Old/New Testament
Solomon’s Sayings
10 The proverbs of Solomon.
A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son grieves his mother.
2 Nothing good comes from ill-gotten wealth,
but righteousness delivers from death.
3 The Lord won’t cause the righteous to hunger,
but he will reject what the wicked crave.
4 Lazy hands bring poverty,
but hard-working hands lead to wealth.
5 Whoever harvests during summer acts wisely,
but the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.
The Righteous and Wicked Compared
6 Blessings come[a] upon the head of the righteous,
but the words[b] of the wicked conceal violence.
7 The reputation[c] of the righteous leads to blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
8 The wise person[d] accepts commands,
but the chattering fool will be brought down.
9 Whoever walks in integrity lives prudently,[e]
but whoever perverts his way of life will be exposed.
10 Those who wink their eyes[f] are trouble makers,
and the mocking fool will be brought down.[g]
11 What the righteous say[h] is a flowing fountain,[i]
but what the wicked say[j] conceals violence.
12 Hatred awakens contention,
but love covers all transgressions.
13 Wisdom characterizes the speech[k] of the discerning,
but the rod is for the backs of those lacking discernment.
14 Those who are wise store up knowledge,
but when the fool speaks,[l] destruction is near.
15 The rich hide within the fortress that is their wealth,
but the poor are dismayed due to their poverty.
16 Honorable wages lead[m] to life;
the salaries of the wicked, to retribution.
17 Whoever heeds correction is on the pathway to life,
but someone who ignores exhortation goes astray.
18 Whoever conceals hatred is a deceitful liar,
and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
19 Transgression is at work where people talk too much,
but anyone who holds his tongue is prudent.
20 What the righteous person says[n] is like precious silver;
the thoughts of the wicked are compared to small things.
21 What the righteous person says[o] nourishes many,
but fools die because they lack discerning[p] hearts.
22 The blessing of the Lord establishes wealth,
and difficulty does not accompany it.
23 Just as the fool considers wickedness his joy,
so is wisdom to the discerning man.
24 What the wicked fears will come about,
but the longing of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the storm ends, the wicked vanish,[q]
but the righteous person is forever firm.
26 As vinegar is to the mouth[r] and smoke to the eyes,
so is the lazy person to those who send him.
27 Fearing the Lord prolongs life,
but the wicked will not live long.
28 What the righteous hope for brings joy,
but the expectation of the wicked dies.
29 To the upright, the way of the Lord is a place of safety,
but it’s a place of ruin to those who practice evil.
30 The righteous will never be overthrown,
but the wicked will never inhabit the land.
31 The words of the righteous overflow with wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut out.
32 Righteous lips know what is prudent,
but the words of the wicked are perverse.
The Value of Righteousness
11 The Lord hates false scales,
but he delights in accurate weights.
2 When pride appears, disgrace accompanies it,
but humility is present with wisdom.
3 The integrity of the righteous guides them,
but the hypocrisy of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Wealth won’t help in the time of judgment,[s]
but righteousness will deliver from death.
5 The righteousness of the innocent creates a level path,
but the wicked fall by their wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the treacherous are trapped by their evil desires.
7 When a wicked person dies, his hope vanishes;[t]
and what he[u] expected from his scheming comes to nothing.
8 The righteous person is delivered from trouble;
it comes upon the wicked instead.
9 By what he says, the godless person can destroy his neighbor,
but through knowledge the righteous escape.
10 The city rejoices when the righteous prosper,
and when the wicked perish there is jubilation.
11 Through the blessing of the righteous a city is built up,
but what the wicked say tears it down.
12 Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
but the discerning man controls his comments.
13 Whoever spreads gossip betrays secrets,
but the trustworthy person[v] keeps a confidence.
14 A nation falls through a lack of guidance,
but victory comes through the counsel of many.[w]
15 Securing a loan for a stranger will bring suffering,
but by refusing to do so, one remains safe.
16 A gracious woman attains honor,[x]
but[y] ruthless men attain[z] wealth.
17 A gracious man benefits himself,
but the cruel person damages himself.
18 Evil people earn deceptive wages,
but those who plant righteousness are truly rewarded.
19 Genuine righteousness leads to life,
but whoever pursues evil will die.
20 Devious minds are abhorrent to the Lord,
but those whose ways are innocent are his delight.
21 Be sure of this:[aa] the wicked will not go unpunished,
but the descendants of the righteous will go free.
22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman without discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous is to seek good,
but the hope of the wicked results in wrath.
