28 (A)The wicked flee when no one pursues,
    but (B)the righteous are bold as a lion.
When a land transgresses, (C)it has many rulers,
    but with a man of understanding and knowledge,
    its stability will long continue.
(D)A poor man who oppresses the poor
    is a beating rain that leaves no food.
Those who forsake the law (E)praise the wicked,
    but those who keep the law (F)strive against them.
Evil men (G)do not understand justice,
    but those who seek the Lord (H)understand it completely.
(I)Better is a poor man who (J)walks in his integrity
    than a rich man who is (K)crooked in his ways.
The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding,
    but (L)a companion of gluttons shames his father.
Whoever multiplies his wealth (M)by interest and profit[a]
    (N)gathers it for him who is (O)generous to the poor.
If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,
    even his (P)prayer is an abomination.
10 Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way
    (Q)will fall into his own pit,
    but the blameless (R)will have a goodly inheritance.
11 A rich man is wise in his (S)own eyes,
    but a poor man who has understanding (T)will find him out.
12 When (U)the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
    but when (V)the wicked rise, people hide themselves.
13 Whoever (W)conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
    but he who (X)confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
14 Blessed is the one who (Y)fears the Lord[b] always,
    but whoever (Z)hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 Like (AA)a roaring lion or (AB)a charging bear
    is (AC)a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A ruler who (AD)lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
    but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 If one is burdened with (AE)the blood of another,
    he will be a fugitive until death;[c]
    let no one help him.
18 (AF)Whoever (AG)walks in integrity will be delivered,
    but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
19 (AH)Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
    but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
    but whoever hastens to be rich (AI)will not go unpunished.
21 To show (AJ)partiality is not good,
    but for (AK)a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
22 A (AL)stingy man[d] (AM)hastens after wealth
    and does not know that (AN)poverty will come upon him.
23 Whoever (AO)rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
    than (AP)he who flatters with his tongue.
24 Whoever robs his father or his mother
    and says, “That is no transgression,”
    is (AQ)a companion to a man who destroys.
25 A greedy man (AR)stirs up strife,
    but the one who trusts in the Lord will (AS)be enriched.
26 Whoever (AT)trusts in his own mind is a fool,
    but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
27 Whoever (AU)gives to the poor will not want,
    but he who (AV)hides his eyes will get many a curse.
28 When (AW)the wicked rise, (AX)people hide themselves,
    but when they perish, the righteous increase.
29 (AY)He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck,
    will suddenly be (AZ)broken (BA)beyond healing.
When (BB)the righteous increase, the people rejoice,
    but when (BC)the wicked rule, the people groan.
He who (BD)loves wisdom makes his father glad,
    but (BE)a companion of prostitutes (BF)squanders his wealth.
By justice a king (BG)builds up the land,
    but he who exacts gifts[e] tears it down.
(BH)A man who flatters his neighbor
    spreads (BI)a net for his feet.
An evil man is (BJ)ensnared in his transgression,
    but a righteous man (BK)sings and rejoices.
A righteous man (BL)knows the rights of the poor;
    a wicked man does not (BM)understand such knowledge.
(BN)Scoffers set a city aflame,
    but the wise turn away wrath.
If a wise man has an argument with a fool,
    the fool only rages and laughs, and there is (BO)no quiet.
10 Bloodthirsty men (BP)hate one who is blameless
    and seek the life of the upright.[f]
11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit,
    but a wise man quietly holds it back.
12 If a ruler listens to falsehood,
    all his officials will be wicked.
13 The poor man and the oppressor (BQ)meet together;
    the Lord (BR)gives light to the eyes of both.
14 If a king (BS)faithfully judges the poor,
    his throne will (BT)be established forever.
15 (BU)The rod and reproof give wisdom,
    but a child left to himself (BV)brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked increase, transgression increases,
    but (BW)the righteous will look upon their downfall.
17 (BX)Discipline your son, and he will give you rest;
    he will give delight to your heart.
18 Where (BY)there is no prophetic vision the people (BZ)cast off restraint,[g]
    but blessed is he who (CA)keeps the law.
19 By mere words a servant is not disciplined,
    for though he understands, he will not respond.
20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?
    (CB)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 Whoever pampers his servant from childhood
    will in the end find him his heir.[h]
22 (CC)A man of wrath stirs up strife,
    and one given to anger causes much transgression.
23 (CD)One's pride will bring him low,
    (CE)but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
24 The partner of a thief (CF)hates his own life;
    (CG)he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.
25 (CH)The fear of man lays a snare,
    but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
26 Many (CI)seek the face of a ruler,
    but it is from the Lord that a man (CJ)gets justice.
27 (CK)An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
    but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:8 That is, profit that comes from charging interest to the poor
  2. Proverbs 28:14 Hebrew lacks the Lord
  3. Proverbs 28:17 Hebrew until the pit
  4. Proverbs 28:22 Hebrew A man whose eye is evil
  5. Proverbs 29:4 Or who taxes heavily
  6. Proverbs 29:10 Or but the upright seek his soul
  7. Proverbs 29:18 Or the people are discouraged
  8. Proverbs 29:21 The meaning of the Hebrew word rendered his heir is uncertain

