Old/New Testament
22 ·Being respected [L A good name/reputation] is more important than having great riches.
·To be well thought of [High esteem] is better than silver or gold [Eccl. 7:1].
2 The rich and the poor ·are alike [have a common bond]
in that the Lord made them all.
3 The ·wise [prudent] see ·danger [evil; trouble] ahead and avoid it,
but fools ·keep going [go straight to it] and ·get into trouble [or are punished].
4 ·Respecting [Fearing] the Lord [1:7] and ·not being proud [humility]
will bring you wealth, honor, and life.
5 Evil people’s lives are like paths covered with thorns and ·traps [nets].
People who guard themselves ·don’t have such problems [L stay far from them].
6 Train children ·to live the right way [L in their/or his path; C referring either to children or to God],
and when they are old, they will not ·stray [depart] from it.
7 The rich rule over the poor,
and borrowers are ·servants [slaves] to lenders.
8 Those who ·plan [L sow] ·evil [injustice] will ·receive [L reap; harvest] ·trouble [evil; Matt. 26:52].
·Their cruel anger [L The rod of their fury] will come to an end.
9 Generous people ·will be blessed [or he will bless],
because they share their food with the poor.
10 ·Get rid of [Banish; Drive out] the ·one who makes fun of wisdom [mocker].
Then ·fighting [conflict], ·quarrels [judgments], and ·insults [shame] will stop.
11 Whoever loves pure ·thoughts [L hearts] and kind ·words [L lips]
will have even the king as a friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord guard knowledge,
but he ·destroys [frustrates] ·false words [L the words of the untrustworthy/faithless].
13 The lazy person says, “There’s a lion outside!
I might get killed out in the ·street [middle of the public square]!”
14 The ·words [L mouth] of ·an unfaithful wife [L the strange woman] are like a deep ·trap [pit].
Those who make the Lord angry will ·get caught by them [L fall in it].
15 ·Every child is full of foolishness [L Stupidity/Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child],
but ·punishment can get rid of it [L the rod of discipline drives it far from them].
16 Whoever gets rich by ·mistreating [oppressing] the poor,
and gives presents to the wealthy, will become poor.
Other Wise Sayings
17 ·Listen carefully to [L Incline/Bend your ear and hear] ·what wise people say [L the words of the wise];
·pay attention to [set your heart on] what I am teaching you.
18 It will be ·good [pleasant] to ·keep these things in mind [L guard them in your innermost being]
so that you ·are ready to repeat them [L have them ready on your lips].
19 I am teaching them to you now
so that you will put your trust in the Lord.
20 I have written ·thirty [or excellent] sayings for you,
which give knowledge and good advice.
21 I am teaching you true and reliable words
so that you can give true answers to anyone who ·asks [L sends you].
22 Do not ·abuse [L steal from] poor people because they are poor,
and do not ·take away the rights of [oppress] the needy in ·court [L the gate].
23 The Lord will ·defend them in court [accuse their accusers]
and will ·take the life of those who take away their rights [L press/squeeze the life out of those who press/squeeze them; Ex. 22:21–23; 23:6; Deut. 24:14–15].
24 Don’t make friends with ·quick-tempered people [people controlled by anger]
or ·spend time [associate] with those who have bad tempers.
25 If you do, you will ·be like them [learn their ways].
Then you will ·be in real danger [L get yourself trapped].
26 Don’t ·promise [L shake hands] to pay what someone else owes,
and don’t guarantee anyone’s loan.
27 If you cannot pay the loan,
·your own bed may [L why should your own bed…?] be taken right out from under you.
28 Don’t move an ·old stone that marks a border [an ancient boundary marker; Deut. 19:14; 27:17; Job 24:2; Hos. 5:10; C borders were marked by carved stones],
because those stones were set up by your ancestors.
29 Do you see people ·skilled [or diligent] in their work?
They will work for kings, not for ·ordinary [obscure] people.
23 ·If [or When] you sit down to eat with a ruler,
notice ·the food that [L what] is in front of you.
2 ·Control yourself [L Place a knife at your throat]
·if you have a big [or to control your] appetite.
3 Don’t ·be greedy [long] for his fine foods,
because that food might be ·a trick [false; deceptive].
