Old/New Testament
The Wise Words of Solomon
10 These are the ·wise words [proverbs] of Solomon:
Wise ·children [sons] make their father happy,
but foolish ·children [sons] make their mother sad.
2 ·Riches gotten by doing wrong [L The treasures of the wicked] have no value,
but ·right living [righteousness] will save you from death.
3 The Lord does not let ·good [righteous] people ·go hungry [starve],
but he keeps evil people from getting what they want.
4 A ·lazy person will end up [L slack palm makes a person] poor,
but a ·hard worker will become [L determined hand makes a person] rich.
5 Those who gather crops ·on time [L in the summer] are wise,
but those who sleep through the harvest are a disgrace.
6 ·Good [Righteous] people will have rich blessings,
but the mouth of the wicked ·will be overwhelmed by [or conceals] violence.
7 ·Good [Righteous] people will be remembered as a blessing,
but the name of evil people will soon ·be forgotten [L rot].
8 The wise of heart ·do what they are told [L grasps commands],
but ·a talkative fool [L the lips of a fool] will be ruined.
9 ·The honest person will live [L Those who walk in innocence walk] in safety,
but ·the dishonest [L those who twist their path] will be ·caught [found out].
10 A wink may ·get you into [or cause] trouble,
and foolish talk will lead to your ruin.
11 The ·words [L mouth] of a ·good [righteous] person ·give life, like a fountain of water [L is a fountain of life],
but the ·words [L mouth] of the wicked ·contain nothing but [conceals] violence.
12 Hatred stirs up ·trouble [conflict; fights],
but love ·forgives [covers] all wrongs.
13 ·Wise people speak with understanding [L Wisdom is found on understanding lips],
but ·people without wisdom should be punished [L a rod is for the backs of those who lack sense/heart].
14 The wise ·don’t tell [store up; treasure] everything they know,
but the ·foolish talk too much and are ruined [L mouth of a fool means imminent ruin].
15 ·Having lots of money protects the rich [L The wealth of the rich is their strong city],
but having no money ·destroys [is the ruin of] the poor.
16 ·Good [Righteous] people are rewarded with life,
but evil people are paid with punishment.
17 Whoever ·accepts correction [guards instruction/discipline] is on the way to life,
but whoever ·ignores [abandons] correction ·will lead others away from life [L wanders aimlessly].
18 Whoever ·hides [conceals] hate is a liar.
Whoever ·tells lies [spreads slander] is a fool.
19 ·If you talk a lot [L In an abundance of words], ·you are sure to sin [L wickedness does not cease];
if you are wise, you will ·keep quiet [L restrain your lips].
20 The ·words [L tongue] of a ·good [righteous] person ·are like pure [is choice] silver,
but an evil person’s ·thoughts are [L heart is] worth very little.
21 ·Good [Righteous] people’s ·words [L lips] ·will help [L nourish] many others,
but fools will die because they ·don’t have wisdom [lack sense/heart].
22 The Lord’s blessing brings wealth,
and no ·sorrow [trouble] comes with it.
23 A foolish person ·enjoys [makes a sport of] doing wrong,
but a person with understanding enjoys doing what is wise.
24 Evil people will get what they fear most,
but ·good [righteous] people will get what they want most.
25 A ·storm [whirlwind] will blow the evil person away,
but a ·good [righteous] person will always ·be safe [L have a firm foundation].
26 A lazy person affects the one ·he works for [L who sends him]
like vinegar on the teeth or smoke in the eyes [C irritating].
27 Whoever ·respects [fears] the Lord will ·have a long life [L increase his days],
but the ·life [L years] of an evil person will be cut short.
28 A ·good [righteous] person can look forward to happiness,
but ·an evil person can expect nothing [L the hope of an evil person will perish].
29 The path of the Lord ·will protect good people [L is a refuge for the innocent]
but ruin for those who do evil.
30 ·Good [Righteous] people will ·always be safe [L never be shaken],
but evil people will not ·remain [dwell] in the land.
31 ·A good person says wise things [L The mouth of a righteous person flows with wisdom],
but a ·liar’s [perverse person’s] tongue will be ·stopped [L cut off].
32 ·Good people [L The lips of the wise] know the right thing to say,
but [L the mouth of] evil people only tell ·lies [perversities].
11 The Lord ·hates [detests] ·dishonest [fraudulent] scales,
but he is pleased with ·honest [accurate] weights [16:11; Lev. 19:35–37; Deut. 25:13–15; Ezek. 45:10; Hos. 12:7–8].
2 ·Pride [Insolence] leads only to shame;
it is wise to be humble.
3 ·Good people [People with integrity] will be guided by ·honesty [innocence];
dishonesty will ·destroy [devastate] those who are not trustworthy.
4 Riches will not help ·when it’s time to die [L on the day of anger],
but ·right living [righteousness] will save you from death.
5 The ·goodness [righteousness] of the innocent makes ·life easier [L their path straight],
but the wicked will ·be destroyed [L fall] by their wickedness.