He Will Tread Down Our Foes

To the choirmaster: according to (A)Shushan Eduth. A (B)Miktam[a] of David; (C)for instruction; when he (D)strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and when Joab on his return struck down twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.

60 O God, (E)you have rejected us, (F)broken our defenses;
    you have been angry; (G)oh, restore us.
You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open;
    (H)repair its breaches, for it totters.
(I)You have made your people see hard things;
    (J)you have given us (K)wine to drink that made us stagger.

You have set up (L)a banner for those who fear you,
    that they may flee to it (M)from the bow.[b] Selah
(N)That your (O)beloved ones may be delivered,
    give salvation by your right hand and answer us!

God has spoken (P)in his holiness:[c]
    “With exultation (Q)I will divide up (R)Shechem
    and portion out the Vale of (S)Succoth.
(T)Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
    (U)Ephraim is (V)my helmet;
    Judah is my (W)scepter.
(X)Moab is my washbasin;
    upon Edom I (Y)cast my shoe;
    over (Z)Philistia I shout in triumph.”[d]

Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    (AA)Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Have you not (AB)rejected us, O God?
    You (AC)do not go forth, O God, with our armies.
11 Oh, grant us help against the foe,
    for (AD)vain is the salvation of man!
12 With God we shall (AE)do valiantly;
    it is he who will (AF)tread down our foes.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 60:1 Probably musical or liturgical terms
  2. Psalm 60:4 Or that it may be displayed because of truth
  3. Psalm 60:6 Or sanctuary
  4. Psalm 60:8 Revocalization (compare Psalm 108:10); Masoretic Text over me, O Philistia, shout in triumph

Personal Greetings

16 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant[a] of the church at (A)Cenchreae, that you (B)may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

Greet (C)Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Greet also (D)the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was (E)the first convert[b] to Christ in Asia. Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. Greet Andronicus and Junia,[c] my kinsmen and my (F)fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles,[d] and they were in Christ before me. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those (G)who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers[e] who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 (H)Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

Final Instructions and Greetings

17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles (I)contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; (J)avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but (K)their own appetites,[f] and (L)by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For (M)your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you (N)to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 (O)The God of peace (P)will soon crush Satan under your feet. (Q)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

21 (R)Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

22 I Tertius, (S)who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 (T)Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.[g]

Doxology

25 (U)Now to him who is able to strengthen you (V)according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, (W)according to the revelation of the mystery (X)that was kept secret for (Y)long ages 26 but (Z)has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, (AA)to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to (AB)the only wise God (AC)be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 16:1 Or deaconess
  2. Romans 16:5 Greek firstfruit
  3. Romans 16:7 Or Junias
  4. Romans 16:7 Or messengers
  5. Romans 16:14 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 17
  6. Romans 16:18 Greek their own belly
  7. Romans 16:23 Some manuscripts insert verse 24: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen

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