(A)A fool's mouth is his ruin,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.

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The mouths of fools are their undoing,
    and their lips are a snare(A) to their very lives.(B)

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(A)Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
    (B)he who opens wide his lips (C)comes to ruin.

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Those who guard their lips(A) preserve their lives,(B)
    but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.(C)

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13 An evil man is ensnared (A)by the transgression of his lips,[a]
    (B)but the righteous escapes from trouble.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:13 Or In the transgression of the lips, there is an evil snare

13 Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,(A)
    and so the innocent escape trouble.(B)

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14 The wise (A)lay up knowledge,
    but (B)the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.

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14 The wise store up knowledge,(A)
    but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.(B)

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As for the head of those who surround me,
    let (A)the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!

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Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;
    may the mischief of their lips engulf them.(A)

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They are brought to ruin, with their own (A)tongues turned against them;
    all who (B)see them will (C)wag their heads.

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He will turn their own tongues against them(A)
    and bring them to ruin;
    all who see them will shake their heads(B) in scorn.(C)

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14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. 15 Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

16 Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered (A)the barracks and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul (B)the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.” 19 The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” 20 And he said, (C)“The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him. 21 But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who (D)have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent.” 22 So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.”

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14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.(A) 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin(B) petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”

16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks(C) and told Paul.

17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him to the commander.

The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner,(D) sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”

19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”

20 He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin(E) tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him.(F) 21 Don’t give in to them, because more than forty(G) of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him.(H) They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”

22 The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

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11 If the serpent bites before it is (A)charmed,
    there is no advantage to the charmer.

12 The words of a wise man's mouth (B)win him favor,[a]
    but (C)the lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
    and the end of his talk is evil madness.
14 (D)A fool multiplies words,
    though no man knows what is to be,
    and who can tell him (E)what will be after him?

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:12 Or are gracious

11 If a snake bites before it is charmed,
    the charmer receives no fee.(A)

12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,(B)
    but fools are consumed by their own lips.(C)
13 At the beginning their words are folly;
    at the end they are wicked madness—
14     and fools multiply words.(D)

No one knows what is coming—
    who can tell someone else what will happen after them?(E)

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if you are (A)snared in the words of your mouth,
    caught in the words of your mouth,

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you have been trapped by what you said,
    ensnared by the words of your mouth.

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23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, (A)up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's[a] head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 6:27 Greek his

23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”(A)

24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”

“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.

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(A)The wise of heart will receive commandments,
    but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

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The wise in heart accept commands,
    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.(A)

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35 And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the Lord, (A)and I cannot take back my vow.”

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35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes(A) and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.(B)

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Saul's Rash Vow

24 And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, (A)so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people had tasted food. 25 Now when all the people[a] came to the forest, behold, there was honey on the ground. 26 And when the people entered the forest, behold, the honey was dropping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, (B)so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. 28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food this day.’” And the people were (C)faint. 29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.”

31 They struck down the Philistines that day from (D)Michmash to (E)Aijalon. And the people were very (F)faint. 32 The people (G)pounced on the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slaughtered them on the ground. And the people ate them (H)with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, “Behold, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating (I)with the blood.” And he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a great stone to me here.”[b] 34 And Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Let every man bring his ox or his sheep and slaughter them here and eat, and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night and they slaughtered them there. 35 And Saul (J)built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord.

36 Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light; let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” But (K)the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” 37 And Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” (L)But he did not answer him that day. 38 And Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people, and know and see how this sin has arisen today. 39 For (M)as the Lord lives who saves Israel, (N)though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who answered him. 40 Then he said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.” 41 Therefore Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant this day? If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, O Lord, God of Israel, give Urim. But if this guilt is in your people Israel, give Thummim.”[c] (O)And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. 42 Then Saul said, (P)“Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was taken.

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, (Q)“Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, (R)“I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I will die.” 44 And Saul said, (S)“God do so to me and more also; (T)you shall surely die, Jonathan.” 45 Then the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! (U)As the Lord lives, (V)there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die. 46 Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 14:25 Hebrew land
  2. 1 Samuel 14:33 Septuagint; Hebrew this day
  3. 1 Samuel 14:41 Vulgate and Septuagint; Hebrew Therefore Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Give Thummim.”

Jonathan Eats Honey

24 Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath,(A) saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.

25 The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb.(B) He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.[a] 28 Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food today!’ That is why the men are faint.”

29 Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble(C) for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?”

31 That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Mikmash(D) to Aijalon,(E) they were exhausted. 32 They pounced on the plunder(F) and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood.(G) 33 Then someone said to Saul, “Look, the men are sinning against the Lord by eating meat that has blood(H) in it.”

“You have broken faith,” he said. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” 34 Then he said, “Go out among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood still(I) in it.’”

So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar(J) to the Lord; it was the first time he had done this.

36 Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.”

“Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied.

But the priest said, “Let us inquire(K) of God here.”

37 So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer(L) him that day.

38 Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed(M) today. 39 As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives,(N) even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan,(O) he must die.”(P) But not one of them said a word.

40 Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.”

“Do what seems best to you,” they replied.

41 Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault,[b] respond with Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. 42 Saul said, “Cast the lot(Q) between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”(R)

So Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey(S) with the end of my staff. And now I must die!”

44 Saul said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,(T) if you do not die, Jonathan.(U)

45 But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair(V) of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” So the men rescued(W) Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

46 Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 14:27 Or his strength was renewed; similarly in verse 29
  2. 1 Samuel 14:41 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have “Why … at fault.