Proverbs 16-17
New American Standard Bible
Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked
16 The (A)plans of the heart belong to a person,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a person are clean in his own sight,
But the (B)Lord examines the [a]motives.
3 [b](C)Commit your works to the Lord,
And your plans will be established.
4 The Lord (D)has made everything for [c]its own purpose,
Even the (E)wicked for the day of evil.
5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
[d]Be assured, he will not go unpunished.
6 By (F)mercy and truth atonement is made for wrongdoing,
And by [e]the (G)fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
7 When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He (H)causes even his enemies to make peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.
9 The mind of a (I)person plans his way,
But (J)the Lord directs his steps.
10 A divine (K)verdict is on the lips of the king;
His mouth should not [f]err in judgment.
11 A (L)just balance and scales belong to the Lord;
All the [g]weights of the bag are His [h]concern.
12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
Because a (M)throne is established on righteousness.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And one who speaks right is loved.
14 The fury of a king is like messengers of death;
But a wise person will appease it.
15 In the light of a king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud with the [i](N)spring rain.
16 How much (O)better it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.
17 The (P)highway of the upright is to turn away from evil;
One who watches his way protects his [j]life.
18 (Q)Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
19 It is better to be (R)humble in spirit with the needy
Than to (S)divide the spoils with the proud.
20 One who pays attention to the word will (T)find good,
And (U)blessed is one who trusts in the Lord.
21 The (V)wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of [k]speech (W)increases [l]persuasiveness.
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,
But the discipline of fools is foolishness.
23 The (X)heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds [m]persuasiveness to his lips.
24 (Y)Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and (Z)healing to the bones.
25 (AA)There is a way which seems right to a person,
But its end is the way of death.
26 A worker’s appetite works for him,
For his [n]hunger urges him on.
27 A (AB)worthless person digs up evil,
While [o]his words are like (AC)scorching fire.
28 A perverse person spreads strife,
And a [p]slanderer separates close friends.
29 A person of violence (AD)entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.
30 He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;
He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 A (AE)gray head is a crown of glory;
It (AF)is found in the way of righteousness.
32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And one who rules his spirit, than one who captures a city.
33 The (AG)lot is cast into the lap,
But its every (AH)decision is from the Lord.
Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked
17 (AI)Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of [q]feasting with strife.
2 A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
And will share in the inheritance among brothers.
3 The (AJ)refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But (AK)the Lord tests hearts.
4 An (AL)evildoer listens to wicked lips;
A [r]liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 One who mocks the (AM)poor taunts his Maker;
One who (AN)rejoices at disaster will not go unpunished.
6 (AO)Grandchildren are the crown of the old,
And the (AP)glory of sons is their fathers.
7 [s](AQ)Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool,
Much less are (AR)lying lips to a prince.
8 A (AS)bribe is a [t]charm in the sight of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
9 One who (AT)conceals an offense seeks love,
But one who repeats a matter (AU)separates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 A rebellious person seeks only evil,
So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a (AV)person meet a (AW)bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his foolishness.
13 One who (AX)returns evil for good,
(AY)Evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
So (AZ)abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.
15 One who (BA)justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why is there money in the hand of a fool to (BB)buy wisdom,
When [u]he has no sense?
17 A (BC)friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
18 A person lacking in [v]sense (BD)shakes hands
And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.
19 One who (BE)loves wrongdoing loves strife;
One who (BF)makes his doorway high seeks destruction.
20 One who has a crooked [w]mind (BG)finds nothing good,
And one who is [x](BH)corrupted in his language falls into evil.
21 He who (BI)fathers a fool does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A (BJ)joyful heart [y]is good medicine,
But a broken spirit (BK)dries up the bones.
23 A wicked person accepts a (BL)bribe [z]from an inside pocket
To (BM)pervert the ways of justice.
24 Wisdom is in the presence of one who has understanding,
But the (BN)eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 A (BO)foolish son is a grief to his father,
And (BP)bitterness to her who gave birth to him.
26 It is also not good to (BQ)fine the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 One who (BR)withholds his words [aa]has knowledge,
And one who has a (BS)cool spirit is a person of understanding.
28 Even a fool, when he (BT)keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:2 Lit spirits
- Proverbs 16:3 Lit Roll
- Proverbs 16:4 Or His
- Proverbs 16:5 Lit Hand to hand, he
- Proverbs 16:6 Or reverence for
- Proverbs 16:10 Lit be unfaithful
- Proverbs 16:11 Lit stones
- Proverbs 16:11 Lit work
- Proverbs 16:15 Lit latter
- Proverbs 16:17 Lit soul
- Proverbs 16:21 Lit lips
- Proverbs 16:21 Or learning
- Proverbs 16:23 Or learning
- Proverbs 16:26 Lit mouth
- Proverbs 16:27 Lit on his lips
- Proverbs 16:28 Or gossip
- Proverbs 17:1 Lit sacrifices of strife
- Proverbs 17:4 Lit falsehood
- Proverbs 17:7 Lit A lip of abundance
- Proverbs 17:8 Lit stone of favor
- Proverbs 17:16 Lit there is no heart
- Proverbs 17:18 Lit heart
- Proverbs 17:20 Lit heart
- Proverbs 17:20 Lit altered in his tongue
- Proverbs 17:22 Lit causes good healing
- Proverbs 17:23 Lit a fold in a robe; i.e., secretly
- Proverbs 17:27 Lit knows
John 12
New American Standard Bible
Mary Anoints Jesus
12 (A)Therefore, six days before (B)the Passover, Jesus came to (C)Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they made Him a dinner there, and (D)Martha was serving; and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. 3 (E)Mary then took a [a]pound of very expensive (F)perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But (G)Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, the one who intended to [b]betray Him, *said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred [c]denarii and the proceeds given to poor people?” 6 Now he said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he (H)kept the money box, he used to [d]steal from (I)what was put into it. 7 Therefore Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it [e]for (J)the day of My burial. 8 (K)For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”
9 The (L)large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not on account of Jesus only, but so that they might also see Lazarus, (M)whom He raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because (N)on account of him (O)many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.
