Wisdom’s Invitation

Wisdom has (A)built her house,
She has carved out her seven pillars;
She has [a](B)prepared her food, she has (C)mixed her wine;
She has also (D)set her table;
She has (E)sent out her attendants, she (F)calls out
From the (G)tops of the heights of the city:
(H)Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!”
To him who (I)lacks [b]understanding she says,
“Come, (J)eat of my food
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
[c]Abandon your foolishness and (K)live,
And (L)proceed in the way of understanding.”

One who (M)corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,
And one who rebukes a wicked person gets [d]insults for himself.
(N)Do not rebuke a scoffer, or he will hate you;
(O)Rebuke a wise person and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise person and he will become still wiser;
Teach a righteous person and he will (P)increase his insight.
10 The (Q)fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For (R)by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
12 If you are wise, you are wise (S)for yourself,
And if you (T)scoff, you alone will [e]suffer from it.

13 [f]A woman of foolishness is (U)boisterous,
She has a lack of understanding and (V)knows nothing.
14 She sits at the doorway of her house,
On a seat by (W)the high places of the city,
15 Calling to those who pass by,
Who are going straight on their paths:
16 (X)Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,”
And to him who lacks [g]understanding she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet;
And (Y)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the [h]dead are there,
That her guests are in the (Z)depths of Sheol.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:2 Lit slaughtered her slaughter
  2. Proverbs 9:4 Lit heart
  3. Proverbs 9:6 Or Abandon the naive
  4. Proverbs 9:7 Lit a blemish
  5. Proverbs 9:12 Lit bear
  6. Proverbs 9:13 Or A foolish woman
  7. Proverbs 9:16 Lit heart
  8. Proverbs 9:18 Lit departed spirits

Made Alive in Christ

And [a]you [b]were (A)dead [c]in your offenses and sins, in which you (B)previously walked according to the [d]course of (C)this world, according to (D)the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in (E)the [e]sons of disobedience. Among them [f]we too all (F)previously lived in (G)the lusts of our flesh, [g]indulging the desires of the flesh and of the [h]mind, and were (H)by nature (I)children of wrath, (J)just as the rest. But God, being (K)rich in mercy, because of (L)His great love with which He loved us, even when we were (M)dead [i]in our wrongdoings, made us alive together [j]with Christ ((N)by grace you have been saved), and (O)raised us up with Him, and (P)seated us with Him in (Q)the heavenly places in (R)Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the [k]boundless (S)riches of His grace in (T)kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For (U)by grace you have been saved (V)through faith; and [l]this is not of yourselves, it is (W)the gift of God; (X)not a result of works, so that (Y)no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, (Z)created in (AA)Christ Jesus for (AB)good works, which God (AC)prepared beforehand so that we would (AD)walk in them.

11 Therefore remember that (AE)previously (AF)you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “(AG)Uncircumcision” by the so-called “(AH)Circumcision” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, [m](AI)excluded from [n]the people of Israel, and strangers to (AJ)the covenants of the promise, having (AK)no hope and (AL)without God in the world. 13 But now in (AM)Christ Jesus you who (AN)previously were (AO)far away [o]have (AP)been brought near [p](AQ)by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is (AR)our peace, (AS)who made both groups into one and broke down the [q]barrier of the dividing wall, 15 [r]by (AT)abolishing [s]in His flesh the hostility, which is (AU)the Law composed of commandments expressed in ordinances, so that in Himself He might [t](AV)make the two (AW)one new person, in this way establishing (AX)peace; 16 and that He might (AY)reconcile them both in (AZ)one body to God through the cross, [u]by it having (BA)put to death the hostility. 17 And (BB)He came and preached (BC)peace to you who were (BD)far away, and peace to those who were (BE)near; 18 for through Him we both have (BF)our access in (BG)one Spirit to (BH)the Father. 19 So then you are no longer (BI)strangers and foreigners, but you are (BJ)fellow citizens with the [v]saints, and are of (BK)God’s household, 20 having been (BL)built on (BM)the foundation of (BN)the apostles and prophets, (BO)Christ Jesus Himself being the (BP)cornerstone, 21 (BQ)in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into (BR)a holy [w]temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being (BS)built together into a (BT)dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 2:1 Lit being
  2. Ephesians 2:1 I.e., Gentile believers
  3. Ephesians 2:1 Or by reason of
  4. Ephesians 2:2 Lit age
  5. Ephesians 2:2 I.e., people opposed to God
  6. Ephesians 2:3 I.e., Jewish believers
  7. Ephesians 2:3 Lit doing
  8. Ephesians 2:3 Lit thoughts
  9. Ephesians 2:5 Or by reason of
  10. Ephesians 2:5 Two early mss in Christ
  11. Ephesians 2:7 Lit surpassing
  12. Ephesians 2:8 I.e., this salvation
  13. Ephesians 2:12 Or alienated
  14. Ephesians 2:12 Or citizenship in Israel
  15. Ephesians 2:13 Lit became; or were made
  16. Ephesians 2:13 Or in
  17. Ephesians 2:14 Lit the dividing wall of the barrier
  18. Ephesians 2:15 Or the hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the Law
  19. Ephesians 2:15 I.e., by His death
  20. Ephesians 2:15 Lit create
  21. Ephesians 2:16 Or in Himself
  22. Ephesians 2:19 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  23. Ephesians 2:21 Or sanctuary

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