Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart

(A)My son, do not forget my teaching,
    (B)but let your heart keep my commandments,
for (C)length of days and years of life
    and (D)peace they will add to you.

Let not (E)steadfast love and (F)faithfulness forsake you;
    (G)bind them around your neck;
    (H)write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will (I)find favor and (J)good success[a]
    in the sight of God and man.

(K)Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and (L)do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways (M)acknowledge him,
    and he (N)will make straight your paths.
(O)Be not wise in your own eyes;
    (P)fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
It will be (Q)healing to your flesh[b]
    and (R)refreshment[c] to your bones.

Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with (S)the firstfruits of all your produce;
10 then your (T)barns will be filled with plenty,
    and your vats will be bursting with wine.

11 (U)My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline
    or be weary of his reproof,
12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
    as (V)a father the son in whom he delights.

Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom

13 (W)Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding,
14 (X)for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
    and her profit better than (Y)gold.
15 She is more precious than (Z)jewels,
    and (AA)nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 (AB)Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are (AC)riches and honor.
17 Her (AD)ways are ways of pleasantness,
    and all her paths are peace.
18 She is (AE)a tree of life to those who (AF)lay hold of her;
    those who hold her fast are called blessed.

19 (AG)The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
    by understanding (AH)he established the heavens;
20 by his knowledge (AI)the deeps broke open,
    and (AJ)the clouds drop down the dew.

21 My son, (AK)do not lose sight of these—
    keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 and they will be (AL)life for your soul
    and (AM)adornment for your neck.
23 (AN)Then you will walk on your way securely,
    (AO)and your foot will not stumble.
24 (AP)If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, (AQ)your sleep will be sweet.
25 (AR)Do not be afraid of sudden terror
    or of (AS)the ruin[d] of the wicked, when it comes,
26 for the Lord will be your confidence
    and will (AT)keep your foot from being caught.
27 (AU)Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,[e]
    when it is in your power to do it.

28 (AV)Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
    tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
29 (AW)Do not plan evil against your neighbor,
    who (AX)dwells trustingly beside you.
30 (AY)Do not contend with a man for no reason,
    when he has done you no harm.
31 (AZ)Do not envy (BA)a man of violence
    and do not choose any of his ways,
32 for (BB)the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,
    but the upright are (BC)in his confidence.
33 (BD)The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked,
    but he (BE)blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Toward the (BF)scorners he (BG)is scornful,
    (BH)but to the humble he gives favor.[f]
35 The wise will inherit honor,
    but fools get[g] disgrace.

A Father's Wise Instruction

(BI)Hear, O sons, a father's instruction,
    and be attentive, that you may (BJ)gain[h] insight,
for I give you good (BK)precepts;
    do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a son with my father,
    (BL)tender, (BM)the only one in the sight of my mother,
he (BN)taught me and said to me,
(BO)“Let your heart hold fast my words;
    (BP)keep my commandments, and live.
(BQ)Get wisdom; get (BR)insight;
    do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
    (BS)love her, and she will guard you.
(BT)The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
    and whatever you get, get (BU)insight.
Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
    she will (BV)honor you (BW)if you embrace her.
She will place on your head (BX)a graceful garland;
    she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

10 (BY)Hear, (BZ)my son, and accept my words,
    that (CA)the years of your life may be many.
11 I have (CB)taught you the way of wisdom;
    I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12 When you walk, (CC)your step will not be hampered,
    and (CD)if you run, you will not stumble.
13 (CE)Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
    guard her, for she is your (CF)life.
14 (CG)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
    and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15 Avoid it; do not go on it;
    turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they (CH)cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
    they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
    (CI)and drink the wine of violence.
18 But (CJ)the path of the righteous is like (CK)the light of dawn,
    which shines (CL)brighter and brighter until (CM)full day.
19 (CN)The way of the wicked is like deep (CO)darkness;
    they do not know over what they (CP)stumble.