The Triumphal Entry
12 On the next day, when (P)the large crowd that had come to (Q)the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began shouting, “(R)Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, indeed, the (S)King of Israel!” 14 Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: 15 “(T)Do not fear, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 16 (U)These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus (V)was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things for Him. 17 So (W)the [f]people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him. 18 (X)For this reason also the [g]people went to meet Him, (Y)because they heard that He had performed this [h]sign. 19 So the Pharisees said [i]to one another, “You see that you are not accomplishing anything; look, the world has gone after Him!”
Greeks Seek Jesus
20 Now there were some (Z)Greeks among those who were going up to worship at (AA)the feast; 21 these people then came to (AB)Philip, who was from (AC)Bethsaida of Galilee, and were making a request of him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip *came and *told (AD)Andrew; then Andrew and Philip *came and *told Jesus. 23 But Jesus *answered them by saying, “(AE)The hour has come for the Son of Man to (AF)be glorified. 24 Truly, truly I say to you, (AG)unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 (AH)The one who loves his [j]life loses it, and the one who (AI)hates his [k]life in this world will keep it [l]to eternal life. 26 If anyone [m]serves Me, he must follow Me; and (AJ)where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone [n]serves Me, the Father will (AK)honor him.
Jesus Foretells His Death
27 “(AL)Now My soul has become troubled; and what am I to say? ‘(AM)Father, save Me from (AN)this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 (AO)Father, glorify Your name.” Then a (AP)voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 So the crowd who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “(AQ)An angel has spoken to Him!” 30 Jesus responded and said, “(AR)This voice has not come for My sake, but for yours. 31 (AS)Now judgment is upon this world; now (AT)the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I (AU)am lifted up from the earth, will (AV)draw all people to Myself.” 33 Now He was saying this (AW)to indicate what kind of death He was going to die. 34 The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard from (AX)the Law that (AY)the [o]Christ is to remain forever; and how is it that You say, ‘The (AZ)Son of Man must be (BA)lifted up’? Who is this (BB)Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “(BC)For a little while longer (BD)the Light is among you. (BE)Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; also, the one who (BF)walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the Light, (BG)believe in the Light, so that you may become (BH)sons of Light.”
These things Jesus proclaimed, and He went away and (BI)hid Himself from them. 37 But though He had performed so many [p]signs in their sight, they still were not believing in Him. 38 This happened so that the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke would be fulfilled: “(BJ)Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, 40 “(BK)He has blinded their eyes and He (BL)hardened their heart, so that they will not see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and [q]be converted, and so I will not heal them.” 41 These things Isaiah said because (BM)he saw His glory, and (BN)he spoke about Him. 42 Nevertheless (BO)many, even of (BP)the rulers, believed in Him, but (BQ)because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, so that they would not be (BR)excommunicated from the synagogue; 43 (BS)for they loved the [r]approval of people rather than the [s]approval of God.
44 Now Jesus cried out and said, “(BT)The one who believes in Me, does not believe only in Me, but also in Him who sent Me. 45 And (BU)the one who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 (BV)I have come as Light into the world, so that no one who believes in Me will remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears My [t]teachings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for (BW)I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 (BX)The one who rejects Me and does not [u]accept My [v]teachings has one who judges him: (BY)the word which I spoke. That will judge him on (BZ)the last day. 49 (CA)For I did not speak [w]on My own, but the Father Himself who sent Me (CB)has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that (CC)His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak (CD)just as the Father has told Me.”
Footnotes
- John 12:3 I.e., a Roman pound, about 12 oz. or 340 gm
- John 12:4 Or hand Him over
- John 12:5 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
- John 12:6 Lit pilfer
- John 12:7 Or in view of
- John 12:17 Lit crowd
- John 12:18 Lit crowd
- John 12:18 I.e., confirming miracle
- John 12:19 I.e., as one group to another
- John 12:25 Lit soul
- John 12:25 Lit soul
- John 12:25 Or for
- John 12:26 Or is serving
- John 12:26 Or is serving
- John 12:34 I.e., Messiah
- John 12:37 I.e., confirming miracles
- John 12:40 Lit be turned; i.e., turn about
- John 12:43 Or honor
- John 12:43 Or honor
- John 12:47 Lit words
- John 12:48 Or receive
- John 12:48 Lit words
- John 12:49 Lit from Myself
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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