Old/New Testament
27 Do not boast about tomorrow,
because you do not know what a day may produce.
2 Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth—
a stranger, not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and sand is a burden,
but aggravation from a stubborn fool is heavier than both.
4 Cruel wrath and a flood of anger are devastating,
but who can stand up against jealousy?
5 Open correction is better than concealed love.
6 Wounds from someone who loves you can be trusted,
but the kisses of someone who hates you are too much.[a]
7 A satisfied appetite refuses honey,
but to a hungry appetite, everything bitter tastes sweet.
8 A person who wanders from his place
is like a bird that wanders from its nest.
9 Olive oil and incense bring joy to a heart,
and the sweetness of a friend comes from his sincere advice.[b]
10 Do not abandon your friend or your father’s friend,
and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you.
A neighbor who is near is better than a brother who is far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart,
so that I may answer anyone who taunts me.
12 A sensible person sees trouble and hides,
but naïve people keep going and pay the penalty.
13 Take the garment of someone who guarantees a loan for a stranger.
Keep it when someone pledges it on behalf of an immoral woman.
14 When someone blesses his neighbor in a loud voice early in the morning,
it will be regarded as a curse.
15 Constantly dripping water on a rainy day
and a nagging wife are alike.
16 Trying to hold her back is like holding back the wind,
like grasping oil with your right hand.[c]
17 Iron sharpens iron,
and a man sharpens the insight of his friend.
18 A person who tends a fig tree eats its fruit,
and a person who takes care of his master will be honored.
19 As water reflects a person’s face,
so a person’s heart reflects the person.
20 Death and Destruction[d] are never satisfied,
and a person’s eyes are never satisfied.
21 A crucible is for refining silver and a smelter is for gold,
and a person is tested by his praise.[e]
22 Even if you grind a stubborn fool
like grain with a mortar and pestle,
his stupidity will not leave him.
23 Be certain that you know the condition of your flock very well.
Pay attention to your herds,
24 because wealth is not forever,
nor does a crown pass from generation to generation.
25 The hay is removed and new growth appears,
and grass from the mountains is gathered in.
26 Lambs provide wool for your clothing,
and the price of the field can be earned from the goats.
27 What’s more, there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
for your household’s food,
and to maintain the life of your servant girls.
28 The wicked flee even though no one is pursuing them,
but the righteous are bold like a lion.
2 A rebellious land has many rulers,
but one man with understanding and knowledge provides stability.
3 A poor man who oppresses the poor
is a driving rain that leaves no food.
4 Those who abandon the law[f] praise the wicked,
but those who keep the law oppose them.
5 Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek the Lord understand everything.
6 Better a poor person who walks in his integrity
than a rich person who is hypocritical.[g]
7 The son who keeps the law has understanding,
but a companion of gluttons brings shame upon his father.
8 A person who increases his wealth by piling up interest
gathers it for someone who is generous to the needy.
9 A person who turns his ear away from the law—
even his prayer is an abomination.
10 A person who leads the upright along an evil way
will fall into his own pit,
but people of integrity will inherit good.
11 A wealthy person is wise in his own eyes,
but a needy person with understanding will expose him.
12 When the righteous triumph, there is much celebration,[h]
but when the wicked rise to power, people hide.
13 A person who conceals his sins will not prosper,
but one who confesses and abandons them will receive mercy.
14 Blessed is the person who always is afraid of sin,
but one who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 A wicked ruler over a poor people
is a growling lion or a charging bear.
16 When a ruler lacks understanding, there will be much oppression,
but one who hates ill-gotten gain prolongs his days.
17 A person haunted by the guilt of bloodshed
will be a fugitive until he goes down to the pit.
No one should offer him support.
18 A person who walks with integrity will be saved,
but a person whose ways are crooked will fall all at once.
19 A person who works his land will have plenty of food,
but whoever pursues fantasies will have plenty of poverty.
20 A trustworthy person has many blessings,
but a person in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.
21 Showing favoritism is not good,
but a man may sin for a piece of bread.
22 A tightfisted person is in a hurry to get rich,
but he does not know that poverty is coming his way.
23 In the end a person who corrects someone will find more favor
than a person with a flattering tongue.