20 (CQ)My son, be attentive to my words;
    incline your ear to my sayings.
21 (CR)Let them not escape from your sight;
    (CS)keep them within your heart.
22 For they are (CT)life to those who find them,
    and healing to all their[i] flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for (CU)from it flow (CV)the springs of life.
24 Put away from you (CW)crooked speech,
    and put (CX)devious talk far from you.
25 (CY)Let your eyes look directly forward,
    and your gaze be straight before you.
26 (CZ)Ponder[j] the path of your feet;
    (DA)then all your ways will be sure.
27 (DB)Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
    turn your foot away from evil.

Warning Against Adultery

(DC)My son, be attentive to my wisdom;
    (DD)incline your ear to my understanding,
that you may keep (DE)discretion,
    and your lips may (DF)guard knowledge.
For the lips of (DG)a forbidden[k] woman drip honey,
    and her speech[l] is (DH)smoother than oil,
but in the end she is (DI)bitter as (DJ)wormwood,
    (DK)sharp as (DL)a two-edged sword.
Her feet (DM)go down to death;
    her steps follow the path to[m] Sheol;
she (DN)does not ponder the path of life;
    her ways wander, and she does not know it.

And (DO)now, O sons, listen to me,
    and do not depart from the words of my mouth.
Keep your way far from her,
    and do not go near the door of her house,
lest you give your honor to others
    and your years to the merciless,
10 lest strangers take their fill of your strength,
    and your (DP)labors go to the house of a foreigner,
11 and at the end of your life you (DQ)groan,
    when your flesh and body are consumed,
12 and you say, (DR)“How I hated discipline,
    and my heart (DS)despised reproof!
13 I did not listen to the voice of my teachers
    or incline my ear to my instructors.
14 (DT)I am at the brink of utter ruin
    in the assembled congregation.”

15 Drink (DU)water from your own cistern,
    flowing water from your own well.
16 Should your (DV)springs be scattered abroad,
    streams of water (DW)in the streets?
17 (DX)Let them be for yourself alone,
    and not for strangers with you.
18 Let your (DY)fountain be blessed,
    and (DZ)rejoice in (EA)the wife of your youth,
19     a lovely (EB)deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts (EC)fill you at all times with delight;
    be intoxicated[n] always in her love.
20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with (ED)a forbidden woman
    and embrace the bosom of (EE)an adulteress?[o]
21 For (EF)a man's ways are (EG)before the eyes of the Lord,
    and he (EH)ponders[p] all his paths.
22 The (EI)iniquities of the wicked (EJ)ensnare him,
    and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
23 (EK)He dies for lack of discipline,
    and because of his great folly he is (EL)led astray.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:4 Or repute
  2. Proverbs 3:8 Hebrew navel
  3. Proverbs 3:8 Or medicine
  4. Proverbs 3:25 Hebrew storm
  5. Proverbs 3:27 Hebrew Do not withhold good from its owners
  6. Proverbs 3:34 Or grace
  7. Proverbs 3:35 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
  8. Proverbs 4:1 Hebrew know
  9. Proverbs 4:22 Hebrew his
  10. Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level
  11. Proverbs 5:3 Hebrew strange; also verse 20
  12. Proverbs 5:3 Hebrew palate
  13. Proverbs 5:5 Hebrew lay hold of
  14. Proverbs 5:19 Hebrew be led astray; also verse 20
  15. Proverbs 5:20 Hebrew a foreign woman
  16. Proverbs 5:21 Or makes level

Wisdom Bestows Well-Being

My son,(A) do not forget my teaching,(B)
    but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years(C)
    and bring you peace and prosperity.(D)

Let love and faithfulness(E) never leave you;
    bind them around your neck,
    write them on the tablet of your heart.(F)
Then you will win favor and a good name
    in the sight of God and man.(G)

Trust in the Lord(H) with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths(I) straight.[a](J)

Do not be wise in your own eyes;(K)
    fear the Lord(L) and shun evil.(M)
This will bring health to your body(N)
    and nourishment to your bones.(O)

