Proverbs 17

New American Standard Bible

Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

17 ^(A)Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of ^[a]feasting with strife.
²A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
And will share in the inheritance among brothers.
³The ^(B)refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But ^(C)the Lord tests hearts.
⁴An ^(D)evildoer listens to wicked lips;
A ^[b]liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
⁵One who mocks the ^(E)poor taunts his Maker;
One who ^(F)rejoices at disaster will not go unpunished.
⁶^(G)Grandchildren are the crown of the old,
And the ^(H)glory of sons is their fathers.
⁷^[c]^(I)Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool,
Much less are ^(J)lying lips to a prince.
⁸A ^(K)bribe is a ^[d]charm in the sight of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
⁹One who ^(L)conceals an offense seeks love,
But one who repeats a matter ^(M)separates close friends.
¹⁰A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹A rebellious person seeks only evil,
So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
¹²Let a ^(N)person meet a ^(O)bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his foolishness.
¹³One who ^(P)returns evil for good,
^(Q)Evil will not depart from his house.
¹⁴The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
So ^(R)abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.
¹⁵One who ^(S)justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶Why is there money in the hand of a fool to ^(T)buy wisdom,
When ^[e]he has no sense?
¹⁷A ^(U)friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
¹⁸A person lacking in ^[f]sense ^(V)shakes hands
And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.
¹⁹One who ^(W)loves wrongdoing loves strife;
One who ^(X)makes his doorway high seeks destruction.
²⁰One who has a crooked ^[g]mind ^(Y)finds nothing good,
And one who is ^[h]^(Z)corrupted in his language falls into evil.
²¹He who ^(AA)fathers a fool does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.
²²A ^(AB)joyful heart ^[i]is good medicine,
But a broken spirit ^(AC)dries up the bones.
²³A wicked person accepts a ^(AD)bribe ^[j]from an inside pocket
To ^(AE)pervert the ways of justice.
²⁴Wisdom is in the presence of one who has understanding,
But the ^(AF)eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
²⁵A ^(AG)foolish son is a grief to his father,
And ^(AH)bitterness to her who gave birth to him.
²⁶It is also not good to ^(AI)fine the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
²⁷One who ^(AJ)withholds his words ^[k]has knowledge,
And one who has a ^(AK)cool spirit is a person of understanding.
²⁸Even a fool, when he ^(AL)keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

Footnotes

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

Philippians 4

New American Standard Bible

Think of Excellence

4 Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, ^[a]whom I ^(A)long to see, my joy and crown, ^(B)stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

²I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to ^[b]^(C)live in harmony in the Lord. ³Indeed, true ^[c]companion, I ask you also, help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement as well as the rest of my ^(D)fellow workers, whose ^(E)names are in the book of life.

⁴^(F)Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! ⁵Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. ^(G)The Lord is ^[d]near. ⁶^(H)Do not ^[e]be anxious about anything, but in everything by ^(I)prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And ^(J)the peace of God, which surpasses all ^[f]comprehension, will ^(K)guard your hearts and ^(L)minds in ^(M)Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally, brothers and sisters, ^(N)whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is ^[g]lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen ^(O)in me, practice these things, and ^(P)the God of peace will be with you.

God’s Provisions

¹⁰But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last ^(Q)you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked an opportunity to act. ¹¹Not that I speak ^[h]from need, for I have learned to be ^[i]^(R)content in whatever circumstances I am. ¹²I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going ^(S)hungry, both of having abundance and ^(T)suffering need. ¹³I can do all things ^[j]through Him who ^(U)strengthens me. ¹⁴Nevertheless, you have done well to ^(V)share with me in my difficulty.

¹⁵You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the ^[k]^(W)first preaching of the gospel, after I left ^(X)Macedonia, no church ^(Y)shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone; ¹⁶for even in ^(Z)Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. ¹⁷^(AA)Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek the ^[l]profit which increases to your account. ¹⁸But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am ^[m]amply supplied, having received from ^(AB)Epaphroditus ^[n]what you have sent, ^[o]^(AC)a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. ¹⁹And ^(AD)my God will supply ^[p]all your needs according to His ^(AE)riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰Now to ^(AF)our God and Father ^(AG)be the glory ^[q]forever and ever. Amen.

²¹Greet every ^[r]saint in Christ Jesus. ^(AH)The brothers who are with me greet you. ²²^(AI)All the ^[s]^(AJ)saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.