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16 Do not testify falsely against your neighbor.

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12 Those who love discipline love knowledge,
    and those who hate correction are stupid.
The Lord favors good people,
    but he condemns schemers.
No one is established by wicked acts,
    but the roots of the righteous can’t be disturbed.
A strong woman is a crown to her husband,
    but a disgraceful woman is like rot in his bones.
The plans of the righteous are just,
    but the guidance of the wicked is deceptive.
The words of the wicked are a deathtrap,
    but the speech of those who do right rescues them.
The wicked are destroyed and are no more,
    but the family of the righteous will endure.
A person is praised for his insight,
    but a warped mind leads to contempt.
Better to be held in low regard and have a servant
    than to be conceited and lack food.
10 The righteous care about their livestock’s needs,
    but even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
11 Those who work their land will have plenty to eat,
    but those who engage in empty pursuits have no sense.
12 Desiring evil is a trap for the wicked,
    but the root of the righteous endures.[a]
13 The wicked are trapped by the transgressions of their lips,
    but the righteous escape from distress.
14 From the fruit of their speech, people are well satisfied;
    their work results in reward.
15 Fools see their own way as right,
    but the wise listen to advice.
16 Fools reveal their anger right away,
    but the shrewd hide their contempt.
17 Those who state the truth speak justly,
    but a false witness deceives.
18 Some chatter on like a stabbing sword,
    but a wise tongue heals.
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue lasts only for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who plan evil,
    but there is joy for those who advise peace.
21 No harm happens to the righteous,
    but the wicked receive their fill of trouble.
22 The Lord detests false lips;
    he favors those who do what is true.
23 The shrewd conceal their knowledge,
    but the heart of fools proclaims their stupidity.
24 A hard worker is in charge,
    while a lazy one will be sentenced to hard labor.
25 Anxiety leads to depression,
    but a good word encourages.
26 The righteous offer guidance to their neighbors,[b]
    but the path of the wicked makes them wander.
27 The lazy don’t roast[c] their prey,
    but hard workers receive precious riches.
28 The way of the righteous leads to life,
    but the detestable[d] path leads to death.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:12 Or gives
  2. Proverbs 12:26 Heb uncertain
  3. Proverbs 12:27 Heb uncertain
  4. Proverbs 12:28 LXX; MT the path of the trail

12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but whoever hates correction is stupid.(A)

Good people obtain favor from the Lord,(B)
    but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.(C)

No one can be established through wickedness,
    but the righteous cannot be uprooted.(D)

A wife of noble character(E) is her husband’s crown,
    but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.(F)

The plans of the righteous are just,
    but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
    but the speech of the upright rescues them.(G)

The wicked are overthrown and are no more,(H)
    but the house of the righteous stands firm.(I)

A person is praised according to their prudence,
    and one with a warped(J) mind is despised.

Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
    than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals,(K)
    but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

11 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies have no sense.(L)

12 The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous endures.

13 Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,(M)
    and so the innocent escape trouble.(N)

14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,(O)
    and the work of their hands brings them reward.(P)

15 The way of fools seems right to them,(Q)
    but the wise listen to advice.(R)

16 Fools(S) show their annoyance at once,(T)
    but the prudent overlook an insult.(U)

17 An honest witness tells the truth,
    but a false witness tells lies.(V)

18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,(W)
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.(X)

19 Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
    but those who promote peace have joy.(Y)

21 No harm overtakes the righteous,(Z)
    but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

22 The Lord detests lying lips,(AA)
    but he delights(AB) in people who are trustworthy.(AC)

23 The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,(AD)
    but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.(AE)

24 Diligent hands will rule,
    but laziness ends in forced labor.(AF)

25 Anxiety weighs down the heart,(AG)
    but a kind word cheers it up.

26 The righteous choose their friends carefully,
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.(AH)

27 The lazy do not roast[a] any game,
    but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.

28 In the way of righteousness there is life;(AI)
    along that path is immortality.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:27 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

Unity of the body of Christ

Therefore, as a prisoner for the Lord, I encourage you to live as people worthy of the call you received from God. Conduct yourselves with all humility, gentleness, and patience. Accept each other with love, and make an effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit with the peace that ties you together. You are one body and one spirit, just as God also called you in one hope. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all, who is over all, through all, and in all.

God has given his grace to each one of us measured out by the gift that is given by Christ. That’s why scripture says, When he climbed up to the heights, he captured prisoners, and he gave gifts to people.[a]

What does the phrase “he climbed up” mean if it doesn’t mean that he had first gone down into the lower regions, the earth? 10 The one who went down is the same one who climbed up above all the heavens so that he might fill everything.

11 He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. 12 His purpose was to equip God’s people for the work of serving and building up the body of Christ 13 until we all reach the unity of faith and knowledge of God’s Son. God’s goal is for us to become mature adults—to be fully grown, measured by the standard of the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we aren’t supposed to be infants any longer who can be tossed and blown around by every wind that comes from teaching with deceitful scheming and the tricks people play to deliberately mislead others. 15 Instead, by speaking the truth with love, let’s grow in every way into Christ, 16 who is the head. The whole body grows from him, as it is joined and held together by all the supporting ligaments. The body makes itself grow in that it builds itself up with love as each one does its part.

The old and new life

17 So I’m telling you this, and I insist on it in the Lord: you shouldn’t live your life like the Gentiles anymore. They base their lives on pointless thinking, 18 and they are in the dark in their reasoning. They are disconnected from God’s life because of their ignorance and their closed hearts. 19 They are people who lack all sense of right and wrong, and who have turned themselves over to doing whatever feels good and to practicing every sort of corruption along with greed.

20 But you didn’t learn that sort of thing from Christ. 21 Since you really listened to him and you were taught how the truth is in Jesus, 22 change the former way of life that was part of the person you once were, corrupted by deceitful desires. 23 Instead, renew the thinking in your mind by the Spirit 24 and clothe yourself with the new person created according to God’s image in justice and true holiness.

25 Therefore, after you have gotten rid of lying, Each of you must tell the truth to your neighbor[b] because we are parts of each other in the same body.

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Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

As a prisoner(A) for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy(B) of the calling(C) you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another(D) in love.(E) Make every effort to keep the unity(F) of the Spirit through the bond of peace.(G) There is one body(H) and one Spirit,(I) just as you were called to one hope when you were called(J); one Lord,(K) one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all,(L) who is over all and through all and in all.(M)

But to each one of us(N) grace(O) has been given(P) as Christ apportioned it. This is why it[a] says:

“When he ascended on high,
    he took many captives(Q)
    and gave gifts to his people.”[b](R)

(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended(S) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)(T) 11 So Christ himself gave(U) the apostles,(V) the prophets,(W) the evangelists,(X) the pastors and teachers,(Y) 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ(Z) may be built up(AA) 13 until we all reach unity(AB) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God(AC) and become mature,(AD) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.(AE)

14 Then we will no longer be infants,(AF) tossed back and forth by the waves,(AG) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.(AH) 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love,(AI) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,(AJ) that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows(AK) and builds itself up(AL) in love,(AM) as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer(AN) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.(AO) 18 They are darkened in their understanding(AP) and separated from the life of God(AQ) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.(AR) 19 Having lost all sensitivity,(AS) they have given themselves over(AT) to sensuality(AU) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off(AV) your old self,(AW) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;(AX) 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;(AY) 24 and to put on(AZ) the new self,(BA) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.(BB)

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully(BC) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.(BD)

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:8 Or God
  2. Ephesians 4:8 Psalm 68:18
  3. Ephesians 4:9 Or the depths of the earth