Old/New Testament
The First Collection of Solomonic Proverbs[a]
but a foolish child[d] is a grief to his mother.[e]
2 Treasures gained by wickedness[f] do not profit,
but righteousness[g] delivers from death.[h]
3 The Lord satisfies[i] the appetite[j] of the righteous,
but he thwarts[k] the craving[l] of the wicked.
4 The one who is lazy[m] becomes poor,[n]
but the one who works diligently[o] becomes wealthy.[p]
5 The one who gathers crops[q] in the summer is a wise[r] son,
but the one who sleeps[s] during harvest is a shameful son.[t]
6 Blessings[u] are on the head of the righteous,
but the speech[v] of the wicked conceals[w] violence.[x]
7 The memory[y] of the righteous is a blessing,
but the reputation[z] of the wicked will rot.[aa]
8 The wise person[ab] accepts instructions,[ac]
but the one who speaks foolishness[ad] will come to ruin.[ae]
9 The one who conducts himself[af] in integrity[ag] will live[ah] securely,
but the one who behaves perversely[ai] will be found out.
10 The one who winks[aj] his[ak] eye causes[al] trouble,
and the one who speaks foolishness[am] will come to ruin.
11 The speech[an] of the righteous is a fountain of life,[ao]
but the speech[ap] of the wicked conceals[aq] violence.[ar]
12 Hatred[as] stirs up dissension,
but love covers all transgressions.[at]
13 Wisdom is found in the words[au] of the discerning person,[av]
but the one who lacks sense[aw] will be disciplined.[ax]
14 Those who are wise[ay] store up[az] knowledge,
but foolish speech[ba] leads to imminent[bb] destruction.
15 The wealth of a rich person is like[bc] a fortified city,[bd]
but the poor are brought to ruin[be] by[bf] their poverty.
16 The reward[bg] that the righteous receive[bh] is life;
the recompense[bi] that the wicked receive[bj] is judgment.[bk]
17 The one who heeds instruction[bl] is on the way to[bm] life,
but the one who rejects[bn] rebuke goes astray.
18 The one who conceals hatred utters lies,[bo]
and the one who spreads[bp] slander[bq] is certainly[br] a fool.
19 When words abound, transgression is inevitable,[bs]
but the one who restrains[bt] his words[bu] is wise.
20 What the righteous say[bv] is like[bw] the best[bx] silver,
but what the wicked think[by] is of little value.[bz]
21 The teaching[ca] of the righteous feeds[cb] many,
but fools die[cc] for lack of sense.[cd]
22 The blessing[ce] from the Lord[cf] makes a person rich,[cg]
and he adds no sorrow[ch] to[ci] it.
23 Carrying out a wicked scheme[cj] is enjoyable[ck] to a fool,
and so is wisdom for the one who has discernment.[cl]
24 What the wicked fears[cm] will come on him;
what the righteous desire[cn] will be granted.[co]
25 When the storm[cp] passes through, the wicked are swept away,[cq]
but the righteous are an everlasting foundation.[cr]
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and like smoke to the eyes,[cs]
so is the sluggard to those[ct] who send him.
27 Fearing the Lord[cu] prolongs life,[cv]
but the life span[cw] of the wicked will be shortened.[cx]
28 The hope[cy] of the righteous is joy,
but the expectation of the wicked perishes.
29 The way of the Lord[cz] is like[da] a stronghold for the upright,[db]
but it is destruction[dc] to evildoers.[dd]
30 The righteous will never be moved,
but the wicked will not inhabit the land.[de]
31 The speech[df] of the righteous bears the fruit of wisdom,[dg]
but the one who speaks perversion[dh] will be destroyed.[di]
32 The lips of the righteous know[dj] what is pleasing,[dk]
but the speech[dl] of the wicked is perverse.
11 The Lord abhors[dm] dishonest scales,[dn]
but an accurate weight[do] is his delight.
2 After pride[dp] came,[dq] disgrace followed;[dr]
but wisdom came[ds] with humility.[dt]
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,[du]
but the crookedness of the treacherous[dv] destroys them.[dw]
4 Wealth does not profit in the day of wrath,[dx]
but righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless will make their way smooth,[dy]
but the wicked will fall through their own wickedness.[dz]
6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,[ea]
but the treacherous will be ensnared[eb] by their own desires.[ec]
7 When a wicked person dies, his[ed] expectation perishes,[ee]
and hope based on power[ef] has perished.[eg]
8 A righteous person was delivered[eh] out of trouble,
then a wicked person took his place.[ei]
9 With his speech[ej] the godless person[ek] destroys[el] his neighbor,
but by knowledge[em] the righteous will be delivered.
10 When the righteous do well,[en] the city rejoices;[eo]
when the wicked perish, there is joy.
11 A city is exalted by the blessing provided from[ep] the upright,
but it is destroyed by the counsel[eq] of the wicked.[er]
12 The one who denounces[es] his neighbor lacks sense,[et]
but a discerning person[eu] keeps silent.[ev]
13 The one who goes about slandering others[ew] reveals[ex] secrets,
but the one who is trustworthy[ey] conceals a matter.
14 When there is no guidance[ez] a nation falls,
but there is success[fa] in the abundance of counselors.
