The Birth of Moses

Now a (A)man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and (B)when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes[a] and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the (C)reeds by the river bank. And (D)his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews' children.” Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became (E)her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I (F)drew him out of the water.”[b]

Moses Flees to Midian

11 One day, (G)when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their (H)burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people.[c] 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he (I)struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When (J)he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” 14 He answered, (K)“Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But (L)Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by (M)a well.

16 Now the (N)priest of Midian had seven daughters, and (O)they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 17 The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and (P)watered their flock. 18 When they came home to their father (Q)Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so soon today?” 19 They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and (R)watered the flock.” 20 He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may (S)eat bread.” 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter (T)Zipporah. 22 She gave birth to a son, and he called his name (U)Gershom, for he said, “I have been a (V)sojourner[d] in a foreign land.”

God Hears Israel's Groaning

23 (W)During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel (X)groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. (Y)Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And (Z)God heard their groaning, and God (AA)remembered his covenant with (AB)Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God (AC)saw the people of Israel—and God (AD)knew.

The Burning Bush

Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the (AE)mountain of God. (AF)And (AG)the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, (AH)God called to him (AI)out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; (AJ)take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, (AK)“I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for (AL)he was afraid to look at God.

Then the Lord said, (AM)“I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their (AN)taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and (AO)I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and (AP)to bring them up out of that land to a (AQ)good and broad land, a land (AR)flowing with milk and honey, to the place of (AS)the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, (AT)the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the (AU)oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 (AV)Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, (AW)“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, (AX)“But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, (AY)you shall serve God on this mountain.”

13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”[e] And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: (AZ)I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord,[f] the (BA)God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is (BB)my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. 16 Go and (BC)gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, (BD)“I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, 17 and I promise that (BE)I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land (BF)flowing with milk and honey.”’ 18 And (BG)they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel (BH)shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has (BI)met with us; and now, please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt (BJ)will not let you go unless compelled (BK)by a mighty hand.[g] 20 So (BL)I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with (BM)all the wonders that I will do in it; (BN)after that he will let you go. 21 And (BO)I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, 22 but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for (BP)silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So (BQ)you shall plunder the Egyptians.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 2:3 Hebrew papyrus reeds
  2. Exodus 2:10 Moses sounds like the Hebrew for draw out
  3. Exodus 2:11 Hebrew brothers
  4. Exodus 2:22 Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for sojourner
  5. Exodus 3:14 Or I am what I am, or I will be what I will be
  6. Exodus 3:15 The word Lord, when spelled with capital letters, stands for the divine name, YHWH, which is here connected with the verb hayah, “to be” in verse 14
  7. Exodus 3:19 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew go, not by a mighty hand

The Birth of Moses

Now a man of the tribe of Levi(A) married a Levite woman,(B) and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine(C) child, she hid him for three months.(D) But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus(E) basket[a] for him and coated it with tar and pitch.(F) Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds(G) along the bank of the Nile. His sister(H) stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank.(I) She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.

Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”

“Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named(J) him Moses,[b] saying, “I drew(K) him out of the water.”

Moses Flees to Midian

11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people(L) were and watched them at their hard labor.(M) He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”(N)

14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us?(O) Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”

15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill(P) Moses, but Moses fled(Q) from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian,(R) where he sat down by a well. 16 Now a priest of Midian(S) had seven daughters, and they came to draw water(T) and fill the troughs(U) to water their father’s flock. 17 Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue(V) and watered their flock.(W)

18 When the girls returned to Reuel(X) their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

19 They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

20 “And where is he?” Reuel asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.”(Y)

21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah(Z) to Moses in marriage. 22 Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom,[c](AA) saying, “I have become a foreigner(AB) in a foreign land.”

23 During that long period,(AC) the king of Egypt died.(AD) The Israelites groaned in their slavery(AE) and cried out, and their cry(AF) for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he remembered(AG) his covenant(AH) with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned(AI) about them.

Moses and the Burning Bush

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro(AJ) his father-in-law, the priest of Midian,(AK) and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb,(AL) the mountain(AM) of God. There the angel of the Lord(AN) appeared to him in flames of fire(AO) from within a bush.(AP) Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called(AQ) to him from within the bush,(AR) “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”(AS)

“Do not come any closer,”(AT) God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”(AU) Then he said, “I am the God of your father,[d] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”(AV) At this, Moses hid(AW) his face, because he was afraid to look at God.(AX)

The Lord said, “I have indeed seen(AY) the misery(AZ) of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned(BA) about their suffering.(BB) So I have come down(BC) to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land,(BD) a land flowing with milk and honey(BE)—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites(BF) and Jebusites.(BG) And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing(BH) them. 10 So now, go. I am sending(BI) you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”(BJ)

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I(BK) that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

12 And God said, “I will be with you.(BL) And this will be the sign(BM) to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you[e] will worship God on this mountain.(BN)

13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’(BO) Then what shall I tell them?”

14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.[f] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am(BP) has sent me to you.’”

15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,[g] the God of your fathers(BQ)—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob(BR)—has sent me to you.’

“This is my name(BS) forever,
    the name you shall call me
    from generation to generation.(BT)

16 “Go, assemble the elders(BU) of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob(BV)—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen(BW) what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt(BX) into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’(BY)

18 “The elders of Israel will listen(BZ) to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews,(CA) has met(CB) with us. Let us take a three-day journey(CC) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices(CD) to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand(CE) compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand(CF) and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders(CG) that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.(CH)

21 “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed(CI) toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed.(CJ) 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver(CK) and gold(CL) and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder(CM) the Egyptians.”(CN)

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 2:3 The Hebrew can also mean ark, as in Gen. 6:14.
  2. Exodus 2:10 Moses sounds like the Hebrew for draw out.
  3. Exodus 2:22 Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for a foreigner there.
  4. Exodus 3:6 Masoretic Text; Samaritan Pentateuch (see Acts 7:32) fathers
  5. Exodus 3:12 The Hebrew is plural.
  6. Exodus 3:14 Or I will be what I will be
  7. Exodus 3:15 The Hebrew for Lord sounds like and may be related to the Hebrew for I am in verse 14.

