Old/New Testament
1 The Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, King of Israel:
2 to know wisdom and instruction; to understand the words of knowledge;
3 to receive instruction; to do wisely by justice and judgment and equity;
4 to give sharpness of wit to the simple, and knowledge and discretion to the child.
5 And a wise man shall hear and increase in learning. And a man of understanding shall attain to wise counsels;
6 to understand a parable and the interpretation, the words of the wise and their dark sayings.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear your father’s instruction, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
9 For they shall be a comely ornament for your head, and as chains for your neck.
10 My son, if the wicked entice you, do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us. We will lay in wait for blood, and lie secretly for the innocent, without a cause.
12 “We will swallow them up alive like a grave, even whole, as those who go down into the pit.
13 “We shall find all precious riches. And fill our houses with spoil:
14 “Cast in your lot among us. And we will all have one purse.”
15 My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your foot from their path.
16 For their feet run to evil and hurry to shed blood.
17 Certainly, as without cause, the net is spread before the eyes of all who have wing.
18 So they lay in wait for blood and lie secretly for their lives.
19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. He would take away the life of the owners thereof.
20 Wisdom cries outside. She utters her voice in the streets.
21 She calls in the high street, among the praise in the enterings of the gates, and utters her words in the city, saying,
22 “O you foolish! How long will you love foolishness, and the scornful take their pleasure in scorning, and the fools hate knowledge?
23 “Turn at my correction! Lo, I will pour out my mind to you, and make you understand my words!
24 “Because I have called, and you refused. I have stretched out my hand, and none would regard.
25 “But you have despised all my counsel. And would have none of my correction.
26 “I will also laugh at your destruction, and mock when your fear comes,
27 “when your fear comes like sudden desolation. And your destruction shall come like a whirlwind when affliction and anguish shall come upon you.
28 “Then shall they call upon me. But I will not answer. They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.
29 “Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD.
30 “They would have none of my counsel; but despised all my correction.
31 “Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way; and be filled with their own devices.
32 “For ease slays the foolish, and the prosperity of fools destroys them.
33 But he who obeys me, shall dwell safely, and be quiet from fear of evil.
2 My son, if you will receive my words, and hide my commandments within you,
2 and cause your ears to listen to wisdom, and incline your heart to understanding,
3 (for if you call after knowledge, and cry for understanding;
4 if you seek her as silver and search for her as for treasures,
5 then you shall understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom. Out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
7 He preserves the state of the righteous. He is a shield to those who walk uprightly,
8 that they may keep the ways of judgment. And He preserves the way of His saints)
9 then you shall understand righteousness and judgment, and equity, and every good path.
10 When wisdom enters into your heart, and knowledge delights your soul,
11 then shall counsel preserve you. And understanding shall keep you,
12 and deliver you from the evil way; and from the man who speaks crooked things;
13 and from those who leave the ways of righteousness to walk in the ways of darkness;
14 who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15 whose ways are crooked. And they are lewd in their paths.
16 And it shall deliver you from the strange woman; from the stranger who flatters with her words;
17 who forsakes the guide of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God.
18 Surely her house tends to death, and her paths to the dead.
19 All those who go to her, do not return again. Nor do they take hold of the ways of life.
20 Therefore, walk in the way of the good. And keep the ways of the righteous.
21 For the just shall dwell in the land. And the upright shall remain in it.
22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the Earth. And the transgressor shall be rooted out of it.
16 Concerning the gathering of the Saints: as I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia, so you do also.
2 Every first of the week, let every one of you lay up for himself as God has prospered him, so that then there will be no gatherings when I come.
3 And when I come, whomever you shall approve by letters, they will I send to carry your kindness to Jerusalem.
4 And if it be suitable that I go also, they shall go with me.
5 Now I will come to you after I have gone through Macedonia (for I will pass through Macedonia.)
6 And it may be that I will stay (yea, or winter) with you, that you may send me on my way, wherever I go.
7 For I will not see you now in my passage. But I am expecting to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits.
8 And I will wait at Ephesus until Pentecost.
9 For a great and effective door has opened to me. And there are many adversaries.
10 Now, if Timothy comes, see that he is without fear with you. For he works the work of the Lord, even as I do.
11 Therefore, let no one despise him. But send him forth in peace, that he may come to me. For I looked for him with the brothers.
12 Concerning our brother, Apollos, I greatly desired him to come to you with the brothers. But his mind was not at all to come at this time. But he will come when he shall have convenient time.
13 Watch. Stand fast in the faith. Act like men, being strong.
14 Let all your things be done in love.
15 Now, brothers, I encourage you (you know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have given themselves to minister to the Saints.)
16 That you also be subject to such, and to all that help with us and labor.
17 I am glad of the coming of Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus. For they have supplied what you lacked.
18 For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore, recognize such as these.
19 The Churches of Asia salute you: Aquila and Priscilla, with the Church that is in their house, salute you greatly in the Lord.
20 All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 The salutation of me, Paul, with my own hand.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. Marana—tha!
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus, Amen.
(The first Epistle to the Corinthians, written from Philippi, and sent by Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus, and Timothy.)
© 2019, 2024 by Five Talents Audio. All rights reserved.