Old/New Testament
Purpose
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon. He was the son of David and the king of Israel.
2 Proverbs teach you wisdom and instruct you.
They help you understand wise sayings.
3 They provide you with instruction and help you live wisely.
They lead to what is right and honest and fair.
4 They give understanding to childish people.
They give knowledge and good sense to those who are young.
5 Let wise people listen and add to what they have learned.
Let those who understand what is right get guidance.
6 What I’m teaching also helps you understand proverbs and stories.
It helps you understand the sayings and riddles of those who are wise.
7 If you really want to gain knowledge, you must begin by having respect for the Lord.
But foolish people hate wisdom and instruction.
Think and Live Wisely
A Warning Against Sinful Men
8 My son, listen to your father’s advice.
Don’t turn away from your mother’s teaching.
9 What they teach you will be like a beautiful crown on your head.
It will be like a chain to decorate your neck.
10 My son, if sinful men tempt you,
don’t give in to them.
11 They might say, “Come along with us.
Let’s hide and wait to kill someone who hasn’t done anything wrong.
Let’s catch some harmless person in our trap.
12 Let’s swallow them alive, as the grave does.
Let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down into the pit.
13 We’ll get all kinds of valuable things.
We’ll fill our houses with what we steal.
14 Cast lots with us for what they own.
We’ll share everything we take from them.”
15 My son, don’t go along with them.
Don’t even set your feet on their paths.
16 They are always in a hurry to sin.
They are quick to spill someone’s blood.
17 How useless it is to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18 Those who hide and wait will spill their own blood.
They will be caught in their own trap.
19 That’s what happens to everyone
who goes after money in the wrong way.
That kind of money takes away
the life of those who get it.
Wisdom’s Warning
20 Out in the open wisdom calls out.
She raises her voice in a public place.
21 On top of the city wall she cries out.
Here is what she says near the gate of the city.
22 “How long will you childish people love your childish ways?
How long will you rude people enjoy making fun of God and others?
How long will you foolish people hate knowledge?
23 Pay attention to my warning!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you.
I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But you refuse to listen when I call out to you.
No one pays attention when I reach out my hand.
25 You turn away from all my advice.
And you do not accept my warning.
26 So I will laugh at you when you are in danger.
I will make fun of you when hard times come.
27 I will laugh when hard times hit you like a storm.
I will laugh when danger comes your way like a windstorm.
I will make fun of you when suffering and trouble come.
28 “Then you will call to me. But I won’t answer.
You will look for me. But you won’t find me.
29 You hated knowledge.
You didn’t choose to have respect for the Lord.
30 You wouldn’t accept my advice.
You turned your backs on my warnings.
31 So you will eat the fruit of the way you have lived.
You will choke on the fruit of what you have planned.
32 “The wrong path that childish people take will kill them.
Foolish people will be destroyed by being satisfied with the way they live.
33 But those who listen to me will live in safety.
They will be at ease and have no fear of being harmed.”
Good Things Come From Wisdom
2 My son, accept my words.
Store up my commands inside you.
2 Let your ears listen to wisdom.
Apply your heart to understanding.
3 Call out for the ability to be wise.
Cry out for understanding.
4 Look for it as you would look for silver.
Search for it as you would search for hidden treasure.
5 Then you will understand how to have respect for the Lord.
You will find out how to know God.
6 The Lord gives wisdom.
Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.
7 He stores up success for honest people.
He is like a shield to those who live without blame.
8 He guards the path of those who are honest.
He watches over the way of his faithful ones.
9 You will understand what is right and honest and fair.
You will understand the right way to live.
10 Your heart will become wise.
Your mind will delight in knowledge.
11 Good sense will keep you safe.
Understanding will guard you.
12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of evil men.
It will save you from men who twist their words.
13 Men like that have left the straight paths
to walk in dark ways.
14 They take delight in doing what is wrong.
They take joy in twisting everything around.
15 Their paths are crooked.
Their ways are not straight.
16 Wisdom will save you from a woman who commits adultery.
It will save you from a sinful woman and her tempting words.
17 She has left the man she married when she was young.
She has broken the promise she made in front of God.
18 Surely her house leads down to death.
Her paths lead to the spirits of the dead.
19 No one who goes to her comes back
or reaches the paths of life.
20 You will walk in the ways of good people.
You will follow the paths of those who do right.
21 Honest people will live in the land.
Those who are without blame will remain in it.
22 But sinners will be cut off from the land.
Those who aren’t faithful will be torn away from it.
The Offering for the Lord’s People
16 Now I want to deal with the offering of money for the Lord’s people. Do what I told the churches in Galatia to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you should put some money away. The amount should be in keeping with how much money you make. Save the money so that you won’t have to take up an offering when I come. 3 When I arrive, I will send some people with your gift to Jerusalem. They will be people you consider to be good. And I will give them letters that explain who they are. 4 If it seems good for me to go also, they will go with me.
What Paul Asks for Himself
5 After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you. I will only be passing through Macedonia. 6 But I might stay with you for a while. I might even spend the winter. Then you can help me on my journey everywhere I go. 7 I don’t want to see you now while I am just passing through. Instead, I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows it. 8 But I will stay at Ephesus until the day of Pentecost. 9 A door has opened wide for me to do some good work here. There are many people who oppose me.
10 Timothy will visit you. Make sure he has nothing to worry about while he is with you. He is doing the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 No one should treat him badly. Send him safely on his way so he can return to me. I’m expecting him to come back along with the others.
12 I want to say something about our brother Apollos. I tried my best to get him to go to you with the others. But he didn’t want to go right now. He will go when he can.
13 Be on your guard. Remain strong in the faith. Be brave. 14 Be loving in everything you do.
15 You know that the first believers in Achaia were from the family of Stephanas. They have spent all their time serving the Lord’s people. Brothers and sisters, I am asking you 16 to follow the lead of people like them. Follow everyone who joins in the task and works hard at it. 17 I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived. They have supplied me with what you couldn’t give me. 18 They renewed my spirit, and yours also. People like them are worthy of honor.
Final Greetings
19 The churches in Asia Minor send you greetings.
Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly because of the Lord’s love. So does the church that meets in their house.
20 All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let a curse be on that person! Come, Lord!
23 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
24 I give my love to all of you who belong to Christ Jesus. Amen.
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.