Old/New Testament
27 Don’t boast about tomorrow,
for you don’t know what a day might bring.(A)
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth—
a stranger, and not your own lips.(B)
3 A stone is heavy and sand, a burden,
but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.
4 Fury is cruel, and anger a flood,
but who can withstand jealousy?(C)
5 Better an open reprimand
than concealed love.(D)
7 A person who is full tramples on a honeycomb,(G)
but to a hungry person, any bitter thing is sweet.
8 A man wandering from his home
is like a bird wandering from its nest.(H)
9 Oil(I) and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the sweetness of a friend is better than self-counsel.[a]
10 Don’t abandon your friend or your father’s friend,(J)
and don’t go to your brother’s house
in your time of calamity;
better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.(K)
12 A sensible person sees danger and takes cover;
the inexperienced keep going and are punished.(N)
13 Take his garment,[b]
for he has put up security for a stranger;
get collateral if it is for foreigners.[c](O)
14 If one blesses his neighbor
with a loud voice early in the morning,
it will be counted as a curse to him.
15 An endless dripping on a rainy day
and a nagging wife are alike.(P)
16 The one who controls her controls the wind
and grasps oil with his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another.[d]
18 Whoever tends a fig tree(Q) will eat its fruit,(R)
and whoever looks after his master will be honored.
19 As water reflects the face,
so the heart reflects the person.
22 Though you grind a fool
in a mortar with a pestle along with grain,
you will not separate his foolishness from him.(W)
23 Know well the condition of your flock,(X)
and pay attention to your herds,
24 for wealth is not forever;(Y)
not even a crown lasts for all time.
25 When hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grain from the hills is gathered in,
26 lambs will provide your clothing,
and goats, the price of a field;
27 there will be enough goat’s milk for your food—
food for your household
and nourishment for your female servants.(Z)
2 When a land is in rebellion, it has many rulers,(AC)
but with a discerning and knowledgeable person, it endures.
4 Those who reject the law praise the wicked,(AE)
but those who keep the law battle against them.(AF)
6 Better a poor man who lives with integrity(AI)
than a rich man who distorts right and wrong.[g](AJ)
7 A discerning son keeps the law,
but a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.(AK)
8 Whoever increases his wealth through excessive interest(AL)
collects it for one who is kind to the poor.(AM)
9 Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law—
even his prayer is detestable.(AN)
10 The one who leads the upright into an evil way
will fall into his own pit,(AO)
but the blameless will inherit what is good.(AP)
11 A rich man is wise in his own eyes,
but a poor man who has discernment sees through him.
12 When the righteous triumph,
there is great rejoicing,[h]
but when the wicked come to power,
people hide themselves.(AQ)
13 The one who conceals his sins
will not prosper,(AR)
but whoever confesses and renounces them
will find mercy.(AS)
14 Happy is the one who is always reverent,(AT)
but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.(AU)
16 A leader who lacks understanding
is very oppressive,
but one who hates dishonest profit
prolongs his life.(AX)
18 The one who lives with integrity will be helped,
but one who distorts right and wrong[j]
will suddenly fall.(BA)
19 The one who works his land
will have plenty of food,(BB)
but whoever chases fantasies
will have his fill of poverty.(BC)
20 A faithful man will have many blessings,(BD)
but one in a hurry to get rich(BE)
will not go unpunished.
23 One who rebukes a person will later find more favor(BI)
than one who flatters[l] with his tongue.(BJ)
24 The one who robs his father or mother(BK)
and says, “That’s no sin,”(BL)
is a companion to a man who destroys.(BM)
27 The one who gives to the poor
will not be in need,
but one who turns his eyes away[n]
will receive many curses.(BQ)
28 When the wicked come to power,
people hide,
but when they are destroyed,
the righteous flourish.(BR)
29 One who becomes stiff-necked,
after many reprimands
will be shattered instantly—
beyond recovery.(BS)
2 When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice,
but when the wicked rule, people groan.(BT)
3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,(BU)
but one who consorts with prostitutes destroys his wealth.(BV)
4 By justice a king brings stability to a land,(BW)
but a man who demands “contributions”[o]
demolishes it.(BX)
7 The righteous person knows the rights[q] of the poor,(CB)
but the wicked one does not understand these concerns.
8 Mockers inflame a city,(CC)
but the wise turn away anger.
9 If a wise man goes to court with a fool,
there will be ranting and raving but no resolution.[r](CD)
12 If a ruler listens to lies,(CH)
all his officials will be wicked.
14 A king who judges the poor with fairness—
his throne will be established forever.(CJ)
15 A rod of correction imparts wisdom,(CK)
but a youth left to himself[v]
is a disgrace to his mother.(CL)
16 When the wicked increase, rebellion increases,
but the righteous will see their downfall.(CM)
17 Discipline your son, and it will bring you peace of mind(CN)
and give you delight.
18 Without revelation[w](CO) people run wild,(CP)
but one who listens to instruction will be happy.(CQ)
19 A slave cannot be disciplined by words;
though he understands, he doesn’t respond.(CR)
21 A slave pampered from his youth
will become arrogant[x] later on.
27 An unjust man is detestable to the righteous,
and one whose way is upright
is detestable to the wicked.(DC)
Paul’s Apostolic Authority
10 Now I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ—I who am humble among you in person but bold toward you when absent. 2 I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving in an unspiritual way.[a](A) 3 For though we live in the body,[b] we do not wage war in an unspiritual way,[c] 4 since the weapons of our warfare(B) are not worldly,[d] but are powerful(C) through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments 5 and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge(D) of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ. 6 And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience has been confirmed.
7 Look at what is obvious.[e] If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ,(E) he should remind himself of this: Just as he belongs to Christ, so do we. 8 For if I boast some more about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up(F) and not for tearing you down, I am not ashamed. 9 I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters. 10 For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable.” 11 Such a person should consider this: What we are in the words of our letters when absent, we will be in actions when present.
12 For we don’t dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend(G) themselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves,(H) they lack understanding.(I) 13 We, however, will not boast beyond measure but according to the measure of the area of ministry that God has assigned(J) to us, which reaches even to you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we had not reached you, since we have come to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 We are not bragging beyond measure about other people’s labors. But we have the hope(K) that as your faith increases, our area of ministry will be greatly enlarged, 16 so that we may proclaim the good news to the regions beyond you,(L) not boasting about what has already been done in someone else’s area of ministry.(M) 17 So the one who boasts must boast in the Lord.(N)[f] 18 For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.(O)
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