24 Those who give freely gain even more;
others hold back what they owe, becoming even poorer.
25 A generous person will prosper,
and anyone who gives water will receive a flood in return.
26 People will curse whoever withholds grain,
but blessing will come to whoever is selling.
27 The person seeking good will find favor,
but anyone who searches for evil—it will find him!
28 The person who trusts in his wealth will fall,
but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.
29 Whoever troubles his household will inherit the wind,
and the fool will be a servant to the wise.
30 The fruit of the righteous is[ab] a tree of life,
and the one who wins people is wise.[ac]
31 If the righteous receive what they are due here on earth,
how much more will the wicked and the sinner.
Wisdom and Wickedness Contrasted
12 The person who loves correction loves knowledge,
but anyone who hates a rebuke is stupid.
2 The good person will gain favor from the Lord,
but the man who plots evil will be condemned by him.
3 A person doesn’t gain security by wickedness,
but the righteous won’t be uprooted.
4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband,
but a wife[ad] who puts him to shame is like bone cancer.[ae]
5 The plans of the righteous are just,
but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.
6 The words of the wicked lead to[af] bloodshed,
but the speech of the upright delivers them.
7 After they’re overthrown, the wicked won’t be found,
but the house of the righteous stands firm.
8 A man is praised because of his wise words,
but the perverted mind[ag] will be despised.
9 It’s better to be unimportant, yet have a servant,
than to pretend to be important, but lack food.
10 The righteous person looks out for the welfare of his livestock,
but even[ah] the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
11 Whoever tills his soil will have a lot to eat,
but anyone who pursues fantasies lacks sense.[ai]
12 The wicked desires what evil people gain,
but the foundation[aj] of the righteous is productive.
13 An evil man’s sinful speech ensnares him,
but the righteous person escapes from trouble.
14 By his fruitful speech a man can remain satisfied,
and a man’s handiwork will reward him.
15 The lifestyle of the fool is right in his own opinion,
but wise is the man who listens to advice.
16 The anger of a fool becomes readily apparent,
but the prudent person overlooks an insult.
17 The truth teller speaks what is right,
but the false witness speaks what is[ak] deceitful.
18 Some speak rashly like the cutting of a sword,
but what the wise say promotes healing.
19 A truthful saying[al] is trusted forever,
but the liar[am] only for a moment.
20 Deceit is at home[an] in the heart of those who plan evil,
but those who promote peace rejoice.
21 No harm overwhelms the righteous,
but the wicked overflow with trouble.
22 Deceitful speech is reprehensible to the Lord,
but those who act faithfully are his delight.
23 A prudent man keeps what he knows to himself,[ao]
but the hearts of fools shout forth their foolishness.
24 The diligent will take control,
but the lazy will be put to forced labor.
25 A person’s anxiety weighs down his heart,
but an appropriate word is encouraging.
26 The righteous person is cautious with respect to his neighbor,
but the lifestyle of the wicked leads them astray.
27 The lazy person does not roast what he has hunted,
but diligence is one’s most important possession.
28 In the pathway to righteousness there is life,
and in that lifestyle there is no death.
Treasure in Clay Jars
4 Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy shown to us, we do not get discouraged. 2 Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not use trickery or pervert God’s word. By clear statements of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God.
3 So if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are dying.[a] 4 In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe to keep them from seeing the light of the glorious gospel of the Messiah,[b] who is the image of God.
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but rather Jesus the Messiah[c] as Lord, and ourselves as merely your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[d] has shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus[e] the Messiah.[f]
7 But we have this treasure in clay jars to show that its extraordinary power comes from God and not from us. 8 In every way we’re troubled but not crushed, frustrated but not in despair, 9 persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. 10 We are always carrying around the death of Jesus in our bodies, so that the life of Jesus may be clearly shown in our bodies. 11 While we are alive, we are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be clearly shown in our mortal bodies. 12 And so death is at work in us, but life is at work[g] in you.
13 Now since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with this Scripture: “I believed, and so I spoke,”[h] we also believe and therefore speak. 14 We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us to God[i] together with you. 15 All this is for your sake so that, as his grace spreads, more and more people will give thanks and glorify God.
Life in an Earthly Tent
16 That’s why we are not discouraged. No, even if outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are being renewed each and every day. 17 This light, temporary nature of our suffering is producing for us an everlasting weight of glory, far beyond any comparison, 18 because we do not look for things that can be seen but for things that cannot be seen. For things that can be seen are temporary, but things that cannot be seen are eternal.
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