Honor the Lord with your wealth,
    with the firstfruits(P) of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled(Q) to overflowing,
    and your vats will brim over with new wine.(R)

11 My son,(S) do not despise the Lord’s discipline,(T)
    and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,(U)
    as a father the son he delights in.[b](V)

13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
    those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
    and yields better returns than gold.(W)
15 She is more precious than rubies;(X)
    nothing you desire can compare with her.(Y)
16 Long life is in her right hand;(Z)
    in her left hand are riches and honor.(AA)
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
    and all her paths are peace.(AB)
18 She is a tree of life(AC) to those who take hold of her;
    those who hold her fast will be blessed.(AD)

19 By wisdom(AE) the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,(AF)
    by understanding he set the heavens(AG) in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
    and the clouds let drop the dew.

21 My son,(AH) do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,(AI)
    preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,(AJ)
    an ornament to grace your neck.(AK)
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,(AL)
    and your foot will not stumble.(AM)
24 When you lie down,(AN) you will not be afraid;(AO)
    when you lie down, your sleep(AP) will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
    or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side(AQ)
    and will keep your foot(AR) from being snared.(AS)

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
    “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
    when you already have it with you.(AT)
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
    who lives trustfully near you.(AU)
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
    when they have done you no harm.

31 Do not envy(AV) the violent
    or choose any of their ways.

32 For the Lord detests the perverse(AW)
    but takes the upright into his confidence.(AX)
33 The Lord’s curse(AY) is on the house of the wicked,(AZ)
    but he blesses the home of the righteous.(BA)
34 He mocks(BB) proud mockers(BC)
    but shows favor to the humble(BD) and oppressed.
35 The wise inherit honor,
    but fools get only shame.

Get Wisdom at Any Cost

Listen, my sons,(BE) to a father’s instruction;(BF)
    pay attention and gain understanding.(BG)
I give you sound learning,
    so do not forsake my teaching.
For I too was a son to my father,
    still tender, and cherished by my mother.
Then he taught me, and he said to me,
    “Take hold(BH) of my words with all your heart;
    keep my commands, and you will live.(BI)
Get wisdom,(BJ) get understanding;
    do not forget my words or turn away from them.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;(BK)
    love her, and she will watch over you.(BL)
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[c] wisdom.
    Though it cost all(BM) you have,[d] get understanding.(BN)
Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
    embrace her, and she will honor you.(BO)
She will give you a garland to grace your head
    and present you with a glorious crown.(BP)

10 Listen, my son,(BQ) accept what I say,
    and the years of your life will be many.(BR)
11 I instruct(BS) you in the way of wisdom
    and lead you along straight paths.(BT)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
    when you run, you will not stumble.(BU)
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
    guard it well, for it is your life.(BV)
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
    or walk in the way of evildoers.(BW)
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
    turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;(BX)
    they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.(BY)

18 The path of the righteous(BZ) is like the morning sun,(CA)
    shining ever brighter till the full light of day.(CB)
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;(CC)
    they do not know what makes them stumble.(CD)

20 My son,(CE) pay attention to what I say;
    turn your ear to my words.(CF)
21 Do not let them out of your sight,(CG)
    keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
    and health to one’s whole body.(CH)
23 Above all else, guard(CI) your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.(CJ)
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
    keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes(CK) look straight ahead;
    fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[e] paths for your feet(CL)
    and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;(CM)
    keep your foot from evil.

