Proverbs 1–2
1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
to perceive the words of understanding,
3 to receive the instruction of wisdom,
justice, judgment, and equity;
4 to give subtlety to the simple,
to the young man knowledge and discretion—
5 a wise man will hear and will increase learning,
and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
6 to understand a proverb and the interpretation,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear the instruction of your father,
and do not forsake the teaching of your mother;
9 for they will be a garland of grace on your head,
and chains about your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us,
let us lie in wait for blood;
let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
12 let us swallow them up alive as the grave,
and whole, as those who go down into the pit;
13 we will find all kinds of precious possessions;
we will fill our houses with spoil;
14 cast in your lot among us,
let us all have one purse”—
15 my son, do not walk in the way with them,
keep your foot from their path;
16 for their feet run to evil
and make haste to shed blood.
17 Surely in vain the net is spread
in the sight of any bird.
18 They lie in wait for their own blood;
they lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain,
which takes away the life of its owners.
20 Wisdom cries out in the street;
she utters her voice in the markets.
21 She cries at the corner of the streets, in the openings of the gates;
she speaks her words in the city, saying:
22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
For the scorners delight in their scorning,
and fools hate knowledge.
23 Turn at my reproof;
surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused,
I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded,
25 because you neglected all my counsel,
and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your fear comes,
27 when your fear comes as desolation
and your destruction comes as a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me early, but they will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 they would have none of my counsel
and despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way,
and be filled with their own devices.
32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them,
and the prosperity of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,
and will be secure from fear of evil.”
Chapter 2
1 My son, if you will receive my words,
and hide my commandments within you,
2 so that you incline your ear to wisdom,
and apply your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you cry out for knowledge,
and lift up your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek her as silver,
and search for her as for hidden treasures,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
out of His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous;
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly.
8 He keeps the paths of justice,
and preserves the way of His saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and judgment
and equity, and every good path.
10 When wisdom enters your heart,
and knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11 discretion will preserve you;
understanding will keep you,
12 to deliver you from the way of the evil man,
from the man who speaks perverse things,
13 from those who leave the paths of uprightness
to walk in the ways of darkness;
14 who rejoice to do evil,
and delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15 whose ways are crooked,
and who are devious in their paths;
16 to deliver you from the immoral woman,
even from the seductress who flatters with her words,
17 who forsakes the guide of her youth,
and forgets the covenant of her God.
18 For her house leads down to death,
and her paths to the departed spirits;
19 none who go to her return again,
nor do they take hold of the paths of life.
20 So you may walk in the way of good men
and keep the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will dwell in the land,
and the innocent will remain in it;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the earth,
and the transgressors will be rooted out of it.
1 Corinthians 16
1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given instruction to the churches of Galatia, so even you must do. 2 On the first day of the week let every one of you lay in store, as God has prospered him, so that no collections be made when I come. 3 And when I come, I will send whomever you approve with your letters to take your generous gifts to Jerusalem. 4 If it is fitting that I go also, they will go with me.
5 Now I will come to you after I pass through Macedonia. For I will pass through Macedonia. 6 It may be that I will remain, of course, and spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey wherever I go. 7 For I do not wish to see you now in passing. Instead, I trust to remain a while with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will remain at Ephesus until Pentecost. 9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
10 Now if Timothy comes, see that he may remain with you without fear, for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do. 11 Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his way in peace, that he may come to me. I am expecting him with the brothers.
12 As for our brother Apollos, I greatly wanted him to come to you with the brothers. But he was not willing at all to come at this time. However, he will come when he has a convenient time.
13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be bold like men, and be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love.
15 You know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints. So I ask you, brothers, 16 that you submit yourselves to such people, and to everyone who helps and labors with us. 17 I am happy about the arrival of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for they supplied what was lacking on your part. 18 They have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge these men.
19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 20 All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. Come, O Lord!
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.