying, "this is the way; walk in it," when you go to your right and when you go to your left.

⁸ And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness. The unclean shall not travel through it, but* it is for them, he who walks on the way; and fools shall not wander about.

¹⁴ And one shall say, "Build up, build up! Clear the way! Remove the obstacles* from the way of my people!"

¹² "Honor your father and your mother, so that your days can be long on the land that Yahweh your God is giving you.

³ Each of you must revere your mother* and your father,* and you* must keep my Sabbaths; I am Yahweh your* God.

⁴⁸ What is more, the king said, 'May Yahweh the God of Israel be blessed, who has given this day one sitting on my throne, and my eyes are seeing it!'"

⁹ So then, do not leave him unpunished, for you are a wise man, and you will know what you must do to him. You must bring his grey hair down to Sheol with blood."

⁷ When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and he said, "Blessed be Yahweh this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people."

¹⁵ My child, if your heart* is wise, my heart will be glad—even me! ¹⁶ And my _⌊insides_⌋* will rejoice when your lips speak what is upright.

²² Listen to your father—he who _⌊gave you life_⌋,* and do not despise your mother when* she is old.

³ A man who loves wisdom will make his parents glad, but the friend of prostitutes* will squander his wealth.

¹⁷ The eye that mocks a father and scorns the obedience of a mother— the ravens of the valley will peck it out, and the offspring of vultures will eat it.

²² But you know his proven character, that like a child with a father he served with me for the gospel.

²⁸ And to the human beings he said, 'Look, the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.'"

¹⁰ The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom; all who do them* have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.

²³ It is like a sport for a fool to do wrong, wisdom for a person of understanding.

¹² He who lacks _⌊sense_⌋* belittles his neighbor, but a person of intelligence will remain silent.

⁹ Fools mock* the guilt offering, but among the upright, it is favorable.

¹⁶ The wise is cautious and turns from evil, but the fool throws off restraint and is confident.

¹⁸ Like a maniac who shoots firebrands, arrows, and death, ¹⁹ so is a man who deceives his neighbor, but says "Am I not joking?"

¹⁵ Therefore, consider carefully how you live, not as unwise but as wise,

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his* good behavior his works, with the humility of wisdom.

¹⁴ Where there is no guidance, a nation* shall fall, but there is safety in an abundance of counsel.

¹⁸ A plan* will be established by advice, and with guidance make war.

⁶ For there is a proper time and right procedure for every matter, even though the trouble of man weighs heavy upon him.

¹⁴ From the fruit of the mouth of a man, he is filled with good, and the reward of _⌊a man's labor_⌋* will return to him.

¹³ The delight of kings are the lips of righteousness, and he who speaks what is upright he will love.

²⁶ He will kiss the lips, he who gives an honest answer.

¹ For everything there is an appointed time, a time for every matter under heaven:

¹¹ You will make known to me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forever.

²⁴ And see if there is in me _⌊the worship of false gods_⌋,* and lead me in the way everlasting.

¹⁸ for her house sinks to death, and to the dead* are her paths.

⁵ Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold of Sheol.*

²⁷ The ways of Sheol* are her house, descending to chambers of death.

⁸ Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke the wise and he will love you.

¹⁴ As for you, with the rod you shall beat him, and his life* you will save from Sheol.*

⁸ "And to this people you shall say, 'Thus says Yahweh, "Look, I am setting _⌊before you_⌋* the way of life and the way of death.

¹⁴ because narrow* is the gate and constricted is the road that leads to life, and there are few who find it!

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

²⁰ For our commonwealth exists in heaven, from which also we eagerly await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

¹ Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on earth.

¹⁷ For Yahweh your God, he is God of the gods and Lord of the lords, the great and mighty God, the awesome one who _⌊is not partial_⌋,* and he does not take bribes. ¹⁸ And he executes justice for the orphan and widow, and he is one who loves the alien, to give to them food and clothing.