15 The one who has put up security for a stranger[fb] will surely have trouble,[fc]
but whoever avoids[fd] shaking hands[fe] is secure.[ff]
16 A generous woman[fg] gains honor,
and ruthless men[fh] seize wealth.[fi]
17 A kind person[fj] benefits[fk] himself,[fl]
but a cruel person brings himself trouble.[fm]
18 The wicked person[fn] earns[fo] deceitful wages,[fp]
but the one who sows[fq] righteousness reaps[fr] a genuine[fs] reward.[ft]
19 True[fu] righteousness leads to[fv] life,
but the one who pursues evil pursues it[fw] to his own death.[fx]
20 The Lord abhors[fy] those who are perverse in heart,[fz]
but those who are blameless in their ways[ga] are his delight.[gb]
21 Be assured that[gc] the evil person will not be unpunished,[gd]
but the descendants of the righteous[ge] have escaped harm.[gf]
22 Like[gg] a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman who rejects[gh] discretion.[gi]
23 The desire of the righteous is only good,
but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.[gj]
24 One person is generous[gk] and yet grows more wealthy,[gl]
but another withholds more than he should[gm] and comes to poverty.[gn]
25 A generous person[go] will be enriched,[gp]
and the one who provides water[gq] for others[gr] will himself be satisfied.[gs]
26 People will curse[gt] the one who withholds grain,[gu]
but they will praise[gv] the one who sells it.[gw]
27 The one who diligently seeks[gx] good seeks favor,
but the one who searches for[gy] evil—it will come to him.[gz]
28 The one who trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous[ha] will flourish like a green leaf.[hb]
29 The one who troubles[hc] his family[hd] will inherit nothing,[he]
and the fool[hf] will be a servant to the wise person.[hg]
30 The fruit of the righteous is like[hh] a tree producing life,[hi]
and the one who wins souls[hj] is wise.[hk]
31 If the righteous are recompensed on earth,[hl]
how much more[hm] the wicked sinner![hn]
12 The one who loves discipline loves knowledge,[ho]
but the one who hates reproof is stupid.[hp]
2 A good person obtains favor from the Lord,
but the Lord[hq] condemns a person with wicked schemes.[hr]
3 No one[hs] can be established[ht] through wickedness,
but a righteous root[hu] cannot be moved.
4 A noble wife[hv] is the crown[hw] of her husband,
but the wife[hx] who acts shamefully is like rottenness in his bones.[hy]
5 The plans[hz] of the righteous are just;
the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.[ia]
6 The words of the wicked lie in wait[ib] to shed innocent blood,[ic]
but the words[id] of the upright will deliver them.
7 The wicked are overthrown[ie] and perish,[if]
but the righteous household[ig] will stand.
8 A person[ih] will be praised in accordance with[ii] his wisdom,
but the one with a bewildered mind[ij] will be despised.
9 Better is a person of humble standing[ik] who works for himself,[il]
than one who pretends to be somebody important[im] yet has no food.
10 A righteous person cares for[in] the life of his animal,
but even the most compassionate acts[io] of the wicked are cruel.
11 The one who works[ip] his field will have plenty[iq] of food,
but whoever chases daydreams[ir] lacks sense.[is]
12 The wicked person has desired[it] the stronghold[iu] of the wicked,
but the root of the righteous will yield fruit.[iv]
13 The evil person is ensnared[iw] by the transgression of his speech,[ix]
but the righteous person escapes out of trouble.[iy]
14 A person will be satisfied with good from the fruit of his words,[iz]
and the work of his hands[ja] will be rendered to[jb] him.
15 The way of a fool[jc] is right[jd] in his own opinion,[je]
but the one who listens to advice is wise.[jf]
16 A fool’s annoyance[jg] is known at once,[jh]
but the prudent[ji] conceals dishonor.[jj]
17 The faithful witness[jk] tells what is right,[jl]
but a false witness[jm] speaks[jn] deceit.
18 Speaking recklessly[jo] is like the thrusts of a sword,
but the words[jp] of the wise bring[jq] healing.[jr]
19 The one who tells the truth[js] will endure forever,
but the one who lies[jt] will last only for a moment.[ju]
20 Deceit[jv] is in the heart of those who plot evil,[jw]
but those who promote peace[jx] have joy.
21 No harm[jy] will be directed at[jz] the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with calamity.[ka]
22 The Lord[kb] abhors a person who lies,[kc]
but those who deal truthfully[kd] are his delight.[ke]
23 The shrewd person[kf] conceals[kg] knowledge,
but foolish people[kh] proclaim folly.[ki]
24 The diligent[kj] person[kk] will rule,
but the slothful[kl] will be put to forced labor.[km]
25 Anxiety[kn] in a person’s heart weighs him down,[ko]
but an encouraging[kp] word brings him joy.[kq]
26 The righteous person is cautious in his friendship,[kr]
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27 The lazy person does not roast[ks] his prey,
but personal possessions are precious to the diligent.[kt]
28 In the path of righteousness there is life,
but another path[ku] leads to death.[kv]
Paul’s Perseverance in Ministry
4 Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy,[a] we do not become discouraged.[b] 2 But we have rejected[c] shameful hidden deeds,[d] not behaving[e] with deceptiveness[f] or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing, 4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe[g] so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel[h] of Christ,[i] who is the image of God. 5 For we do not proclaim[j] ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves[k] for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,”[l] is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge[m] of God in the face of Christ.[n]
An Eternal Weight of Glory
7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power[o] belongs to God and does not come from us. 8 We are experiencing trouble on every side,[p] but are not crushed; we are perplexed,[q] but not driven to despair; 9 we are persecuted, but not abandoned;[r] we are knocked down,[s] but not destroyed, 10 always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus,[t] so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible[u] in our body. 11 For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible[v] in our mortal body.[w] 12 As a result,[x] death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.[y] 13 But since we have the same spirit of faith as that shown in[z] what has been written, “I believed; therefore I spoke,”[aa] we also believe, therefore we also speak. 14 We do so[ab] because we know that the one who raised up Jesus[ac] will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence. 15 For all these things are for your sake, so that the grace that is including[ad] more and more people may cause thanksgiving to increase[ae] to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not despair,[af] but even if our physical body[ag] is wearing away, our inner person[ah] is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary, light suffering[ai] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison 18 because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.
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