Old/New Testament
Similitudes, Instructions
25 These also are (A)proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.
2 It is the glory of God to (B)conceal a matter,
But the glory of (C)kings is to search out a matter.
3 As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away the (D)dross from the silver,
And there comes out a vessel for the (E)smith;
5 Take away the (F)wicked before the king,
And his (G)throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Do not claim honor in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of great men;
7 For (H)it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.
8 Do not go out (I)hastily to [a]argue your case;
[b]Otherwise, what will you do in [c]the end,
When your neighbor humiliates you?
9 [d](J)Argue your case with your neighbor,
And (K)do not reveal the secret of another,
10 Or he who hears it will reproach you,
And the evil report about you will not [e]pass away.
11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver
Is a (L)word spoken in [f]right circumstances.
12 Like [g]an (M)earring of gold and an (N)ornament of (O)fine gold
Is a wise reprover to a (P)listening ear.
13 Like the cold of snow in the [h]time of harvest
Is a (Q)faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Like (R)clouds and (S)wind without rain
Is a man who boasts [i]of his gifts falsely.
15 By [j](T)forbearance a ruler may be persuaded,
And a soft tongue breaks the bone.
16 Have you (U)found honey? Eat only [k]what you need,
That you not have it in excess and vomit it.
17 Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,
Or he will become [l]weary of you and hate you.
18 Like a club and a (V)sword and a sharp (W)arrow
Is a man who bears (X)false witness against his neighbor.
19 Like a bad tooth and [m]an unsteady foot
Is confidence in a (Y)faithless man in time of trouble.
20 Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on [n]soda,
Is he who sings songs to [o]a troubled heart.
21 (Z)If [p]your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For you will [q]heap burning coals on his head,
And (AA)the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
And a [r](AB)backbiting tongue, an angry countenance.
24 It is (AC)better to live in a corner of the roof
Than [s]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
25 Like cold water to a weary soul,
So is (AD)good news from a distant land.
26 Like a (AE)trampled spring and a [t]polluted well
Is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat much honey,
Nor is it glory to (AF)search out [u]one’s own glory.
28 Like a (AG)city that is broken into and without walls
Is a man (AH)who has no control over his spirit.
Similitudes, Instructions
26 Like snow in summer and like (AI)rain in harvest,
So honor is not (AJ)fitting for a fool.
2 Like a (AK)sparrow in its [v]flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
So a (AL)curse without cause does not [w]alight.
3 A (AM)whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
And a (AN)rod for the back of fools.
4 (AO)Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Or you will also be like him.
5 (AP)Answer a fool as his folly deserves,
That he not be (AQ)wise in his own eyes.
6 He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence
Who sends a message by the hand of a fool.
7 Like the legs which [x]are useless to the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like [y]one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is he who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn which [z]falls into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 [aa]Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.
11 Like (AR)a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who (AS)repeats [ab]his folly.
12 Do you see a man (AT)wise in his own eyes?
(AU)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 The (AV)sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
A lion is [ac]in the open square!”
14 As the door turns on its hinges,
So does the (AW)sluggard on his bed.
15 The (AX)sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.
16 The sluggard is (AY)wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can [ad]give a discreet answer.
17 Like one who takes a dog by the ears
Is he who passes by and [ae]meddles with (AZ)strife not belonging to him.
18 Like a madman who throws
(BA)Firebrands, arrows and death,
19 So is the man who (BB)deceives his neighbor,
And says, “(BC)Was I not joking?”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no (BD)whisperer, (BE)contention quiets down.
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a (BF)contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The (BG)words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the [af]innermost parts of the body.
23 Like an earthen (BH)vessel overlaid with silver (BI)dross
Are burning lips and a wicked heart.
24 He who (BJ)hates disguises it with his lips,
But he lays up (BK)deceit in his [ag]heart.
25 When [ah]he (BL)speaks graciously, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Though his hatred (BM)covers itself with guile,
His wickedness will be (BN)revealed before the assembly.
27 He who (BO)digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates [ai]those it crushes,
And a (BP)flattering mouth works ruin.
God Gives Most
9 For (A)it is superfluous for me to write to you about this (B)ministry to the [a]saints; 2 for I know your readiness, of which I (C)boast about you to the (D)Macedonians, namely, that (E)Achaia has been prepared since (F)last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But I have sent the brethren, in order that our (G)boasting about you may not be made empty in this case, so that, (H)as I was saying, you may be prepared; 4 otherwise if any (I)Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—will be put to shame by this confidence. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the (J)brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised [b](K)bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a [c](L)bountiful gift and not [d](M)affected by covetousness.
6 Now this I say, (N)he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows [e]bountifully will also reap [f]bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not (O)grudgingly or under compulsion, for (P)God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And (Q)God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written,
10 Now He who supplies (S)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and (T)increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be (U)enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing (V)thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying (W)the needs of the [h]saints, but is also overflowing (X)through many thanksgivings to God. 13 Because of the proof given by this (Y)ministry, they will (Z)glorify God for your obedience to your (AA)confession of the (AB)gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your [i]contribution to them and to all, 14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 (AC)Thanks be to God for His indescribable (AD)gift!
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