Proverbs 6:1-19

New International Version

Warnings Against Folly

6 My son,^(A) if you have put up security^(B) for your neighbor,^(C)
    if you have shaken hands in pledge^(D) for a stranger,
²you have been trapped by what you said,
    ensnared by the words of your mouth.
³So do this, my son, to free yourself,
    since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:
Go—to the point of exhaustion—^[a]
    and give your neighbor no rest!
⁴Allow no sleep to your eyes,
    no slumber to your eyelids.^(E)
⁵Free yourself, like a gazelle^(F) from the hand of the hunter,^(G)
    like a bird from the snare of the fowler.^(H)

⁶Go to the ant, you sluggard;^(I)
    consider its ways and be wise!
⁷It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
⁸yet it stores its provisions in summer^(J)
    and gathers its food at harvest.^(K)

⁹How long will you lie there, you sluggard?^(L)
    When will you get up from your sleep?
¹⁰A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest^(M)—
¹¹and poverty^(N) will come on you like a thief
    and scarcity like an armed man.

¹²A troublemaker and a villain,
    who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
¹³    who winks maliciously with his eye,^(O)
    signals with his feet
    and motions with his fingers,^(P)
¹⁴    who plots evil^(Q) with deceit in his heart—
    he always stirs up conflict.^(R)
¹⁵Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;^(S)
    he will suddenly^(T) be destroyed—without remedy.^(U)

¹⁶There are six things the Lord hates,^(V)
    seven that are detestable to him:
¹⁷        haughty eyes,^(W)
        a lying tongue,^(X)
        hands that shed innocent blood,^(Y)
¹⁸        a heart that devises wicked schemes,
        feet that are quick to rush into evil,^(Z)
¹⁹        a false witness^(AA) who pours out lies^(AB)
        and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.^(AC)

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Footnotes

Proverbs 6:3 Or Go and humble yourself,

1 John 5

New International Version

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes^(A) that Jesus is the Christ^(B) is born of God,^(C) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.^(D) ²This is how we know^(E) that we love the children of God:^(F) by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.^(G) And his commands are not burdensome,^(H) ⁴for everyone born of God^(I) overcomes^(J) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.^(K)

⁶This is the one who came by water and blood^(L)—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.^(M) ⁷For there are three^(N) that testify: ⁸the^[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹We accept human testimony,^(O) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,^(P) which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.^(Q) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,^(R) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,^(S) and this life is in his Son.^(T) ¹²Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.^(U)

Concluding Affirmations

¹³I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God^(V) so that you may know that you have eternal life.^(W) ¹⁴This is the confidence^(X) we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.^(Y) ¹⁵And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know^(Z) that we have what we asked of him.^(AA)

¹⁶If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life.^(AB) I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death.^(AC) I am not saying that you should pray about that.^(AD) ¹⁷All wrongdoing is sin,^(AE) and there is sin that does not lead to death.^(AF)

¹⁸We know that anyone born of God^(AG) does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one^(AH) cannot harm them.^(AI) ¹⁹We know that we are children of God,^(AJ) and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.^(AK) ²⁰We know also that the Son of God has come^(AL) and has given us understanding,^(AM) so that we may know him who is true.^(AN) And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.^(AO)

²¹Dear children,^(AP) keep yourselves from idols.^(AQ)

Footnotes

1 John 5:8 Late manuscripts of the Vulgate testify in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. ⁸And there are three that testify on earth: the (not found in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century)

Proverbs 8

New International Version

Wisdom’s Call

8 Does not wisdom call out?^(A)
    Does not understanding raise her voice?
²At the highest point along the way,
    where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
³beside the gate leading into the city,
    at the entrance, she cries aloud:^(B)
⁴“To you, O people, I call out;^(C)
    I raise my voice to all mankind.
⁵You who are simple,^(D) gain prudence;^(E)
    you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.^[a]
⁶Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
    I open my lips to speak what is right.
⁷My mouth speaks what is true,^(F)
    for my lips detest wickedness.
⁸All the words of my mouth are just;
    none of them is crooked or perverse.
⁹To the discerning all of them are right;
    they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
¹⁰Choose my instruction instead of silver,
    knowledge rather than choice gold,^(G)
¹¹for wisdom is more precious^(H) than rubies,
    and nothing you desire can compare with her.^(I)