4 Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich;
be wise enough to ·control [stop] yourself.
5 ·Wealth can vanish in the wink of an eye [L Your eye can fly to it and it will be gone].
It can seem to grow wings
and fly away like an eagle.
6 Don’t eat the food of ·selfish [stingy; L evil eye] people;
don’t ·be greedy [long] for their ·fine foods [delicacies].
7 ·Selfish people are always worrying
about how much the food costs [L They calculate in their minds; or They are like a hair in the throat].
They tell you, “Eat and drink,”
but ·they don’t really mean it [L their heart is not with you].
8 You will ·throw up [vomit] the ·little [L crust] you have eaten,
and you will have wasted your ·kind [pleasant] words.
9 Don’t speak in the ears of fools [Matt. 7:6];
they will only ·ignore [despise] your ·wise [insightful] words.
10 Don’t move an ·old stone that marks a border [ancient boundary marker; 22:28],
and don’t ·take [invade] fields that belong to orphans.
11 God, their ·defender [redeemer], is strong;
he will ·take their side [bring charges; make accusations] against you.
12 ·Remember what you are taught [L Bring your heart to discipline/instruction],
·and listen carefully [L your ear] to words of knowledge.
13 Don’t ·fail to punish [L withhold instruction/discipline from] children.
If you ·spank them [L strike them with a rod], they won’t die.
14 If you ·spank them [L strike them with a rod],
you will save ·them from death [L their lives from Sheol/the grave].
15 My child, if ·you are [L your heart is] wise,
then ·I [L my heart] will be happy.
16 ·I will be so pleased [L My inmost being will rejoice]
if you speak ·what is right [with integrity].
17 Don’t let your heart envy sinners [Ps. 73],
but always ·respect [fear; 1:7] the Lord.
18 Then you will have a future,
and your ·wishes [hopes] will ·come true [L not be cut off].
19 Listen, my child, and be wise.
Keep your ·mind on what is right [L heart straight on the path].
20 Don’t ·drink too much [get drunk on] wine
or ·eat too much food [L stuff yourself with meat].
21 Those who ·drink [get drunk] and ·eat too much [stuff themselves] ·become poor [lose possessions].
They ·sleep too much [or are in a stupor] and end up wearing rags.
22 Listen to your father, who ·gave you life [begot you],
and do not ·forget [despise] your mother when she is old.
23 ·Learn [L Buy; Acquire] the truth and never ·reject [L sell] it.
·Get [Buy; Acquire] wisdom, ·self-control [instruction; discipline], and understanding.
24 The father of a ·good [righteous] child is very happy;
parents who have wise children are glad because of them.
25 Make your father and mother happy;
give ·your mother [L the one who bore you] a reason to be glad.
26 My son, ·pay attention [L give your heart] to me,
and ·watch closely what I do [let your eyes watch/or delight in my path].
27 A prostitute is as dangerous as a deep pit,
and an ·unfaithful wife [L foreign woman] is like a narrow well.
28 They ambush you like robbers
and cause many men to be unfaithful to their wives.
29 Who ·has trouble [L cries “Woe!”]? Who ·has pain [L cries “Alas!”]?
Who ·fights [has conflicts]? Who complains?
Who has unnecessary bruises?
Who has ·bloodshot [glazed] eyes?
30 It is people who ·drink too much [L linger over] wine,
who ·try out all different kinds of strong drinks [L go in search of the mixing vessel].
31 Don’t stare at the wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly.
32 Later it bites like a snake
with poison ·in its fangs [L like a viper].
33 Your eyes will see strange sights,
and your ·mind will be confused [L heart will speak perverse things].
34 You will ·feel dizzy as if you’re in a storm on [L be like one who lies down in the heart of] the ocean,
as if you’re on top of a ship’s ·sails [mast].
35 You will think, “They hit me, but ·I’m not hurt [L I feel no pain].
They beat me up, but I don’t ·remember [know] it.
I wish I could wake up.
Then I would ·get another drink [L look for it].”
24 Don’t envy evil people
or ·try to be friends [L long to be] with them.
