The Berean Pursuit
Do not envy wicked men
or desire their company;
for their hearts devise violence,
and their lips declare trouble.
By wisdom a house is built
and by understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled
with every precious and beautiful treasure.
A wise man is strong,
and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.
Only with sound guidance should you wage war,
and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
Wisdom is too high for a fool;
he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.
He who plots evil
will be called a schemer.
A foolish scheme is sin,
and a mocker is detestable to men.
If you faint in the day of distress,
how small is your strength!
Rescue those being led away to death,
and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
If you say, "Behold, we did not know about this,"
does not He who weighs hearts consider it?
Does not the One who guards your life know?
Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?
Eat honey, my son, for it is good,
and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul.
If you find it, there is a future for you,
and your hope will never be cut off.
Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous;
do not destroy his resting place.
For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up;
but the wicked stumble in bad times.
Do not gloat when your enemy falls,
and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
or the LORD will see and disapprove,
and turn His wrath away from him.
Do not fret over evildoers,
and do not be envious of the wicked.
For the evil man has no future;
the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
My son, fear the LORD and the king,
and do not associate with the rebellious.
For they will bring sudden destruction.
Who knows what ruin they can bring?
These also are sayings of the wise:
To show partiality in judgment
is not good.
Whoever tells the guilty, "You are innocent"-
peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
but it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
and rich blessing will come upon them.
An honest answer given
is like a kiss on the lips.
Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field;
after that, you may build your house.
Do not testify against your neighbor without cause,
and do not deceive with your lips.
Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me;
I will repay the man according to his work."
I went past the field of a slacker
and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
Thorns had grown up everywhere,
thistles had covered the ground,
and the stone wall was broken down.
I observed and took it to heart;
I looked and received instruction:
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and need like a bandit.
These are additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter
and the glory of kings to search it out.
As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.
Remove the dross from the silver,
and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.
Remove the wicked from the king's presence,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.
Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
and do not stand in the place of great men;
for it is better that he says to you, "Come up here!"
than that you should be demoted in the presence of the prince.
Even what you have seen with your own eyes,
do not bring hastily to court.
Otherwise, what will you do in the end
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
Argue your case with your neighbor
without betraying another's confidence,
lest the one who hears may disgrace you,
and your infamy never go away.
A word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
is a wise man's rebuke to a listening ear.
Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest
is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him;
he refreshes the soul of his masters.
Like clouds and wind without rain
is the man who boasts of gifts never given.
Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
If you find honey, eat just what you need,
lest you have too much and vomit it up.
Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house,
lest he grow weary and hate you.
Like a club or sword or sharp arrow
is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint
is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.
Like one who removes a garment on a cold day
or vinegar poured on a wound
is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you.
As the north wind brings forth rain,
so a backbiting tongue brings angry looks.
Better to live on a corner of the roof
than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.
Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
It is not good to eat too much honey
or to search out one's own glory.
Like a city whose walls are broken down
is a man who does not control his temper.
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
Blessed is the one who cares for the poor;
the LORD will deliver him in the day of trouble.
The LORD will protect and preserve him;
He will bless him in the land
and refuse to surrender him
to the will of his foes.
The LORD will sustain him on his bed of illness
and restore him from his bed of sickness.
I said, "O LORD, be gracious to me;
heal me, for I have sinned against You."
My enemies say with malice:
"When will he die and be forgotten?"
My visitor speaks falsehood;
he gathers slander in his heart;
he goes out and spreads it abroad.
All who hate me whisper against me;
they imagine the worst for me:
"A vile disease has been poured into him;
he will never get up from where he lies!"
Even my close friend whom I trusted,
the one who shared my bread,
has lifted up his heel against me.
But You, O LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up,
that I may repay them.
By this I know that You delight in me,
for my enemy does not triumph over me.
In my integrity You uphold me
and set me in Your presence forever.
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.
You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain. As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.
For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery. Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts. As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness! Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.
On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children. We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.
Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed. For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children- encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the true word of God-the word which is now at work in you who believe.
For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men, hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.
Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense. For we wanted to come to you-indeed I, Paul, tried again and again-but Satan obstructed us. After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? You are indeed our glory and our joy.