6 ·Doing right [Righteousness] brings freedom to ·honest people [people with integrity],
but those who are not trustworthy will be caught by their own desires.
7 When the wicked die, hope ·dies with them [perishes];
their hope in riches ·will come to nothing [perishes].
8 The ·good [righteous] person is saved from ·trouble [distress];
it comes to the wicked instead.
9 With ·words [L their mouth] an ·evil [godless] person can destroy a neighbor,
but a ·good [righteous] person will escape by ·being resourceful [L their knowledge].
10 When ·good [righteous] people ·succeed [flourish], the city is happy.
When evil people ·die [perish], there are shouts of joy.
11 ·Good [Righteous] people bless and build up their city,
but the wicked can ·destroy [demolish] it with their ·words [L mouth].
12 People ·without good sense [who lack sense/heart] ·find fault with [despise; belittle] their neighbors,
but those with understanding keep quiet.
13 Gossips ·can’t keep [L go/walk around revealing] secrets,
but a trustworthy person ·can [keeps a confidence; L covers up a word].
14 Without ·leadership [guidance] a ·nation [people] falls,
but ·lots of good advice [L an abundance of counselors] will ·save it [bring victory; Eccl. 9:13–15].
15 Whoever guarantees to pay somebody else’s loan will suffer.
It is safer to avoid such promises.
16 A ·kind [gracious] woman gets ·respect [honor],
but ·cruel [violent] men get only wealth.
17 ·Kind [or Loyal] people ·do themselves a favor [benefit themselves],
but cruel people ·bring trouble on themselves [L harm their own bodies].
18 An evil person ·really earns nothing [gets false/deceptive wages],
but a ·good [righteous] person will surely be rewarded.
19 Those who are ·truly good [righteous] will live,
but those who chase after evil will die.
20 The Lord ·hates [detests] those with ·evil [crooked] hearts
but is pleased with those who are innocent on the path.
21 Evil people will certainly be punished,
but ·those who do right [L the children of the righteous] will be set free.
22 A beautiful woman without ·good sense [discretion]
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.
23 Those who do right only wish for good,
but the wicked can ·expect to be defeated by God’s [L hope only for] anger.
24 Some people give much but get back even more.
Others don’t give what they should and end up poor.
25 Whoever ·gives to others will get richer [or blesses others will be refreshed];
those who ·help [satisfy] others will themselves be ·helped [satisfied].
26 People curse those who keep all the grain,
but they bless the one who is willing to sell it.
27 Whoever looks for good will find ·kindness [favor],
but whoever looks for evil will find trouble.
28 Those who trust in riches will ·be ruined [L fall],
but a good person will ·be healthy [flourish] like a green leaf.
29 Whoever brings trouble to his family
will ·be left with nothing but the [L inherit the] wind.
A fool will be a servant to the wise of heart.
30 ·A good person gives life to others [L The fruit of the righteous is the tree of life];
the wise person ·teaches others how to live [gathers lives/souls].
31 If ·good [righteous] people will get their due on earth,
How much more the wicked and the sinners.
12 Anyone who loves ·learning [knowledge] ·accepts [L loves] ·correction [instruction; discipline],
but a person who hates being corrected is stupid.
2 The Lord ·is pleased with [favors] a good person,
but he will ·punish [condemn] ·anyone who plans evil [schemers].
3 Doing evil brings no safety at all,
but ·a good person has safety and security [L the root of the righteous will not be disturbed].
4 A ·good [noble] wife is like a crown for her husband,
but a disgraceful wife is like ·a disease [rot] in his bones.
5 The plans that ·good [righteous] people make are ·fair [just],
but the ·advice [guidance] of the wicked will ·trick [deceive; defraud] you.
6 The ·wicked talk about killing people [L words of the wicked are a murderous ambush/ambush of blood],
but the ·words [mouth] of ·good [righteous] people will save them.
7 Wicked people ·die [are overturned] and they are no more,
but a ·good [righteous] person’s ·family [L house] ·continues [endures].
8 The ·wisdom [insight] of the wise wins praise,
but there is ·no respect [shame] for the ·stupid [warped; distressed mind/heart].
9 A person who is ·not important [belittled; of low regard; ordinary] but has a servant is better off
than someone who ·acts [or is thought] ·important [honorable] but has no food.
10 ·Good [Righteous] people ·take care [L know the desires] of their animals,
but even the ·kindest [most compassionate] acts of the wicked are cruel.
11 Those who work their land will have plenty of food,
but the one who chases ·empty dreams [emptiness] ·is not wise [lacks sense/heart].
12 The wicked ·want [covet; desire] ·what other evil people have stolen [or the catch/prey of the evil],
but ·good [L the root of righteous] people ·want to give what they have to others [or endures].
13 Evil people are trapped by their ·evil [offensive] talk,
but ·good [righteous] people ·stay out of trouble [escape from distress].
14 People will be rewarded for ·what they say [L the fruit of their mouth],
and they will also be rewarded for ·what they do [L the work of their hands].
