The Blessings of Wisdom

Does not (A)wisdom call?
    Does not (B)understanding raise her voice?
On (C)the heights beside the way,
    at the crossroads she takes her stand;
beside (D)the gates in front of (E)the town,
    at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
“To you, O (F)men, I call,
    and my cry is to (G)the children of man.
O (H)simple ones, learn (I)prudence;
    O (J)fools, learn sense.
Hear, for I will speak (K)noble things,
    and from my lips will come (L)what is right,
for my (M)mouth will utter truth;
    wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are righteous;
    there is nothing (N)twisted or crooked in them.
They are all (O)straight to him who understands,
    and right to those who find knowledge.
10 (P)Take my instruction instead of silver,
    and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 (Q)for wisdom is better than jewels,
    and (R)all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
    and I find knowledge and (S)discretion.
13 (T)The fear of the Lord is (U)hatred of evil.
(V)Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
    and (W)perverted speech I hate.
14 I have (X)counsel and (Y)sound wisdom;
    I have insight; (Z)I have strength.
15 By me (AA)kings reign,
    and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
    and nobles, all who govern justly.[a]
17 (AB)I love those who love me,
    and (AC)those who seek me diligently find me.
18 (AD)Riches and honor are with me,
    (AE)enduring wealth and (AF)righteousness.
19 My fruit is (AG)better than (AH)gold, even fine gold,
    and my yield than (AI)choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
    in the paths of justice,
21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,
    and filling their treasuries.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint govern the earth

Greeting

(A)The elder to the elect lady and her children, (B)whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who (C)know (D)the truth, (E)because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

(F)Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.

Walking in Truth and Love

(G)I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady—(H)not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—(I)that we love one another. And (J)this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just (K)as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. For (L)many deceivers (M)have gone out into the world, (N)those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, (O)so that you may not lose what we[a] have worked for, but (P)may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, (Q)does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching (R)has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, (S)do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him (T)takes part in his wicked works.

Final Greetings

12 (U)Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. (V)Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, (W)so that our joy may be complete.

13 The children of your elect sister greet you.

Footnotes

  1. 2 John 1:8 Some manuscripts you

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

12 At that time (A)Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and (B)they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, (C)“Look, your disciples are doing (D)what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” He said to them, (E)“Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate (F)the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read (G)in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? I tell you, (H)something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known (I)what this means, (J)‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For (K)the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

A Man with a Withered Hand

He went on from there and (L)entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, (M)“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—(N)so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, (O)if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 (P)Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So (Q)it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And (R)the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

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