¹⁴ "You shall not move the boundary marker of your neighbor that _⌊former generations_⌋* set up on your property in the land that Yahweh your God is giving to you to take possession of it.

¹¹ Pour out the overflowing of your anger, and look at all the proud, and humble them. ¹² Look at all the proud, humble them, and tread down the wicked _⌊where they stand_⌋.* ¹³ Hide them in the dust together; bind their faces in the grave.

¹ For the music director. A maskil of David. When Doeg the Edomite came and informed Saul. And he said to him, "David has come to the house of Ahimelech."*
Why do you boast about evil, O mighty man? The loyal love of God endures _⌊continually_⌋.*

⁵ but God will pull you down forever. He will snatch you and tear you away from your tent, and he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

⁵ A father to orphans and a judge for widows is God in his holy habitation. ⁶ God settles the lonely in a home; he brings prisoners out into prosperity. But the rebellious abide in a barren land.

⁶ Though Yahweh is high, yet he sees the lowly, but the proud he perceives* at a distance.

⁹ Yahweh protects* the strangers. He helps up the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he _⌊thwarts_⌋.*

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 destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.

¹⁰ Do not remove an ancient boundary marker, and on the fields of orphans do not encroach;

¹² For there is a day for Yahweh of hosts against all of the proud and the lofty and against all that is lifted up and humble,*

²⁰ But _⌊when_⌋* his heart became arrogant and his spirit became hard so as to act proudly, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom and the* glory _⌊was taken away from him_⌋.*

²⁷ Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our* God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

⁵ In the same way, younger men, be subject to the elders, and all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes 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 presence, O Yahweh, my rock and my redeemer.

³⁰ The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. ³¹ The law of his God is in his heart. His steps will not slip.

¹⁶ There are six things Yahweh hates, and seven things are abominations of his soul:* ¹⁷ haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸ a devising heart, plans of deception, feet that hurry to run to evil,* ¹⁹ a false witness who breathes lies and sends out discord* between brothers.

⁹ Devising folly is a sin, and an abomination to humankind is a scoffer.

¹⁴ Cleanse your heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. _⌊How long_⌋* will your thoughts of mischief dwell in your inner part?

³⁴ Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say good things when you* are evil? For from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ³⁵ The good person from his* good treasury brings out good things, and the evil person from his* evil treasury brings out evil things. ³⁶ But I tell you that every worthless word that they speak, people will give an account for it on the day of judgment! ³⁷ For by your words you will be vindicated, and by your words you will be condemned."

¹⁹ For from the heart come evil plans, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, abusive speech.

²¹ And you will select from all the people men of ability, fearers of God, trustworthy men, haters of dishonest gain,* and you will appoint such men over them as commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, and commanders of tens.

⁸ And you will not take a bribe, because the bribe makes the sighted blind and ruins the words of the righteous.

²⁶ And you must not bring a detestable thing into your house, or you will become a thing devoted to destruction like it; you must utterly detest it, and you must utterly abhor it, for it is an object devoted to destruction.

¹⁹ You shall not subvert* justice; you shall not _⌊show partiality_⌋;* and you shall not take a bribe, for the bribe makes blind the eyes of the wise and misrepresents the words of the righteous.

¹⁸ As for you, keep away from the things* devoted to destruction so that you do not take them and bring about your own destruction, making the camp of Israel an object for destruction, bringing trouble upon it.

¹¹ Israel has sinned and _⌊transgressed my covenant_⌋* that I commanded them. They have taken from the devoted things;* they have stolen and acted deceitfully, and they have put them among their belongings. ¹² The _⌊Israelites_⌋* were unable to stand before their enemies; _⌊they fled from their enemies_⌋* because they have become a thing devoted* for destruction. _⌊I will be with you no more_⌋* unless you destroy the devoted things* from among you.

²⁴ Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his cattle and donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and everything that was his, and they brought them to the valley of Achor.* ²⁵ And Joshua said, "Why did you bring us trouble? Yahweh will bring you trouble on this day." And all Israel stoned them* with stones;* and they burned them with fire after they stoned them with stones.

