16 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
    but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.(A)

All a person’s ways seem pure to them,(B)
    but motives are weighed(C) by the Lord.(D)

Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
    and he will establish your plans.(E)

The Lord works out everything to its proper end(F)
    even the wicked for a day of disaster.(G)

The Lord detests all the proud of heart.(H)
    Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.(I)

Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
    through the fear of the Lord(J) evil is avoided.(K)

When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
    he causes their enemies to make peace(L) with them.(M)

Better a little with righteousness
    than much gain(N) with injustice.(O)

In their hearts humans plan their course,
    but the Lord establishes their steps.(P)

10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
    and his mouth does not betray justice.(Q)

11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
    all the weights in the bag are of his making.(R)

12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
    for a throne is established through righteousness.(S)

13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
    they value the one who speaks what is right.(T)

14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,(U)
    but the wise will appease it.(V)

15 When a king’s face brightens, it means life;(W)
    his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.(X)

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
    to get insight(Y) rather than silver!(Z)

17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
    those who guard their ways preserve their lives.(AA)

18 Pride(AB) goes before destruction,
    a haughty spirit(AC) before a fall.(AD)

19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
    than to share plunder with the proud.

20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,[a](AE)
    and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.(AF)

21 The wise in heart are called discerning,
    and gracious words promote instruction.[b](AG)

22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,(AH)
    but folly brings punishment to fools.

23 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,(AI)
    and their lips promote instruction.[c](AJ)

24 Gracious words are a honeycomb,(AK)
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.(AL)

25 There is a way that appears to be right,(AM)
    but in the end it leads to death.(AN)

26 The appetite of laborers works for them;
    their hunger drives them on.

27 A scoundrel(AO) plots evil,
    and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.(AP)

28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,(AQ)
    and a gossip separates close friends.(AR)

29 A violent person entices their neighbor
    and leads them down a path that is not good.(AS)

30 Whoever winks(AT) with their eye is plotting perversity;
    whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.

31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;(AU)
    it is attained in the way of righteousness.

32 Better a patient person than a warrior,
    one with self-control than one who takes a city.

33 The lot is cast(AV) into the lap,
    but its every decision(AW) is from the Lord.(AX)

17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
    than a house full of feasting, with strife.(AY)

A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
    and will share the inheritance as one of the family.

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,(AZ)
    but the Lord tests the heart.(BA)

A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
    a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

Whoever mocks the poor(BB) shows contempt for their Maker;(BC)
    whoever gloats over disaster(BD) will not go unpunished.(BE)

Children’s children(BF) are a crown to the aged,
    and parents are the pride of their children.

Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
    how much worse lying lips to a ruler!(BG)

A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
    they think success will come at every turn.(BH)

Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,(BI)
    but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.(BJ)

10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
    more than a hundred lashes a fool.

11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
    the messenger of death will be sent against them.

12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
    than a fool bent on folly.(BK)

13 Evil will never leave the house
    of one who pays back evil(BL) for good.(BM)

14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
    so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.(BN)

15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent(BO)
    the Lord detests them both.(BP)

16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
    when they are not able to understand it?(BQ)

17 A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for a time of adversity.(BR)

18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
    and puts up security for a neighbor.(BS)

19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
    whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.

20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
    one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.

21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
    there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.(BT)

22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed(BU) spirit dries up the bones.(BV)

23 The wicked accept bribes(BW) in secret
    to pervert the course of justice.(BX)

24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
    but a fool’s eyes(BY) wander to the ends of the earth.

25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
    and bitterness to the mother who bore him.(BZ)

26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,(CA)
    surely to flog honest officials is not right.

27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,(CB)
    and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.(CC)

28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
    and discerning if they hold their tongues.(CD)

18 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
    and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.

Fools find no pleasure in understanding
    but delight in airing their own opinions.(CE)

When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
    and with shame comes reproach.

The words of the mouth are deep waters,(CF)
    but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.

It is not good to be partial to the wicked(CG)
    and so deprive the innocent of justice.(CH)

The lips of fools bring them strife,
    and their mouths invite a beating.(CI)

The mouths of fools are their undoing,
    and their lips are a snare(CJ) to their very lives.(CK)

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.(CL)

One who is slack in his work
    is brother to one who destroys.(CM)

10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;(CN)
    the righteous run to it and are safe.(CO)

11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;(CP)
    they imagine it a wall too high to scale.

12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
    but humility comes before honor.(CQ)

13 To answer before listening—
    that is folly and shame.(CR)

14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
    but a crushed spirit who can bear?(CS)

15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,(CT)
    for the ears of the wise seek it out.

16 A gift(CU) opens the way
    and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
    until someone comes forward and cross-examines.

18 Casting the lot settles disputes(CV)
    and keeps strong opponents apart.

19 A brother wronged(CW) is more unyielding than a fortified city;
    disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.

20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
    with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.(CX)

21 The tongue has the power of life and death,(CY)
    and those who love it will eat its fruit.(CZ)

22 He who finds a wife finds what is good(DA)
    and receives favor from the Lord.(DB)

23 The poor plead for mercy,
    but the rich answer harshly.

24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.(DC)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:20 Or whoever speaks prudently finds what is good
  2. Proverbs 16:21 Or words make a person persuasive
  3. Proverbs 16:23 Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive

As God’s co-workers(A) we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.(B) For he says,

“In the time of my favor I heard you,
    and in the day of salvation I helped you.”[a](C)

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

Paul’s Hardships

We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path,(D) so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments(E) and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;(F) in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit(G) and in sincere love;(H) in truthful speech(I) and in the power of God;(J) with weapons of righteousness(K) in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor,(L) bad report(M) and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;(N) known, yet regarded as unknown; dying,(O) and yet we live on;(P) beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;(Q) poor, yet making many rich;(R) having nothing,(S) and yet possessing everything.(T)

11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you.(U) 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children(V)—open wide your hearts(W) also.

Warning Against Idolatry

14 Do not be yoked together(X) with unbelievers.(Y) For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?(Z) 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[b]?(AA) Or what does a believer(AB) have in common with an unbeliever?(AC) 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?(AD) For we are the temple(AE) of the living God.(AF) As God has said:

“I will live with them
    and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.”[c](AG)

17 Therefore,

“Come out from them(AH)
    and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
    and I will receive you.”[d](AI)

18 And,

“I will be a Father to you,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,(AJ)
says the Lord Almighty.”[e](AK)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Greek Beliar, a variant of Belial
  3. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Lev. 26:12; Jer. 32:38; Ezek. 37:27
  4. 2 Corinthians 6:17 Isaiah 52:11; Ezek. 20:34,41
  5. 2 Corinthians 6:18 2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8

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