24 A person who robs his father and his mother
and says, “It’s not a sin,” is no better than[i] a vandal.
25 A greedy person stirs up strife,
but a person who trusts in the Lord will prosper.
26 A person who trusts in his own ideas is a fool,
but a person who walks in wisdom will be kept safe.
27 A person who gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but a person who closes his eyes to them will receive many curses.
28 When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding,
but when the wicked perish, the righteous increase.
29 A person who remains stiff-necked[j] after many rebukes
will be broken suddenly, and there will be no cure.
2 When the righteous increase, the people rejoice,
but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.
3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but one who visits prostitutes destroys his wealth.
4 A king brings stability to a land by justice,
but one who accepts bribes tears it down.
5 A man who flatters his neighbor
is spreading a net for his steps.[k]
6 An evil man sets a trap with his sin,
but a righteous person sings and rejoices.
7 A righteous person acknowledges the rights of the poor,
but a wicked person does not understand such knowledge.
8 Scoffers stir up a city,
but wise people turn away anger.
9 When a wise person seeks justice from a stubborn fool,
the fool rants and laughs, and there is no peace.
10 Bloodthirsty people hate anyone with integrity,
but upright people seek to save his life.[l]
11 A fool vents all his emotions,
but a wise person calmly restrains them.
12 If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.
13 A poor person and an oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
14 If a king judges poor people with truth,
his throne will be established permanently.
15 A rod used for discipline gives wisdom,
but an undisciplined child disgraces his mother.
16 When the wicked increase, sin increases,
but the righteous will see their downfall.
17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest.
He will give delight to your soul.
18 Without prophetic vision, a people is unrestrained,
but a people which follows the law is blessed.
19 A servant cannot be disciplined with words.
Although he understands, he shows no response.
20 Have you seen a person who is hasty with his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 If someone pampers his servant from the time he is young,
later on he will have grief.
22 A hothead stirs up a fight,
and a quick-tempered person commits many sins.
23 A person’s arrogance will humble him,
but a humble spirit will attain honor.
24 The partner of a thief hates his own life.
He hears the oath,[m] but he does not reveal anything.
25 Being afraid of a man sets a trap,
but a person who trusts in the Lord will be secure.
26 Many people seek a ruler’s favor,
but a person gets justice from the Lord.
27 An unjust person is disgusting to righteous people,
but one whose way is upright is disgusting to the wicked.
Paul’s Defense
10 Now I myself, Paul, appeal to you by the humility and gentleness of Christ—I, who am “gentle” when I am in your presence, but “bold” toward you when I am away. 2 I pray that, when I arrive there, I may not have to be bold with the confidence that I expect to use in daring to confront some who think that we walk in the way the sinful flesh does. 3 For even though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war in the way the sinful flesh does. 4 Certainly, the weapons of our warfare are not those of the flesh, but weapons made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down thoughts 5 such as all arrogance that rises up against the knowledge of God, and we make every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ. 6 And we are ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is fully restored.
7 You are looking at things only according to the outward appearance. If anyone has convinced himself that he belongs to Christ, let him consider this about himself: We belong to Christ just as much as he does. 8 Indeed, even if I may boast some more about our authority, which the Lord has given for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be put to shame. 9 My purpose is not to seem as if I am trying to frighten you by my letters. 10 For some say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his physical presence is weak, and his speech amounts to nothing.” 11 Let such a person consider this: What we are, by our word through letters when we are away, is just what we will be in our work when we are present.
12 To be sure, we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who speak highly of themselves. On the contrary, when they measure themselves only by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. 13 But we will not boast about things that cannot be measured. Instead, we will boast according to the measure of the assignment that the God who measures things measured out to us: to reach out also as far as to you. 14 Indeed, we are not overdoing our boasting, as if we had not come to you. In fact, we were the first ones to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 We are not boasting about things that cannot be measured, that is, in the hard work of others. But we are hoping that, as your faith grows, our assignment will be greatly increased while we are among you, 16 with the result that we will preach the gospel to the regions beyond you. Then we will not be boasting about what someone else has already done in his assignment. 17 But let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.[a] 18 To be sure, it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.