³ But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after gain, they took bribes, and they perverted justice. ⁴ So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. ⁵ They said to him, "Look, you are old and your sons do not follow in your ways. So then appoint a king for us to judge* us, like all the nations.

²⁷ The skin disease of Naaman shall cling to you and to your offspring forever." Then he went out from before him having a skin disease like the snow.

¹⁹ Thus are the ways of all who are greedy for gain— it will take the life of its possessors.

¹⁹ He who is steadfast in righteousness is to life as* he who pursues evil is to death.

²⁹ He who brings trouble to his household, he will inherit wind,* and a fool will serve the wise of heart.

²¹ An inheritance acquired hastily _⌊at the beginning_⌋* will not be blessed at its end.

¹⁶ A ruler who lacks understanding is* a cruel oppressor, but those who hate unjust gain will have long* days.

⁴ By justice a king gives stability to a land, but a man of bribes will ruin it.

⁸ Ah! Those who _⌊join_⌋* house with house, they join field together with field until _⌊there is no place_⌋* and you are caused to dwell alone in the midst of the land. ⁹ Yahweh of hosts said in my ears:
_⌊Surely_⌋* many houses shall become a desolation, large and beautiful ones without inhabitant. ¹⁰ For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath,* and the seed of a homer will yield an ephah.*

¹⁵ He who walks in righteousness and speaks uprightness, who rejects the gain of extortion, who _⌊refuses_⌋* a bribe, who stops up his ears* from hearing _⌊bloodshed_⌋* and shuts his eyes from seeing evil. ¹⁶ That one will live on the heights; the fortresses of rocks will be his refuge. His food will be given; his waters* will endure.

¹¹ Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay is one who amasses wealth without justice. In the middle of his days it will leave him, and at his end he will prove to be a fool."

⁹ Woe to him who obtains profit from evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be saved from the hand of misfortune! ¹⁰ You have plotted shame for your house, cutting off many peoples and sinning against your life. ¹¹ For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the plaster from the wood will answer it.

³ And he said to me, "This is the curse going out over the surface of the whole earth. For everyone who steals has gone unpunished* according to it, and likewise everyone who swears falsely has gone unpunished according to it. ⁴ 'I have sent it out,' _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh of hosts, 'and it will go into the house of the thief and into the house of the one swearing _⌊falsely by my name_⌋,* and it will spend the night in that* house and will destroy it, with its timber and its stone.'"

²³ Then the king said, "This one is saying, 'This is my son, the living one, but your son is the dead one,' and the other one keeps saying, 'But no! Your son is the dead one, and my son is living!'" ²⁴ So the king said, "Bring me a sword," and they brought the sword before the king. ²⁵ Then the king said, "Divide the living child into two, and give half to the one and half to the other." ²⁶ Then the woman whose son was the living one spoke to the king because her compassion was aroused for her son, and she said, "Please, my lord, give her the living child, but certainly do not kill him!" The other one was saying, "As for me, so for you! Divide him!" ²⁷ Then the king answered and said, "Give the living child to her, and do not kill him; she is his mother." ²⁸ When all of Israel heard the judgment that the king had rendered, they _⌊stood in awe_⌋* of the king, because they realized that the wisdom of God was in him to execute justice.

¹⁹ In many words, transgression is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is prudent.

² The tongue of the wise will dispense knowledge, but the mouth of fools will pour out folly.

¹¹ A fool gives all his breath,* but the wise holds back in quiet.

²⁰ You see a man who is hasty in his words: there is more hope for a fool than him.

² Do not be rash with your mouth, and do not let your heart be quick to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth; therefore, let your words be few.

⁶ Do not let your mouth lead your flesh into sin, and do not tell the messenger that it was a mistake. Why anger God at your words, so that he destroys the work of your hands?