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

13 (A)Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say (B)John the Baptist, others say (C)Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, (D)“You are (E)the Christ, (F)the Son of (G)the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, (H)“Blessed are you, (I)Simon Bar-Jonah! For (J)flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, (K)but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, (L)you are Peter, and (M)on this rock[a] I will build my church, and (N)the gates of (O)hell[b] shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you (P)the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and (Q)whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[c] in heaven.” 20 (R)Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

21 (S)From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that (T)he must go to Jerusalem and (U)suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on (V)the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord![d] This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, (W)“Get behind me, Satan! You are (X)a hindrance[e] to me. For you (Y)are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him (Z)deny himself and (AA)take up his cross and follow me. 25 For (AB)whoever would save his life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For (AC)what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or (AD)what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 (AE)For the Son of Man is going to come with (AF)his angels in the glory of his Father, and (AG)then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not (AH)taste death (AI)until they see the Son of Man (AJ)coming in his kingdom.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 16:18 The Greek words for Peter and rock sound similar
  2. Matthew 16:18 Greek the gates of Hades
  3. Matthew 16:19 Or shall have been bound… shall have been loosed
  4. Matthew 16:22 Or “[May God be] merciful to you, Lord!”
  5. Matthew 16:23 Greek stumbling block
  6. Matthew 16:25 The same Greek word can mean either soul or life, depending on the context; twice in this verse and twice in verse 26

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah(A)

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;(B) others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”(C)

15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”(D)

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,(E) but by my Father in heaven.(F) 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[a](G) and on this rock I will build my church,(H) and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys(I) of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[c] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[d] loosed in heaven.”(J) 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone(K) that he was the Messiah.

Jesus Predicts His Death(L)

21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem(M) and suffer many things(N) at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,(O) and that he must be killed(P) and on the third day(Q) be raised to life.(R)

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!(S) You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.(T) 25 For whoever wants to save their life[e] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.(U) 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man(V) is going to come(W) in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.(X)

28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 16:18 The Greek word for Peter means rock.
  2. Matthew 16:18 That is, the realm of the dead
  3. Matthew 16:19 Or will have been
  4. Matthew 16:19 Or will have been
  5. Matthew 16:25 The Greek word means either life or soul; also in verse 26.

The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation

Of David.

27 The Lord is my (A)light and my (B)salvation;
    (C)whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold[a] of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me
    to (D)eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
    it is they who stumble and fall.

(E)Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
    yet[b] I will be confident.

(F)One thing have I asked of the Lord,
    that will I seek after:
that I may (G)dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon (H)the beauty of the Lord
    and to inquire[c] in his temple.

For he will (I)hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will (J)lift me high upon a rock.

And now my (K)head shall be lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of (L)joy;
(M)I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

(N)Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
You have said, (O)“Seek[d] my face.”
My heart says to you,
    “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”[e]
    (P)Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
    O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
    (Q)O God of my salvation!
10 For (R)my father and my mother have forsaken me,
    but the Lord will (S)take me in.

11 (T)Teach me your way, O Lord,
    and lead me on (U)a level path
    because of my enemies.
12 (V)Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
    for (W)false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they (X)breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall look[f] upon (Y)the goodness of the Lord
    in (Z)the land of the living!
14 (AA)Wait for the Lord;
    (AB)be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 27:1 Or refuge
  2. Psalm 27:3 Or in this
  3. Psalm 27:4 Or meditate
  4. Psalm 27:8 The command (seek) is addressed to more than one person
  5. Psalm 27:8 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
  6. Psalm 27:13 Other Hebrew manuscripts Oh! Had I not believed that I would look

Psalm 27

Of David.

The Lord is my light(A) and my salvation(B)
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold(C) of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?(D)

When the wicked advance against me
    to devour[a] me,
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.(E)
Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;(F)
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.(G)

One thing(H) I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,(I)
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble(J)
    he will keep me safe(K) in his dwelling;
he will hide me(L) in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.(M)

Then my head will be exalted(N)
    above the enemies who surround me;(O)
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice(P) with shouts of joy;(Q)
    I will sing(R) and make music(S) to the Lord.

Hear my voice(T) when I call, Lord;
    be merciful to me and answer me.(U)
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!(V)
    Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face(W) from me,
    do not turn your servant away in anger;(X)
    you have been my helper.(Y)
Do not reject me or forsake(Z) me,
    God my Savior.(AA)
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way,(AB) Lord;
    lead me in a straight path(AC)
    because of my oppressors.(AD)
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
    for false witnesses(AE) rise up against me,
    spouting malicious accusations.

13 I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord(AF)
    in the land of the living.(AG)
14 Wait(AH) for the Lord;
    be strong(AI) and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 27:2 Or slander

Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
(A)Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
    (B)reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction[a] to a wise man, and he will be (C)still wiser;
    teach a righteous man, and he will (D)increase in learning.
10 (E)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and (F)the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
11 For by me (G)your days will be multiplied,
    and years will be added to your life.
12 (H)If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
    if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:9 Hebrew lacks instruction

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
    whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.(A)
Do not rebuke mockers(B) or they will hate you;
    rebuke the wise and they will love you.(C)
Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
    teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.(D)

10 The fear of the Lord(E) is the beginning of wisdom,
    and knowledge of the Holy One(F) is understanding.(G)
11 For through wisdom[a] your days will be many,
    and years will be added to your life.(H)
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
    if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:11 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew me