15 And now let me remind you [since it seems to have escaped you], brethren, of the Gospel (the glad tidings of salvation) which I proclaimed to you, which you welcomed and accepted and upon which your faith rests,

² And by which you are saved, if you hold fast and keep firmly what I preached to you, unless you believed at first without effect and all for nothing.

³ For I passed on to you first of all what I also had received, that Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for our sins in accordance with [what] the Scriptures [foretold],^(A)

⁴ That He was buried, that He arose on the third day as the Scriptures foretold,^(B)

⁵ And [also] that He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve.

⁶ Then later He showed Himself to more than five hundred brethren at one time, the majority of whom are still alive, but some have fallen asleep [in death].

⁷ Afterward He was seen by James, then by all the apostles (the special messengers),

⁸ And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one prematurely and born dead [^[a]no better than an unperfected fetus among living men].

⁹ For I am the least [worthy] of the apostles, who am not fit or deserving to be called an apostle, because I once wronged and pursued and molested the church of God [oppressing it with cruelty and violence].

¹⁰ But by the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not [found to be] for nothing (fruitless and without effect). In fact, I worked harder than all of them [the apostles], though it was not really I, but the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God which was with me.

¹¹ So, whether then it was I or they, this is what we preach and this is what you believed [what you adhered to, trusted in, and relied on].

¹² But now if Christ (the Messiah) is preached as raised from the dead, how is it that some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not risen;

¹⁴ And if Christ has not risen, then our preaching is in vain [it amounts to nothing] and your faith is devoid of truth and is fruitless (without effect, empty, imaginary, and unfounded).

¹⁵ We are even discovered to be misrepresenting God, for we testified of Him that He raised Christ, Whom He did not raise in case it is true that the dead are not raised.

¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised;

¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is mere delusion [futile, fruitless], and you are still in your sins [under the control and penalty of sin];

¹⁸ And further, those who have died in [^[b]spiritual fellowship and union with] Christ have perished (are lost)!

¹⁹ If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hope only in this life and that is all, then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied.

²⁰ But the fact is that Christ (the Messiah) has been raised from the dead, and He became the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep [in death].

²¹ For since [it was] through a man that death [came into the world, it is] also through a Man that the resurrection of the dead [has come].

²² For just as [because of their ^[c]union of nature] in Adam all people die, so also [by virtue of their ^[d]union of nature] shall all in Christ be made alive.

²³ But each in his own rank and turn: Christ (the Messiah) [is] the firstfruits, then those who are Christ’s [own will be resurrected] at His coming.

²⁴ After that comes the end (the completion), when He delivers over the kingdom to God the Father after rendering inoperative and abolishing every [other] rule and every authority and power.

²⁵ For [Christ] must be King and reign until He has put all [His] enemies under His feet.^(C)

²⁶ The last enemy to be subdued and abolished is death.

²⁷ For He [the Father] has put all things in subjection under His [Christ’s] feet. But when it says, All things are put in subjection [under Him], it is evident that He [Himself] is excepted Who does the subjecting of all things to Him.^(D)

²⁸ However, when everything is subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also subject Himself to [the Father] Who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all [be everything to everyone, supreme, the indwelling and controlling factor of life].

²⁹ Otherwise, what do people mean by being [themselves] baptized in behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?

³⁰ [For that matter], why do I live [dangerously as I do, running such risks that I am] in peril every hour?

³¹ [I assure you] by the pride which I have in you in [your ^[e]fellowship and union with] Christ Jesus our Lord, that I die daily [I face death every day and die to self].

³² What do I gain if, merely from the human point of view, I fought with [wild] beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised [at all], let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will be dead.^(E)

³³ Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character.

³⁴ Awake [^[f]from your drunken stupor and return] to sober sense and your right minds, and sin no more. For some of you have not the knowledge of God [you are utterly and willfully and disgracefully ignorant, and continue to be so, lacking the sense of God’s presence and all true knowledge of Him]. I say this to your shame.

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5 My son, be attentive to my Wisdom [godly Wisdom learned by actual and costly experience], and incline your ear to my understanding [of what is becoming and prudent for you],

² That you may exercise proper discrimination and discretion and your lips may guard and keep knowledge and the wise answer [to temptation].

³ For the lips of a loose woman drip honey as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil;^(A)

⁴ But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged and devouring sword.

⁵ Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold of Sheol (Hades, the place of the dead).

⁶ She loses sight of and walks not in the path of life; her ways wind about aimlessly, and you cannot know them.

⁷ Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

⁸ Let your way in life be far from her, and come not near the door of her house [avoid the very scenes of temptation],^(B)

⁹ Lest you give your honor to others and your years to those without mercy,

¹⁰ Lest strangers [and false teachings] take their fill of your strength and wealth and your labors go to the house of an alien [from God]—

¹¹ And you groan and mourn when your end comes, when your flesh and body are consumed,

¹² And you say, How I hated instruction and discipline, and my heart despised reproof!

¹³ I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers nor submitted and consented to those who instructed me.

¹⁴ [The extent and boldness of] my sin involved almost all evil [in the estimation] of the congregation and the community.

^15 [a]Drink waters out of your own cistern [of a pure marriage relationship], and fresh running waters out of your own well.

¹⁶ Should your offspring be dispersed abroad as water brooks in the streets?

¹⁷ [Confine yourself to your own wife] let your children be for you alone, and not the children of strangers with you.

¹⁸ Let your fountain [of human life] be blessed [with the rewards of fidelity], and rejoice in the wife of your youth.

¹⁹ Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant doe [tender, gentle, attractive]—let her bosom satisfy you at all times, and always be transported with delight in her love.