2 Their ·minds [L hearts] are ·always planning [focused/fixated on] violence,
and ·they always [L their lips] talk about making trouble [Ps. 37; 73].
3 ·It takes wisdom to have a good family [L By wisdom a house is built],
and ·it takes understanding to make it strong [L by understanding it is established].
4 ·It takes knowledge to fill a home [L By knowledge rooms are filled]
with rare and beautiful treasures [31:10–31].
5 Wise people ·have great power [or are mightier than strong people],
and those with knowledge ·have [or than those with] great strength.
6 So you need ·advice [guidance] when you go to war.
If you have lots of ·good advice [counselors], you will win.
7 Foolish people cannot understand wisdom.
They ·have nothing to say [L do not open their mouth] in ·a discussion [L the gate; C where the elders make decisions].
8 Whoever makes evil plans
will be ·known as [called] a ·troublemaker [master schemer].
9 ·Making foolish plans [Scheming] is sinful,
and ·making fun of wisdom is hateful [or people despise mockers].
10 If you ·give up [show yourself weak] ·when trouble comes [L on the day of distress/trouble],
it shows that ·you are weak [L your strength is small].
11 ·Save [Rescue; T Deliver] those who are being led to their death;
·rescue [L don’t restrain yourself from] those who ·are about [L tottering off] to be killed.
12 If you say, “We don’t know anything about this,”
God, who ·knows what’s in your mind [evaluates motives; L weighs hearts], ·will notice [L doesn’t he know?].
He ·is watching you [protects/guards your life], and he will know.
He will reward each person for what he has done.
13 My ·child [L son], eat honey because it is good.
Honey from the honeycomb ·tastes sweet [L is sweet on your palate].
14 In the same way, wisdom is pleasing to ·you [your soul].
If you find it, you have ·hope for the [L a] future,
and your ·wishes [hope] will ·come true [L not be cut off].
15 Don’t be wicked and ·attack [ambush; lie in wait at] a ·good [righteous] family’s house;
don’t ·rob [or destroy] the place where they live.
16 Even though ·good [righteous] people may ·be bothered by trouble [L fall] seven times, they ·are never defeated [L get back up],
but the wicked ·are overwhelmed by [stumble into] trouble.
17 Don’t ·be happy [rejoice] when your enemy ·is defeated [L falls];
don’t let your heart be glad when he ·is overwhelmed [L stumbles].
18 The Lord will notice and ·be displeased [L it will be bad in his eyes].
He may ·not be angry with them anymore [L turn his anger from them; Job 31:29; Ps. 35:15–16; Rom. 12:17–21].
19 Don’t ·envy [get mad at] evil people,
and don’t be jealous of the wicked.
20 An evil person has ·nothing to hope for [L no future];
the lamp of the wicked will be ·put out [extinguished].
21 My ·child [L son], ·respect [fear] the Lord and the king.
Don’t join those people who ·refuse to obey them [rebel].
22 ·The Lord and the king [L They] will quickly destroy such people.
·Those two can cause great disaster! [L Who knows the disaster that both can bring?]
More Words of Wisdom
23 These are also ·sayings of [L according to] the wise [22:17]:
It is not good to ·take sides when you are the judge [show partiality/favoritism in judgment].
24 ·Don’t tell [L Those who say to] the wicked ·that they [L “You…”] are ·innocent [righteous];
people will curse you, and nations will ·hate [despise] you.
25 But things will go well if you ·punish [correct; rebuke] the guilty,
and you will receive rich blessings.
26 An honest answer is as pleasing
as a kiss on the lips.
27 First, ·finish your outside work [execute/establish your affairs in public]
and prepare your fields.
After that, you can build your house.
28 Don’t ·testify [witness] against your neighbor for no good reason.
Don’t ·say things that are false [L deceive with your lips].
29 Don’t say, “·I’ll get even [L As they did to me so I will do to them];
I’ll ·do to him what he did to me [repay them according to their actions].”
30 I ·passed by [happened upon] a lazy person’s field
and by the vineyard of someone ·with no sense [L who lacks heart/sense].
31 Thorns had grown up everywhere.
The ground was covered with weeds,
and the stone walls had fallen down.
32 I ·thought about [took to heart] what I had seen;
I learned this lesson from what I saw.