Warning Against Adultery

My son,(CN) pay attention to my wisdom,
    turn your ear to my words(CO) of insight,
that you may maintain discretion
    and your lips may preserve knowledge.
For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
    and her speech is smoother than oil;(CP)
but in the end she is bitter as gall,(CQ)
    sharp as a double-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death;
    her steps lead straight to the grave.(CR)
She gives no thought to the way of life;
    her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.(CS)

Now then, my sons, listen(CT) to me;
    do not turn aside from what I say.
Keep to a path far from her,(CU)
    do not go near the door of her house,
lest you lose your honor to others
    and your dignity[f] to one who is cruel,
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth
    and your toil enrich the house of another.(CV)
11 At the end of your life you will groan,
    when your flesh and body are spent.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
    How my heart spurned correction!(CW)
13 I would not obey my teachers
    or turn my ear to my instructors.
14 And I was soon in serious trouble(CX)
    in the assembly of God’s people.”(CY)

15 Drink water from your own cistern,
    running water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
    your streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone,
    never to be shared with strangers.
18 May your fountain(CZ) be blessed,
    and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.(DA)
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer(DB)
    may her breasts satisfy you always,
    may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
    Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

21 For your ways are in full view(DC) of the Lord,
    and he examines(DD) all your paths.(DE)
22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;(DF)
    the cords of their sins hold them fast.(DG)
23 For lack of discipline they will die,(DH)
    led astray by their own great folly.(DI)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:6 Or will direct your paths
  2. Proverbs 3:12 Hebrew; Septuagint loves, / and he chastens everyone he accepts as his child
  3. Proverbs 4:7 Or Wisdom is supreme; therefore get
  4. Proverbs 4:7 Or wisdom. / Whatever else you get
  5. Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level
  6. Proverbs 5:9 Or years

The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now I would remind you, brothers,[a] of the gospel (A)I preached to you, which you received, (B)in which you stand, and by which (C)you are being saved, if you (D)hold fast to the word I preached to you—(E)unless you believed in vain.

For (F)I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died (G)for our sins (H)in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised (I)on the third day (J)in accordance with the Scriptures, and that (K)he appeared to Cephas, then (L)to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to (M)James, then (N)to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, (O)he appeared also to me. For (P)I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because (Q)I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, (R)I worked harder than any of them, (S)though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, (T)how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, (U)then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that (V)he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and (W)you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who (X)have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope[b] in this life only, (Y)we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But in fact (Z)Christ has been raised from the dead, (AA)the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as (AB)by a man came death, (AC)by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For (AD)as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then (AE)at his coming (AF)those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers (AG)the kingdom to God the Father after destroying (AH)every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign (AI)until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be (AJ)destroyed is death. 27 For (AK)“God[c] has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When (AL)all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that (AM)God may be all in all.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 15:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 6, 31, 50, 58
  2. 1 Corinthians 15:19 Or we have hoped
  3. 1 Corinthians 15:27 Greek he

The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel(A) I preached to you,(B) which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved,(C) if you hold firmly(D) to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received(E) I passed on to you(F) as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins(G) according to the Scriptures,(H) that he was buried,(I) that he was raised(J) on the third day(K) according to the Scriptures,(L) and that he appeared to Cephas,[b](M) and then to the Twelve.(N) After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.(O) Then he appeared to James,(P) then to all the apostles,(Q) and last of all he appeared to me also,(R) as to one abnormally born.

For I am the least of the apostles(S) and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted(T) the church of God.(U) 10 But by the grace(V) of God I am what I am, and his grace to me(W) was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them(X)—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.(Y) 11 Whether, then, it is I or they,(Z) this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead,(AA) how can some of you say that there is no resurrection(AB) of the dead?(AC) 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised,(AD) our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.(AE) But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.(AF) 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep(AG) in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.(AH)

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,(AI) the firstfruits(AJ) of those who have fallen asleep.(AK) 21 For since death came through a man,(AL) the resurrection of the dead(AM) comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.(AN) 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits;(AO) then, when he comes,(AP) those who belong to him.(AQ) 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom(AR) to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.(AS) 25 For he must reign(AT) until he has put all his enemies under his feet.(AU) 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.(AV) 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[c](AW) Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.(AX) 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him,(AY) so that God may be all in all.(AZ)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 15:3 Or you at the first
  2. 1 Corinthians 15:5 That is, Peter
  3. 1 Corinthians 15:27 Psalm 8:6