²⁰ Why should you, my son, be infatuated with a loose woman, embrace the bosom of an outsider, and go astray?

²¹ For the ways of man are directly before the eyes of the Lord, and He [Who would have us live soberly, chastely, and godly] carefully weighs all man’s goings.^(C)

²² His own iniquities shall ensnare the wicked man, and he shall be held with the cords of his sin.

²³ He will die for lack of discipline and instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he will go astray and be lost.

6 My son, if you have become security for your neighbor, if you have given your pledge for a stranger or another,

² You are snared with the words of your lips, you are caught by the speech of your mouth.

³ Do this now [at once and earnestly], my son, and deliver yourself when you have put yourself into the ^[b]power of your neighbor; go, bestir and humble yourself, and beg your neighbor [to pay his debt and thereby release you].

⁴ Give not [unnecessary] sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids;

⁵ Deliver yourself, as a roe or gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

⁶ Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways and be wise!—^(D)

⁷ Which, having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

⁸ Provides her food in the summer and gathers her supplies in the harvest.

⁹ How long will you sleep, O sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?^(E)

¹⁰ Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down and sleep—

¹¹ So will your poverty come like a robber or one who travels [with slowly but surely approaching steps] and your want like an armed man [making you helpless].^(F)

¹² A worthless person, a wicked man, is he who goes about with a perverse (contrary, wayward) mouth.

¹³ He winks with his eyes, he speaks by shuffling or tapping with his feet, he makes signs [to mislead and deceive] and teaches with his fingers.

¹⁴ Willful and contrary in his heart, he devises trouble, vexation, and evil continually; he lets loose discord and sows it.

¹⁵ Therefore upon him shall the crushing weight of calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken, and that without remedy.

¹⁶ These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him:

¹⁷ A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,^(G)

¹⁸ A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,

¹⁹ A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren.

²⁰ My son, keep your father’s [God-given] commandment and forsake not the law of [God] your mother [taught you].^(H)

²¹ Bind them continually upon your heart and tie them about your neck.^(I)

²² When you go, they [the words of your parents’ God] shall lead you; when you sleep, they shall keep you; and when you waken, they shall talk with you.

²³ For the commandment is a lamp, and the whole teaching [of the law] is light, and reproofs of discipline are the way of life,^(J)

²⁴ To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a loose woman.

²⁵ Lust not after her beauty in your heart, neither let her capture you with her eyelids.

²⁶ For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread, and the adulteress stalks and snares [as with a hook] the precious life [of a man].

²⁷ Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?

²⁸ Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be burned?

²⁹ So he who cohabits with his neighbor’s wife [will be tortured with evil consequences and just retribution]; he who touches her shall not be innocent or go unpunished.

³⁰ Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry;

³¹ But if he is found out, he must restore seven times [what he stole]; he must give the whole substance of his house [if necessary—to meet his fine].

³² But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks heart and understanding (moral principle and prudence); he who does it is destroying his own life.

³³ Wounds and disgrace will he get, and his reproach will not be wiped away.

³⁴ For jealousy makes [the wronged] man furious; therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance [upon the detected one].

³⁵ He will not consider any ransom [offered to buy him off from demanding full punishment]; neither will he be satisfied, though you offer him many gifts and bribes.

7 My son, keep my words; lay up within you my commandments [for use when needed] and treasure them.

² Keep my commandments and live, and keep my law and teaching as the apple (the pupil) of your eye.

³ Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴ Say to skillful and godly Wisdom, You are my sister, and regard understanding or insight as your intimate friend—

⁵ That they may keep you from the loose woman, from the adventuress who flatters with and makes smooth her words.

⁶ For at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice.

⁷ And among the simple (empty-headed and emptyhearted) ones, I perceived among the youths a young man void of good sense,

⁸ Sauntering through the street near the [loose woman’s] corner; and he went the way to her house

⁹ In the twilight, in the evening; night black and dense was falling [over the young man’s life].

¹⁰ And behold, there met him a woman, dressed as a harlot and sly and cunning of heart.

¹¹ She is turbulent and willful; her feet stay not in her house;

¹² Now in the streets, now in the marketplaces, she sets her ambush at every corner.

¹³ So she caught him and kissed him and with impudent face she said to him,

¹⁴ Sacrifices of peace offerings were due from me; this day I paid my vows.

¹⁵ So I came forth to meet you [that you might share with me the feast from my offering]; diligently I sought your face, and I have found you.

¹⁶ I have spread my couch with rugs and cushions of tapestry, with striped sheets of fine linen of Egypt.

¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

¹⁸ Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; let us console and delight ourselves with love.

¹⁹ For the man is not at home; he is gone on a long journey;

²⁰ He has taken a bag of money with him and will come home at the day appointed [at the full moon].

²¹ With much justifying and enticing argument she persuades him, with the allurements of her lips she leads him [to overcome his conscience and his fears] and forces him along.

²² Suddenly he [yields and] follows her reluctantly like an ox moving to the slaughter, like one in fetters going to the correction [to be given] to a fool or ^[c]like a dog enticed by food to the muzzle

²³ Till a dart [of passion] pierces and inflames his vitals; then like a bird fluttering straight into the net [he hastens], not knowing that it will cost him his life.

²⁴ Listen to me now therefore, O you sons, and be attentive to the words of my mouth.

²⁵ Let not your heart incline toward her ways, do not stray into her paths.

²⁶ For she has cast down many wounded; indeed, all her slain are a mighty host.^(K)

²⁷ Her house is the way to Sheol (Hades, the place of the dead), going down to the chambers of death.