The Lord Considers the Heart

21 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,
Like the [a]rivers of water;
He turns it wherever He wishes.

(A)Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
(B)But the Lord weighs the hearts.

(C)To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

(D)A haughty look, a proud heart,
And the [b]plowing of the wicked are sin.

(E)The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

(F)Getting treasures by a lying tongue
[c]Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.

The violence of the wicked will [d]destroy them,
Because they refuse to do justice.

The way of [e]a guilty man is perverse;
But as for the pure, his work is right.

Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with (G)a contentious woman.

10 (H)The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

11 When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;
But when the (I)wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

12 The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked,
Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.

13 (J)Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
Will also cry himself and not be heard.

14 A gift in secret pacifies anger,
And a bribe [f]behind the back, strong wrath.

15 It is a joy for the just to do justice,
But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding
Will rest in the assembly of the (K)dead.

17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
And the unfaithful for the upright.

19 Better to dwell [g]in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman.

20 (L)There is desirable treasure,
And oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man squanders it.

21 (M)He who follows righteousness and mercy
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.

22 A (N)wise man [h]scales the city of the mighty,
And brings down the trusted stronghold.

23 (O)Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles.

24 A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name;
He acts with arrogant pride.

25 The (P)desire of the lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor.
26 He covets greedily all day long,
But the righteous (Q)gives and does not spare.

27 (R)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!

28 A false witness shall perish,
But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.

29 A wicked man hardens his face,
But as for the upright, he [i]establishes his way.

30 (S)There is no wisdom or understanding
Or counsel against the Lord.

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But (T)deliverance is of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:1 channels
  2. Proverbs 21:4 Or lamp
  3. Proverbs 21:6 LXX Pursue vanity on the snares of death; Vg. Is vain and foolish, and shall stumble on the snares of death; Tg. They shall be destroyed, and they shall fall who seek death
  4. Proverbs 21:7 Lit. drag them away
  5. Proverbs 21:8 Or The way of a man is perverse and strange;
  6. Proverbs 21:14 Under cover, lit. in the bosom
  7. Proverbs 21:19 Lit. in the land of the desert
  8. Proverbs 21:22 Climbs over the walls of
  9. Proverbs 21:29 Qr., LXX understands

The Plot to Kill Jesus(A)

45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, (B)and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and (C)told them the things Jesus did. 47 (D)Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, (E)“What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”

49 And one of them, (F)Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 (G)nor do you consider that it is expedient for [a]us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and (H)not for that nation only, but (I)also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to (J)put Him to death. 54 (K)Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called (L)Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.

55 (M)And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to (N)purify themselves. 56 (O)Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?” 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might (P)seize Him.

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Footnotes

  1. John 11:50 NU you

The Anointing at Bethany(A)

12 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, (B)where Lazarus was [a]who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. (C)There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then (D)Mary took a pound of very costly oil of (E)spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

But one of His disciples, (F)Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for [b]three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and (G)had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

But Jesus said, “Let her alone; [c]she has kept this for the day of My burial. For (H)the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, (I)whom He had raised from the dead. 10 (J)But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 (K)because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

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Footnotes

  1. John 12:1 NU omits who had been dead
  2. John 12:5 About one year’s wages for a worker
  3. John 12:7 NU that she may keep

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