15 ·Fools think they are doing right [L The path of fools is virtuous/right in their own eyes],
but the wise listen to advice.
16 Fools quickly show that they are upset,
but the ·wise [prudent] ·ignore [conceal; hide] ·insults [contempt].
17 An honest witness tells the truth,
but a dishonest witness tells lies.
18 ·Careless [Chattering] words stab like a sword,
but ·wise words bring [L a wise tongue brings] healing.
19 ·Truth [L Truthful lips] will continue forever,
but ·lies are [L a lying tongue lasts] only for a moment.
20 Those who plan evil are full of ·lies [deceit],
but those who ·plan [advise] peace are happy.
21 No harm comes to a ·good [righteous] person,
but an evil person’s life is full of trouble.
22 The Lord ·hates [detests] ·those who tell lies [false lips]
but ·is pleased with [favors] those who ·keep their promises [do what is true].
23 ·Wise [Prudent] people ·keep what they know to themselves [L conceal/hide their knowledge],
but ·fools can’t keep from showing how foolish they are [L the heart of fools proclaim their stupidity].
24 Hard workers will ·become leaders [be in charge],
but those who are lazy will be ·slaves [put to forced labor].
25 ·Worry [Anxiety] ·is a heavy load [leads to depression],
but a ·kind [good] word cheers you up.
26 ·Good [Righteous] people ·take advice from their friends [or show the way to their friends/neighbors],
but ·an evil person is easily led to do wrong [or the path of the evil person makes them wander].
27 The lazy ·catch no food to cook [L do not roast their prey],
but a hard worker will have great wealth.
28 Doing what is right is the way to life,
but there is another way that leads to death.
Preaching the Good News
4 [L Therefore,] Since God in his mercy gave us this ·work to do [ministry], we don’t ·give up [lose heart; become discouraged]. 2 But we have ·turned away from [rejected; renounced] ·secret [underhanded] and shameful ways. We ·use no trickery [L do not walk in deception], and we do not ·change [distort] the ·teaching [word] of God. We ·teach the truth plainly [fully/openly disclose the truth], ·showing everyone who we are so that they can know in their hearts what kind of people we are [L commending ourselves to every person’s conscience] in God’s sight. 3 If the ·Good News [Gospel] that we preach is ·hidden [veiled], it is ·hidden [veiled] only to those who are ·lost [perishing]. 4 The ·devil who rules this world [L god of this age] has blinded the minds of ·those who do not believe [unbelievers]. [L …so that] They cannot see the light of the Good News—the Good News ·about [that reveals] the glory of Christ, who is ·exactly like [L the image of] God. 5 [L For] We do not preach about ourselves, but we preach that Jesus Christ is Lord and that we are your ·servants [slaves; bondservants] for Jesus. 6 [L For; Because] God who said, “Let the light shine out of the darkness [Gen. 1:3; Is. 9:2],” is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts ·by letting us know [or to give us the knowledge of] the glory of God that is in the face of Christ.
Spiritual Treasure in Clay Jars
7 [L But] We have this treasure ·from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure [L in clay jars]. This shows that the ·great [extraordinary; transcendent] power is from God, not from us. 8 We have ·troubles all around us [or all kinds of troubles/trials], but we are not ·defeated [crushed]. We ·do not know what to do [are perplexed/bewildered], but we do not ·give up the hope of living [despair]. 9 We are ·persecuted [pursued], but ·God does not leave us [not abandoned/left behind]. We are ·hurt [L struck down; knocked over] sometimes, but we are not destroyed. 10 We always carry the death of Jesus in our own bodies [C Paul was in constant danger of the kind of violent death Jesus experienced] so that the life of Jesus [C resurrection life] can also be ·seen [revealed; manifested] in our bodies. 11 [L For] We are alive, but for Jesus we are always ·in danger of [L being handed over to] death so that the life of Jesus can be ·seen [revealed; manifested] in our ·bodies that die [mortal flesh]. 12 So death is working in us, but life is working in you.
13 It is written in the Scriptures, “I believed, so I spoke [Ps. 116:10].” ·Our faith is like this, too [L Having the same spirit of faith,…]. We also believe, and so we speak. 14 We know that ·God [L the one] who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and will ·bring us together with you into his presence [L present (us) with you]. 15 All these things are for ·you [your benefit], so that the grace of God that is ·being given [expanding; increasing] to more and more people will bring increasing thanks to God for his glory.
Living by Faith
16 So we do not ·give up [despair; lose heart]. Though our ·physical body [L outer person] is ·becoming older and weaker [decaying; being destroyed], our ·spirit inside us [L inner (person)] is ·made new [being renewed] every day. 17 ·We have small troubles for a while now, but they [L For our brief and insignificant trials/tribulations] are ·helping us gain [or producing in us] an eternal ·glory [L burden/weight of glory] that ·is much greater than [overwhelmingly exceeds] the troubles. 18 We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see. [L For; Because] What we see ·will last only a short time [L is temporary/transitory], but what we cannot see ·will last forever [L is eternal].
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.