The Berean Pursuit
Every wise woman builds her house,
but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD,
but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.
The proud speech of a fool brings a rod to his back,
but the lips of the wise protect them.
Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,
but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox.
An honest witness does not deceive,
but a dishonest witness pours forth lies.
A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
Stay away from a foolish man;
you will gain no knowledge from his speech.
The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools deceives them.
Fools mock the making of amends,
but goodwill is found among the upright.
The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares in its joy.
The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way of death.
Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and joy may end in sorrow.
The backslider in heart receives the fill of his own ways,
but a good man is rewarded for his ways.
The simple man believes every word,
but the prudent man watches his steps.
A wise man fears and turns from evil,
but a fool is careless and reckless.
A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
and a devious man is hated.
The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
The evil bow before the good,
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
The poor man is hated even by his neighbor,
but many are those who love the rich.
He who despises his neighbor sins,
but blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor.
Do not those who contrive evil go astray?
But those who plan goodness find loving devotion and faithfulness.
There is profit in all labor,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the effort of fools is folly.
A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who utters lies is deceitful.
He who fears the LORD is secure in confidence,
and his children shall have a place of refuge.
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
turning a man from the snares of death.
A large population is a king's splendor,
but a lack of subjects is a prince's ruin.
A patient man has great understanding,
but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
A tranquil heart is life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.
Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker,
but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin,
but the righteous man has a refuge even in death.
Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning;
even among fools she is known.
Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a disgrace to any people.
A king delights in a wise servant,
but his anger falls on the shameful.
A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool spouts folly.
The eyes of the LORD are in every place,
observing the evil and the good.
A soothing tongue is a tree of life,
but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
A fool rejects his father's discipline,
but whoever heeds correction is prudent.
The house of the righteous has great treasure,
but the income of the wicked is trouble.
The lips of the wise spread knowledge,
but not so the hearts of fools.
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD,
but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
The LORD detests the way of the wicked,
but He loves those who pursue righteousness.
Discipline is harsh for him who leaves the path;
he who hates correction will die.
Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD-
how much more the hearts of men!
A mocker does not love to be reproved,
nor will he consult the wise.
A joyful heart makes a cheerful countenance,
but sorrow of the heart crushes the spirit.
A discerning heart seeks knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
All the days of the oppressed are bad,
but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.
Better a little with the fear of the LORD
than great treasure with turmoil.
Better a dish of vegetables where there is love
than a fattened ox with hatred.
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.
The way of the slacker is like a hedge of thorns,
but the path of the upright is a highway.
A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.
Folly is joy to one who lacks judgment,
but a man of understanding walks a straight path.
Plans fail for lack of counsel,
but with many advisers they succeed.
A man takes joy in a fitting reply-
and how good is a timely word!
The path of life leads upward for the wise,
that he may avoid going down to Sheol.
The LORD tears down the house of the proud,
but He protects the boundaries of the widow.
The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked,
but the words of the pure are pleasant to Him.
He who is greedy for unjust gain brings trouble on his household,
but he who hates bribes will live.
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil.
The LORD is far from the wicked,
but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
The light of the eyes cheers the heart,
and good news nourishes the bones.
He who listens to life-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
He who ignores discipline despises himself,
but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.
The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom,
and humility comes before honor.
Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions. For one person has faith to eat all things, while another, who is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not belittle the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
For none of us lives to himself alone, and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this reason Christ died and returned to life, that He might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written:
"As surely as I live,
says the Lord,
every knee will bow before Me;
every tongue will confess to God."
So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.
I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.
Do not allow what you consider good, then, to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything to cause your brother to stumble.
Keep your belief about such matters between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the one who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that is not from faith is sin.