Proverbs 16:17-22

New International Version

¹⁷The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.^(A)

¹⁸Pride^(B) goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit^(C) before a fall.^(D)

¹⁹Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.

²⁰Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,^[a]^(E)
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.^(F)

²¹The wise in heart are called discerning,
and gracious words promote instruction.^[b]^(G)

²²Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,^(H)
but folly brings punishment to fools.

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Footnotes

Proverbs 16:20 Or whoever speaks prudently finds what is good
Proverbs 16:21 Or words make a person persuasive

Mark 8:34-38

New International Version

The Way of the Cross

³⁴Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^(A) ³⁵For whoever wants to save their life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.^(B) ³⁶What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ³⁷Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ³⁸If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man^(C) will be ashamed of them^(D) when he comes^(E) in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”