33 ·You sleep a little; you take a nap [“A little sleep, a little slumber”].
·You fold your hands and [L “A little folding of the arms to…”] lie down to rest [6:10].
34 So ·you will be as poor as if you had been robbed [L poverty will come on you like a robber];
·you will have as little as if you had been held up [L deprivation (will come on you) like a shielded warrior].
Christian Giving
8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace God gave the churches in Macedonia [1:16]. 2 Although they have been tested by great ·troubles [trials; tribulation] ·and are very poor, they gave much because of their great joy [L their deep poverty and abundant joy overflowed into rich generosity]. 3 I can ·tell you [testify] that they gave as much as they were able and even more than they could afford. No one told them to do it. 4 But they begged and pleaded with us ·to let them [L for the privilege/grace to] share in this service for ·God’s people [T the saints]. 5 And they gave in a way we did not expect: They first gave themselves to the Lord and to us. ·This is what God wants […by the will of God]. 6 So we ·asked [urged; encouraged] Titus [2:13] to help you finish this special work of grace since he is the one who started it. 7 You ·are rich [excel] in everything—in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in ·truly wanting to help [eagerness; zeal], and in the love ·you learned [L that is in you] from us.[a] In the same way, ·be strong [excel] also in the grace of giving.
8 I am not commanding you to give. But I want to ·see [test; prove] if your love is true by comparing you with ·others that really want to help [L the zeal/eagerness of others]. 9 [L For] You know the ·grace [gift] of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor so that by his becoming poor you might become rich.
10 This is ·what I think you should do [L my opinion on this matter for your benefit]: Last year you were the first to want to give, and you were the first who gave. 11 So now finish the work you started. Then your ·“doing” [L completion] will be equal to your ·“wanting to do” [eager desire]. Give from what you have. 12 If you ·want [are eager/willing] to give, your gift will be accepted. It will be judged by what you have, not by what you do not have. 13 [L For] We do not want you to have ·troubles [hardships; trials] while other people ·are at ease [have relief], but we want everything to be equal [C giving is not intended to impoverish the giver, but to distribute God’s resources]. 14 At this time ·you have plenty and what you have [L your abundance] can help others who are in need. ·Then later, when they have plenty, they [or In the same way, their abundance] can help you when you are in need, and all will be equal [C Paul may be saying, (1) that the Jerusalem church may one day reciprocate by helping the Corinthians financially; or, (2) that the Corinthians’ financial gift will be reciprocated through Jerusalem’s spiritual gifts]. 15 As it is written in the Scriptures, “The person who gathered more did not have too much, nor did the person who gathered less have too little [Ex. 16:18].”
Titus and His Companions Help
16 ·I thank [L Thanks be to] God because he ·gave [L put into the heart of] Titus [2:13] the same ·love [L eagerness; zeal] for you that I have. 17 [L For] Titus accepted what we asked him to do. He ·wanted very much [was eager] to go to you, and this was ·his own idea [of his own accord]. 18 We are sending with him the brother who is praised by all the churches because of his service ·in preaching the Good News [L in the Gospel; C unknown person, possibly Luke]. 19 Also, this brother was ·chosen [appointed] by the churches to go with us ·when we deliver this gift of money [or in this ministry/administration of grace]. We are doing this ·service [ministry] to bring glory to the Lord and to show ·that we really want [our eagerness/willingness] to help.
20 We are being careful so that no one will ·criticize [blame] us for the way we are handling this ·large [abundant; generous] gift. 21 [L For] We are trying hard to do what is right, not only before the Lord but also before people [Prov. 3:4].
22 Also, we are sending with them our brother, who has proved to us in many ways that he is always ·ready [eager; zealous] to help. He wants to help even more now, because he has much ·faith [confidence] in you.
23 ·Now [or If there is any question] about Titus [2:13]—he is my partner ·who is working with me [and coworker] to help you. ·And [or If there is any question] about the other brothers—they are ·sent [messengers] from the churches, and ·they bring glory to [or they are the glory of] Christ. 24 So show these men the proof of your love and the reason we ·are proud [boast] of you. ·Then [or …so that] all the churches can see it.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.