Proverbs 1

The Purpose of Proverbs
 ¹  These are the proverbs of Solomon, David's son, king of Israel.

 ²  Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
  to help them understand the insights of the wise.
 ³  Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
  to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
 ⁴  These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
  knowledge and discernment to the young.

 ⁵  Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance...  ⁶  by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
  the words of the wise and their riddles.

 ⁷  Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. A Father's Exhortation: Acquire Wisdom
 ⁸  My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don't neglect your mother's instruction.  ⁹  What you learn from them will crown you with grace
  and be a chain of honor around your neck.

 ¹⁰  My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them!  ¹¹  They may say, "Come and join us.
  Let's hide and kill someone!
  Just for fun, let's ambush the innocent!
 ¹²  Let's swallow them alive, like the grave [12] ;
  let's swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.
 ¹³  Think of the great things we'll get!
  We'll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.
 ¹⁴  Come, throw in your lot with us;
  we'll all share the loot."

 ¹⁵  My child, don't go along with them!
  Stay far away from their paths.
 ¹⁶  They rush to commit evil deeds.
  They hurry to commit murder.
 ¹⁷  If a bird sees a trap being set,
  it knows to stay away.
 ¹⁸  But these people set an ambush for themselves;
  they are trying to get themselves killed.
 ¹⁹  Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money;
  it robs them of life.

Wisdom Shouts in the Streets
 ²⁰  Wisdom shouts in the streets.
  She cries out in the public square.
 ²¹  She calls to the crowds along the main street,
  to those gathered in front of the city gate:
 ²²  "How long, you simpletons,
  will you insist on being simpleminded?
How long will you mockers relish your mocking?
  How long will you fools hate knowledge?
 ²³  Come and listen to my counsel.
I'll share my heart with you
  and make you wise.

 ²⁴  "I called you so often, but you wouldn't come.
  I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.
 ²⁵  You ignored my advice
  and rejected the correction I offered.
 ²⁶  So I will laugh when you are in trouble!
  I will mock you when disaster overtakes you—
 ²⁷  when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
  when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone,
  and anguish and distress overwhelm you.

 ²⁸  "When they cry for help, I will not answer.
  Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.
 ²⁹  For they hated knowledge
  and chose not to fear the LORD.
 ³⁰  They rejected my advice
  and paid no attention when I corrected them.
 ³¹  Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way,
  choking on their own schemes.
 ³²  For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
  Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
 ³³  "But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm."

Proverbs 2

The Benefits of Wisdom
 ¹  My child, [1]  listen to what I say,
  and treasure my commands.
 ²  Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.  ³  Cry out for insight,
  and ask for understanding.
 ⁴  Search for them as you would for silver;
  seek them like hidden treasures.
 ⁵  Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD,
  and you will gain knowledge of God.
 ⁶  For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  ⁷  He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
  He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
 ⁸  He guards the paths of the just
  and protects those who are faithful to him.

 ⁹  Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
  and you will find the right way to go.
 ¹⁰  For wisdom will enter your heart,
  and knowledge will fill you with joy.
 ¹¹  Wise choices will watch over you.
  Understanding will keep you safe.

 ¹²  Wisdom will save you from evil people,
  from those whose words are twisted.
 ¹³  These men turn from the right way
  to walk down dark paths.
 ¹⁴  They take pleasure in doing wrong,
  and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil.
 ¹⁵  Their actions are crooked,
  and their ways are wrong.

 ¹⁶  Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman,
  from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman.
 ¹⁷  She has abandoned her husband
  and ignores the covenant she made before God.
 ¹⁸  Entering her house leads to death;
  it is the road to the grave. [18] 
 ¹⁹  The man who visits her is doomed.
  He will never reach the paths of life.

 ²⁰  Follow the steps of good men instead,
  and stay on the paths of the righteous.
 ²¹  For only the godly will live in the land,
  and those with integrity will remain in it.
 ²²  But the wicked will be removed from the land,
  and the treacherous will be uprooted.

<<  1:8 Hebrew My son; also in 1:10, 15.
<<  1:12 Hebrew like Sheol.
<<  2:1 Hebrew My son.
<<  2:18 Hebrew to the spirits of the dead.

1 Corinthians 16

The Collection for Jerusalem
 ¹  Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God's people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia.  ²  On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don't wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.  ³  When I come, I will write letters of recommendation for the messengers you choose to deliver your gift to Jerusalem.  ⁴  And if it seems appropriate for me to go along, they can travel with me.

Paul's Final Instructions
 ⁵  I am coming to visit you after I have been to Macedonia, [5]  for I am planning to travel through Macedonia.  ⁶  Perhaps I will stay awhile with you, possibly all winter, and then you can send me on my way to my next destination.  ⁷  This time I don't want to make just a short visit and then go right on. I want to come and stay awhile, if the Lord will let me.  ⁸  In the meantime, I will be staying here at Ephesus until the Festival of Pentecost.  ⁹  There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.
   ¹⁰  When Timothy comes, don't intimidate him. He is doing the Lord's work, just as I am.  ¹¹  Don't let anyone treat him with contempt. Send him on his way with your blessing when he returns to me. I expect him to come with the other believers. [11] 
   ¹²  Now about our brother Apollos—I urged him to visit you with the other believers, but he was not willing to go right now. He will see you later when he has the opportunity.
   ¹³  Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.  ¹⁴  And do everything with love.
   ¹⁵  You know that Stephanas and his household were the first of the harvest of believers in Greece, [15]  and they are spending their lives in service to God's people. I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, [15]   ¹⁶  to submit to them and others like them who serve with such devotion.  ¹⁷  I am very glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come here. They have been providing the help you weren't here to give me.  ¹⁸  They have been a wonderful encouragement to me, as they have been to you. You must show your appreciation to all who serve so well.

Paul's Final Greetings
 ¹⁹  The churches here in the province of Asia [19]  send greetings in the Lord, as do Aquila and Priscilla [19]  and all the others who gather in their home for church meetings.  ²⁰  All the brothers and sisters here send greetings to you. Greet each other with Christian love. [20] 
   ²¹  HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL.
   ²²  If anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed. Our Lord, come! [22] 
   ²³  May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
   ²⁴  My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. [24] 

<<  16:5 Macedonia was in the northern region of Greece.
<<  16:11 Greek with the brothers; also in 16:12.
<<  16:13 Greek Be men.
<<  16:15a Greek in Achaia, the southern region of the Greek peninsula. 16:15b Greek brothers; also in 16:20.
<<  16:19a Asia was a Roman province in what is now western Turkey. 16:19b Greek Prisca.
<<  16:20 Greek with a sacred kiss.
<<  16:22 From Aramaic, Marana tha. Some manuscripts read Maran atha, "Our Lord has come."
<<  16:24 Some manuscripts add Amen.