Scripture quotations taken from the NASB © The Lockman Foundation.
Proverbs 16
The plans of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,
But the Lord weighs the motives.
Commit your works to the Lord
And your plans will be established.
The Lord has made everything for its own purpose,
Even the wicked for the day of evil.
Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.
By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,
And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.
The mind of man plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.
A divine decision is in the lips of the king;
His mouth should not err in judgment.
A just balance and scales belong to the Lord;
All the weights of the bag are His concern.
It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
For a throne is established on righteousness.
Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And he who speaks right is loved.
The fury of a king is like messengers of death,
But a wise man will appease it.
In the light of a king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain.
How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who watches his way preserves his life.
Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly
Than to divide the spoil with the proud.
He who gives attention to the word will find good,
And blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
The wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,
But the discipline of fools is folly.
The heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds persuasiveness to his lips.
Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
There is a way which seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.
A worker’s appetite works for him,
For his hunger urges him on.
A worthless man digs up evil,
While his words are like scorching fire.
A perverse man spreads strife,
And a slanderer separates intimate friends.
A man of violence entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.
He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;
He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
A gray head is a crown of glory;
It is found in the way of righteousness.
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.
The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord.
Proverbs 17
Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of feasting with strife.
A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
And will share in the inheritance among brothers.
The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But the Lord tests hearts.
An evildoer listens to wicked lips;
A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker;
He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.
Grandchildren are the crown of old men,
And the glory of sons is their fathers.
Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool,
Much less are lying lips to a prince.
A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
He who conceals a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.
A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows into a fool.
A rebellious man seeks only evil,
So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.
He who returns evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.
The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.
He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
When he has no sense?
A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
A man lacking in sense pledges
And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.
He who loves transgression loves strife;
He who raises his door seeks destruction.
He who has a crooked mind finds no good,
And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil.
He who sires a fool does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.
A joyful heart is good medicine,
But a broken spirit dries up the bones.
A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom
To pervert the ways of justice.
Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding,
But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
A foolish son is a grief to his father
And bitterness to her who bore him.
It is also not good to fine the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
He who restrains his words has knowledge,
And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.
Proverbs 18
He who separates himself seeks his own desire,
He quarrels against all sound wisdom.
A fool does not delight in understanding,
But only in revealing his own mind.
When a wicked man comes, contempt also comes,
And with dishonor comes scorn.
The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
To show partiality to the wicked is not good,
Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment.
A fool’s lips bring strife,
And his mouth calls for blows.
A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.
He also who is slack in his work
Is brother to him who destroys.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and is safe.
A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own imagination.
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,
But humility goes before honor.
He who gives an answer before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him.
The spirit of a man can endure his sickness,
But as for a broken spirit who can bear it?
The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
A man’s gift makes room for him
And brings him before great men.
The first to plead his case seems right,
Until another comes and examines him.
The cast lot puts an end to strife
And decides between the mighty ones.
A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.
With the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.
He who finds a wife finds a good thing
And obtains favor from the Lord.
The poor man utters supplications,
But the rich man answers roughly.
A man of too many friends comes to ruin,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Romans 15
Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me." For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written,
"Therefore I will give praise to You among the Gentiles,
And I will sing to Your name."
Again he says,
"Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people."
And again,
"Praise the Lord all you Gentiles,
And let all the peoples praise Him."
Again Isaiah says,
"There shall come the root of Jesse,
And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles,
In Him shall the Gentiles hope."
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; but as it is written,
"They who had no news of Him shall see,
And they who have not heard shall understand."
For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you; but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you whenever I go to Spain—for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while— but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. Therefore, when I have finished this, and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain. I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.