¹²“I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
    I possess knowledge and discretion.^(J)
¹³To fear the Lord^(K) is to hate evil;^(L)
    I hate^(M) pride and arrogance,
    evil behavior and perverse speech.
¹⁴Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
    I have insight, I have power.^(N)
¹⁵By me kings reign
    and rulers^(O) issue decrees that are just;
¹⁶by me princes govern,^(P)
    and nobles—all who rule on earth.^[b]
¹⁷I love those who love me,^(Q)
    and those who seek me find me.^(R)
¹⁸With me are riches and honor,^(S)
    enduring wealth and prosperity.^(T)
¹⁹My fruit is better than fine gold;^(U)
    what I yield surpasses choice silver.^(V)
²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness,^(W)
    along the paths of justice,
²¹bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me
    and making their treasuries full.^(X)

²²“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,^[c]^[d]
    before his deeds of old;
²³I was formed long ages ago,
    at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
²⁴When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
    when there were no springs overflowing with water;^(Y)
²⁵before the mountains were settled in place,^(Z)
    before the hills, I was given birth,^(AA)
²⁶before he made the world or its fields
    or any of the dust of the earth.^(AB)
²⁷I was there when he set the heavens in place,^(AC)
    when he marked out the horizon^(AD) on the face of the deep,
²⁸when he established the clouds above^(AE)
    and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,^(AF)
²⁹when he gave the sea its boundary^(AG)
    so the waters would not overstep his command,^(AH)
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.^(AI)
³⁰    Then I was constantly^[e] at his side.^(AJ)
I was filled with delight day after day,
    rejoicing always in his presence,
³¹rejoicing in his whole world
    and delighting in mankind.^(AK)

³²“Now then, my children, listen^(AL) to me;
    blessed are^(AM) those who keep my ways.^(AN)
³³Listen to my instruction and be wise;
    do not disregard it.
³⁴Blessed are those who listen^(AO) to me,
    watching daily at my doors,
    waiting at my doorway.
³⁵For those who find me^(AP) find life^(AQ)
    and receive favor from the Lord.^(AR)
³⁶But those who fail to find me harm themselves;^(AS)
    all who hate me love death.”^(AT)

Footnotes

Proverbs 8:5 Septuagint; Hebrew foolish, instruct your minds
Proverbs 8:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; other Hebrew manuscripts all righteous rulers
Proverbs 8:22 Or way; or dominion
Proverbs 8:22 Or The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work; or The Lord brought me forth at the beginning of his work
Proverbs 8:30 Or was the artisan; or was a little child

Mark 13:14-37

New International Version

¹⁴“When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’^[a]^(A) standing where it^[b] does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. ¹⁶Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. ¹⁷How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!^(B) ¹⁸Pray that this will not take place in winter, ¹⁹because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world,^(C) until now—and never to be equaled again.^(D)

²⁰“If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. ²¹At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.^(E) ²²For false messiahs and false prophets^(F) will appear and perform signs and wonders^(G) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²³So be on your guard;^(H) I have told you everything ahead of time.

²⁴“But in those days, following that distress,

“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
²⁵the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’^[c]^(I)

²⁶“At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds^(J) with great power and glory. ²⁷And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.^(K)

²⁸“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ²⁹Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it^[d] is near, right at the door. ³⁰Truly I tell you, this generation^(L) will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.^(M) ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.^(N)

The Day and Hour Unknown

³²“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.^(O) ³³Be on guard! Be alert^[e]!^(P) You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants^(Q) in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

³⁵“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”^(R)

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