¹² The wise man wins favor by the words of his mouth, but the fool is devoured by his own lips. ¹³ He begins by saying what is foolish and ends by uttering what is wicked delusion. ¹⁴ The fool _⌊talks too much_⌋,* for no one knows what will be. Who can tell anyone what will happen _⌊in the future_⌋?*

¹⁰ For there are many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ whom it is necessary to silence, whoever are ruining whole families by* teaching things which must not be taught for the sake of dishonest gain.

⁶ And the tongue is a fire! The world of unrighteousness,* the tongue, is set among our members, defiling the whole body and setting on fire _⌊the course of human existence_⌋*, being set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every species of animals and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures, is being tamed and has been tamed by the human species, ⁸ but no human being is able to tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

¹⁵ but set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts, always ready to make a defense to anyone who asks you for an accounting concerning the hope that is in you.

¹⁸ _⌊For by speaking high-sounding but empty words_⌋*, they entice with desires of the flesh and with licentiousness those who are scarcely escaping from those who live in error,

¹ Why, O Yahweh, do you stand far off? Why do you hide* during times of distress?

⁴¹ They cried out but there was no rescuer, even to Yahweh, but he did not answer them.

¹⁵ The eyes of Yahweh are toward the righteous, and his ears toward their cry for help. ¹⁶ The face of Yahweh is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. ¹⁷ They* cry out and Yahweh hears and delivers them from all of their troubles.

¹⁸ If I had considered evil in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. ¹⁹ However, God has listened; he has attended to the sound of my prayer.

²⁷ For indeed, those distancing themselves from you will be ruined. You destroy each who abandons you for harlotry.

¹⁸ Yahweh is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. ¹⁹ He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry for help, and saves them.

⁸ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination of 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,"
_⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. ⁹ "For as the heavens are _⌊higher_⌋* than the earth, so my ways are _⌊higher_⌋* than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

⁴⁶ And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if someone is devout and does his will, he listens to this one.

²⁶ And likewise also, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as one ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unexpressed groanings. ²⁷ And the one who searches our hearts knows what the mindset of the Spirit is, because he intercedes on behalf of the saints according to the will of God.

¹² that you were at that time apart from Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, not having hope, and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you, the ones who once were far away, have become near by the blood of Christ.

¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much. ¹⁷ Elijah was a human being* with the same nature as us, and _⌊he prayed fervently_⌋* for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸ And 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 are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.*

⁸ But now for a brief moment mercy has been shown by Yahweh our God, who left behind for us a remnant, and given us security in his holy place—for our God to brighten our eyes and to give us brief relief in our bondage.

¹⁵ Blessed are the people who know the joyful shout; O Yahweh, they walk about in the light of your countenance.

⁸ There shall be healing for your _⌊flesh_⌋,* and refreshment for your body.

⁹ The light of the righteous will rejoice, but the lamp of the wicked will die out.

²⁵ Like cold water* upon a weary soul,* so too is good news from a distant place.

⁷ The light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.

¹¹ And Yahweh will lead you continually, and satisfy your soul in a barren land, and he will strengthen your bones, and you shall be like a well-watered garden, and like a spring of water whose water does not fail.

¹⁰ And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring good news to you of great joy which will be for all the people: ¹¹ that today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. ¹² And this will be the sign for you: you will find the baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger." ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying, ¹⁴ "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people _⌊with whom he is pleased_⌋!"* ¹⁵ And it happened that when the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began to say* to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has revealed to us!" ¹⁶ And they went hurrying and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ And when they* saw it,* they made known the statement that had been told to them about this child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it* were astonished concerning what had been said to them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering them* in her heart.

²³ And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon, that they shine on it, for the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb.

⁵ And night will not exist any longer, and they will not have need of the light of a lamp and the light* of the sun, because the Lord God will give light to them, and they will reign _⌊forever and ever_⌋*.

⁸ Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke the wise and he will love you. ⁹ Give to a wise one and he will become more wise; _⌊teach_⌋* a righteous one and he will increase learning.

²⁰ Walk with the wise and be wise, but as for the companion of fools, he will suffer harm.

