Proverbs 3:27-32
Expanded Bible
27 Whenever you are able,
·do [L do not withhold] good to people who ·need help [or deserve it].
28 If you have what your neighbor asks for,
don’t say, “Come back later.
I will give it to you tomorrow.”
29 Don’t ·make plans to hurt [intend evil toward] your neighbor
who lives nearby and trusts you.
30 Don’t accuse a person for no good reason;
don’t accuse someone who has not harmed you.
31 Don’t be jealous of those who use violence,
and don’t ·choose to be like them [L prefer their path; C of life].
32 ·The Lord hates those who do wrong [L The devious are an abomination to the Lord],
but he is a ·friend [confidant] to those who are ·honest [virtuous].
Proverbs 3:27-32
Amplified Bible
27
[a]Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due [its rightful recipients],
When it is in your power to do it.(A)
28
Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.(B)
29
Do not devise evil against your neighbor,
Who lives securely beside you.
30
Do not quarrel with a man without cause,
If he has done you no harm.(C)
31
Do not envy a man of violence
And do not choose any of his ways.(D)
32
For the devious are repulsive to the Lord;
But His private counsel is with the upright [those with spiritual integrity and moral courage].(E)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:27 Using this verse as a proof text, the ancient rabbis offered the example of an employer who tells his foreman to hire workers at four zuz (small silver coins) each to do a job, and the foreman hires them at three instead. Even though they accepted the terms, the rabbis rule that they have the right to complain. Compare this with the parable of the landowner who hires workers for a denarius each. The difference there is that the first group receives a fair wage, while the last is overpaid as a matter of generosity (Matt 20:15).
Proverbs 10:2
Expanded Bible
2 ·Riches gotten by doing wrong [L The treasures of the wicked] have no value,
but ·right living [righteousness] will save you from death.
Proverbs 10:2
Amplified Bible
2
Treasures of wickedness and ill-gotten gains do not profit,
But righteousness and moral integrity in daily life rescues from death.
Proverbs 11:1
Expanded Bible
11 The Lord ·hates [detests] ·dishonest [fraudulent] scales,
but he is pleased with ·honest [accurate] weights [16:11; Lev. 19:35–37; Deut. 25:13–15; Ezek. 45:10; Hos. 12:7–8].
Proverbs 11:1
Amplified Bible
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
11 A false balance and dishonest business practices are extremely offensive to the Lord,
But an accurate scale is His delight.(A)
Proverbs 13:3
Expanded Bible
3 Those who ·are careful about what they say [L watch/guard their mouth] protect their lives,
but whoever ·speaks without thinking [L spreads their lips wide] will be ruined.
Proverbs 13:3
Amplified Bible
3
The one who guards his mouth [thinking before he speaks] protects his life;
The one who opens his lips wide [and chatters without thinking] comes to ruin.
Proverbs 13:11
Expanded Bible
11 Money that comes easily disappears quickly,
but money that is gathered little by little will grow.
Proverbs 13:11
Amplified Bible
11
Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles,
But he who gathers gradually by [honest] labor will increase [his riches].
Proverbs 14:2
Expanded Bible
2 People who ·live good lives [walk in virtue/integrity] ·respect [fear] the Lord,
but those who ·live evil lives don’t [L go the wrong way on their paths despise him].
Proverbs 14:2
Amplified Bible
2
He who walks in uprightness [reverently] fears the Lord [and obeys and worships Him with profound respect],
But he who is devious in his ways despises Him.
Proverbs 14:5
Expanded Bible
5 A truthful witness does not lie,
but a false witness tells nothing but lies.
Proverbs 14:5
Amplified Bible
5
A faithful and trustworthy witness will not lie,
But a false witness speaks lies.
Proverbs 15:27
Expanded Bible
27 ·Greedy people [L Those who get unjust gain] bring trouble to their ·families [L house],
but the person who ·can’t be paid to do wrong [L hates gifts/bribes] will live.
Proverbs 15:27
Amplified Bible
27
He who profits unlawfully brings suffering to his own house,
But he who hates bribes [and does not receive nor pay them] will live.(A)
Proverbs 16:6
Expanded Bible
6 ·Love [Loyalty] and ·truth [faithfulness] bring ·forgiveness of sin [atonement for guilt].
By ·respecting [fearing] the Lord you will avoid evil.
Proverbs 16:6
Amplified Bible
6
By mercy and lovingkindness and truth [not superficial ritual] wickedness is cleansed from the heart,
And by the fear of the Lord one avoids evil.
Proverbs 16:8
Expanded Bible
8 It is better to ·be poor [have little] and ·right [righteousness]
than ·to be wealthy [much gain] and ·dishonest [injustice].
Proverbs 16:8
Amplified Bible
8
Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income [gained] with injustice.(A)
Proverbs 16:11
Expanded Bible
11 The Lord wants honest balances and scales;
·all the weights are his work [L he concerns himself with the weights in the pouch].
Proverbs 16:11
Amplified Bible
11
A just balance and [honest] scales are the Lord’s;
All the weights of the bag are His concern [established by His eternal principles].
Proverbs 17:2
Expanded Bible
2 A ·wise [insightful] servant will rule over the master’s disgraceful child
and will even ·inherit a share of what the master leaves his children [L divide an inheritance with the brothers/relatives].
Proverbs 17:2
Amplified Bible
2
A wise servant will rule over the [unworthy] son who acts shamefully and brings disgrace [to the family]
And [the worthy servant] will share in the inheritance among the brothers.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
