Old/New Testament
The Superscription
1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel.
The Purpose of Proverbs
2 To learn wisdom and discipline,
to understand sayings[a] that give insight,[b]
3 to acquire discipline to act sensibly,
to acquire righteousness, justice, and fairness,
4 to give good judgment[c] to the inexperienced,
to give a young man knowledge and foresight.
5 A wise person should listen, and he will increase learning.
A person with understanding should obtain guidance
6 so he will understand proverbs, puzzling statements,[d]
and the thought-provoking words of the wise.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of[e] knowledge,
but stubborn fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Solomon’s Speeches About Wisdom
First Address to a Son:
Avoid the Company of Sinners
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s discipline,
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching,
9 because they are a garland of grace for your head.
They are jewelry for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners lure you,
do not go along with them.
11 If they say,
“Come with us.
Let’s lie in wait to shed blood.
Let’s hide and ambush an innocent person for no reason.
12 We will swallow them alive like the grave.
We will swallow them whole
like those who go down to the pit.
13 We will find all kinds of wealth and treasure.
We will fill our houses with loot.
14 Cast your lot with us.
We will all share one bag of money.”
15 My son, do not walk along the road with them.
Do not set foot on their path,
16 because their feet run to do evil,
and they hurry to shed blood.
17 How useless to spread a net in the sight of any bird!
18 Yet they set up an ambush for their own blood.
They hide in ambush to take their own lives.
19 This is where the path leads for everyone
who is greedy for stolen property:
It takes away the life of those who possess it.
First Poem About Wisdom: Wisdom Calls but Many Refuse
20 Wisdom calls out loudly in the street.
In the public squares she raises her voice.
21 At the noisy street corners she calls out.
At the entrances to the city gates she speaks her words:
22 “How long will you gullible[f] people love being gullible?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing?
How long will fools hate knowledge?
23 If you respond to my warning,
I will pour out my spirit for you.
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I called, but you refused to listen,
because I stretched out my hand, but no one paid attention,
25 because you ignored all my advice,
and you did not accept my warning,
26 therefore I will laugh at your calamity.
I will jeer when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a violent storm,
when calamity strikes you like a windstorm,
when trouble and distress come upon you.
28 Then they will call to me, but I will not answer.
They will look for me, but they will not find me,
29 because they hated knowledge,
and they did not choose the fear of the Lord.
30 They would not accept my advice,
and they despised all my warnings.
31 So they will eat the fruit of their own way,
and they will be stuffed with their own schemes.
32 Therefore the wandering ways[g] of the gullible kill them,
and the complacency of fools destroys them.
33 But whoever listens to me will live in safety.
He will be secure, without fear of evil.”
Second Address to a Son: Wisdom Provides Protection
2 My son, if you accept my words,
if you store up my commands within you,
2 by paying attention[h] to wisdom with your ear,
by reaching out for understanding with your heart,
3 if indeed you call out for intelligence,
if you raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you search for it like silver,
if you hunt for it like hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
then you will find the knowledge of God,
6 because the Lord gives wisdom.
Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.
7 He stores up sound judgment for upright people.
He is a shield for those who walk in integrity.
8 He protects those who walk on paths of justice.
He guards the way of his favored ones.[i]
9 Then you will understand righteousness, justice,
and fairness—every good path,
10 because wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant for your soul.
11 Foresight will stand guard over you.
Understanding will protect you.
12 It will save you from the evil way,
from the man who speaks perverse things,
13 from those who abandon upright paths
in order to walk in the ways of darkness.
14 It will save you from those who enjoy doing evil,
from those who celebrate the twisted ways of evil,
15 from those whose paths are crooked,
and from those whose ways are devious.
Wisdom Protects You From the Adulterous Woman
16 Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman,[j]
from the unfaithful woman[k] with her seductive words,
17 who abandons the husband of her youth
and forgets the covenant of her God.
18 So she sinks down to death, which becomes her house.[l]
Her way of life leads down to the spirits of the dead.
19 All who enter her house never return.
They never reach the paths of life.
Admonition to Live Righteously
20 This is how to walk in the way of good people,
how to stay on the paths of the righteous.
21 Yes, the upright will live in the land,
and people with integrity will remain in it,
22 but wicked people will be cut off from the land,
and treacherous people will be torn out of it.
Plans for a Collection and Travel Plans
16 Now concerning the collection for the saints, do as I directed the churches in Galatia to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to set something aside in keeping with whatever he gains, saving it up at home, so that when I come, no collections will need to be carried out. 3 When I arrive, those whom you approve will be provided with letters, and I will send these representatives to deliver your gracious gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it is appropriate for me to go also, they will go with me.
5 I will come to you when I have passed through Macedonia, for I am going to go through Macedonia. 6 Perhaps I will have an extended stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way, wherever I go. 7 For I do not wish to see you now in passing. I hope to stay with you for a while, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay on in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a door has opened for me, a great opportunity for action, and there are many adversaries.
10 But if Timothy comes, make sure he has no reason to be afraid while he is with you, for he does the work of the Lord, as I do. 11 Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his way in peace so that he may come to me, because I am expecting him, and so are the brothers with me.[a]
12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. It was not at all his desire to go now, but he will when he has an opportunity.
Closing Messages
13 Keep alert. Stand firm in the faith. Demonstrate manly courage. Be strong. 14 Let everything you do be done in love.
15 Brothers, you know Stephanas and his household. You know that they are the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they volunteered for service to the saints. 16 I urge that you also submit to them and to everyone who joins in and works hard. 17 I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus came, because they supplied what was lacking on your part, 18 and they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such people.
19 The churches in the province of Asia[b] greet you. Aquila and Priscilla[c] greet you warmly in the Lord, together with the church that meets in their house. 20 All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 This greeting is written by me, Paul, with my own hand. 22 If anyone does not love the Lord—let him be under a curse![d] Marana tha![e] 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ[f] be with you. 24 My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.[g]
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.