⁵ A fool will despise the instruction of his father, but he who guards reproof is prudent.

³ Extend your ear, and come to me! Listen so that* your soul may live, and I will _⌊make_⌋* an everlasting covenant with* you, the enduring proofs of _⌊the mercies shown to_⌋* David.

³ You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.

¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. But they went out*, in order that it might be shown that all of them are not of us.

¹⁸ "_⌊If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son_⌋* who _⌊does not listen to_⌋* the voice of his father and to the voice of his mother, and they discipline him, and he does not obey* them,

²⁰ and they shall say to the elders of his city, 'This our son is stubborn and rebellious; _⌊he does not obey us_⌋,* and he is a glutton and a drunkard.'

¹⁷ while you yourself hate discipline, and cast my words behind you?

⁷ Fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; wisdom and instruction, fools despise.

²⁴ Because I called out and you refused me, I stretched out my hand, yet there is none who heeds. ²⁵ You have ignored all my counsel, and my reproof you are not willing to accept. ²⁶ I will also laugh at your calamity;* I will mock when panic* comes upon you. ²⁷ When your panic comes like a storm, and your calamity arrives like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you, ²⁸ then they will call* me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but not find me. ²⁹ Since they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Yahweh, ³⁰ they were not willing to accept my counsel, they despised all my reproof. ³¹ They shall eat from the fruit of their way, and they shall be sated from their own schemes, ³² for the waywardness of the simple ones will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. ³³ Whoever listens to me will dwell in security and rest securely* from dread and disaster."

¹¹ and you groan at your end, when your flesh and body are consumed, ¹² and say "How I hated discipline, and I despised reproof!" ¹³ and "I did not listen to the voice of my teachers, and I did not incline my ear to my instructors!

³³ Hear teaching and be wise; do not neglect it. ³⁴ Happy is the person who listens to me, in order to keep watch at my doors day by day, in order to guard the frames of my entrances. ³⁵ For he who finds me is he who finds* life, and he obtains favor from Yahweh. ³⁶ But he who misses me injures himself.* All those who hate me love death."

¹⁴ The heart of him who understands will seek knowledge, but the faces of fools, they* will feed on folly.

²¹ Folly is a joy to him who lacks _⌊sense_⌋,* and a person of understanding _⌊will walk upright_⌋.*

¹⁶ Why is this? A price in the hand of a fool, in order to buy wisdom where* there is no _⌊sense_⌋.*

¹ A man who is reproved, being stubborn of neck— suddenly he will be broken, and there will not be healing.

⁵ Why do you want to be beaten again? You continue in rebellion. The whole of the head is sick, and the whole of the heart is faint.

³ O Yahweh, do not your eyes look for honesty? You have struck them, but they felt no pain, you have destroyed them, they refused to take discipline. They have hardened their faces more than rock, they have refused to turn back.

²⁴ "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it did not collapse, because its foundation was laid on the rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed, and its fall was great."

¹⁵ Take care that no one falls short of the grace of God; that no one growing up like a root of bitterness causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

²² But be doers of the message and not hearers only,* deceiving yourselves,

¹⁹ As many as I love, I reprove and discipline. 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 hatred of evil, pride, and arrogance and an evil way. And I hate a mouth of perversity.

¹² In the presence of destruction, the heart* of a man will be haughty, but in the presence of honor, humble.

⁶ Do not promote yourself before the king, and in the place of the great ones do not stand. ⁷ For it is better that he say to you, "Ascend here," than he humble you before a noble. What your eyes have seen,

²³ The pride of a person will bring him humiliation, and the lowly of spirit will obtain honor.

¹¹ For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

⁵ Think this in* yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, existing in the form of God, did not consider being equal with God something to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself by* taking the form of a slave, by* becoming in the likeness of people. And being found in appearance like a man, ⁸ he humbled himself by* becoming obedient to the point of death, that is, death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore also God exalted him and graciously granted him the name above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.