the Week of Proper 19 / Ordinary 24
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
June 8 - Chronological Order
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Proverbs 16-18
Chapter 16
1 The reflections of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the
Lord
.(a)
2 All a man's ways seem right to him,
but the
Lord
evaluates the motives.[a](b)
3 Commit your activities to the
Lord
,
and your plans will be achieved.(c)
4 The
Lord
has prepared everything for His purpose—
even the wicked for the day of disaster.(d)
5 Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the
Lord
;(e)
be assured,[b] he will not go unpunished.(f)
6 Wickedness is atoned for by loyalty and faithfulness,(g)
and one turns from evil by the fear of the
Lord
.(h)
7 When a man's ways please the
Lord
,
He[c] makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.(i)
8 Better a little with righteousness
than great income with injustice.(j)
9 A man's heart plans his way,
but the
Lord
determines his steps.(k)
10 God's verdict is on the lips of a king;[d](l)
his mouth should not give an unfair judgment.(m)
11 Honest balances and scales are the
Lord
's;
all the weights in the bag[e] are His concern.(n)
12 Wicked behavior[f] is detestable to kings,(o)
since a throne is established through righteousness.(p)
13 Righteous lips are a king's delight,
and he loves one who speaks honestly.
14 A king's fury is a messenger of death,
but a wise man appeases it.(q)
15 When a king's face lights up, there is life;
his favor is like a cloud with spring rain.
16 Get wisdom—
how much better it is than gold!
And get understanding—
it is preferable to silver.(r)
17 The highway of the upright(s) avoids evil;
the one who guards his way protects his life.(t)
18 Pride comes before destruction,
and an arrogant spirit before a fall.(u)
19 Better to be lowly of spirit with the humble[g](v)
than to divide plunder with the proud.(w)
20 The one who understands a matter finds success,(x)
and the one who trusts in the
Lord
will be happy.(y)
21 Anyone with a wise heart is called discerning,
and pleasant speech[h] increases learning.(z)
22 Insight is a fountain of life(aa) for its possessor,
but the discipline of fools is folly.
23 A wise heart instructs its mouth
and increases learning with its speech.[i](ab)
24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb:(ac)
sweet to the taste[j] and health to the body.[k](ad)
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.(ae)
26 A worker's appetite works for him
because his hunger[l] urges him on.
27 A worthless man digs up evil,
and his speech is like a scorching fire.(af)
28 A contrary man spreads conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.(ag)
29 A violent man lures his neighbor,(ah)
leading him in a way that is not good.(ai)
30 The one who narrows his eyes is planning deceptions;
the one who compresses his lips brings about evil.(aj)
31 Gray hair is a glorious crown;(ak)
it is found in the way of righteousness.(al)
32 Patience is better than power,
and controlling one's temper,[m] than capturing a city.(am)
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the
Lord
.(an)
Chapter 17
1 Better a dry crust with peace
than a house full of feasting with strife.(a)
2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and share an inheritance among brothers.
3 A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold,(b)
and the
Lord
is the tester of hearts.(c)
4 A wicked person listens to malicious talk;[a]
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker,(d)
and one who rejoices over calamity
will not go unpunished.(e)
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,
and the pride of sons is their fathers.
7 Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool's lips;
how much worse are lies for a ruler.
8 A bribe(f) seems like a magic stone to its owner;
wherever he turns, he succeeds.(g)
9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love,(h)
but whoever gossips about it separates friends.(i)
10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion;
a cruel messenger[b](j) will be sent against him.
12 Better for a man to meet a bear robbed of her cubs(k)
than a fool in his foolishness.
13 If anyone returns evil for good,(l)
evil will never depart from his house.(m)
14 To start a conflict is to release a flood;
stop the dispute before it breaks out.(n)
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just(o)—
both are detestable to the
Lord
.
16 Why does a fool have money in his hand
with no intention of buying wisdom?(p)
17 A friend loves at all times,(q)
and a brother is born for a difficult time.
18 One without sense enters an agreement[c]
and puts up security for his friend.(r)
19 One who loves to offend loves strife;(s)
one who builds a high threshold invites injury.
20 One with a twisted mind will not succeed,
and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.(t)
21 A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow;
the father of a fool has no joy.(u)
22 A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a broken spirit dries up the bones.(v)
23 A wicked man secretly takes a bribe(w)
to subvert the course of justice.(x)
24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,
but a fool's eyes(y) roam to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is grief to his father
and bitterness to the one who bore him.(z)
26 It is certainly not good to fine an innocent person
or to beat a noble for his honesty.[d](aa)
27 The intelligent person restrains his words,(ab)
and one who keeps a cool head[e]
is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent,
discerning when he seals his lips.(ac)
Chapter 18
1 One who isolates himself pursues selfish desires;
he rebels against all sound judgment.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding,
but only wants to show off his opinions.[a](a)
3 When a wicked man comes, contempt also does,
and along with dishonor, disgrace.
4 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters,(b)
a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom.[b]
5 It is not good to show partiality to the guilty(c)
by perverting the justice due the innocent.(d)
6 A fool's lips lead to strife,
and his mouth provokes a beating.(e)
7 A fool's mouth is his devastation,
and his lips are a trap for his life.(f)
8 A gossip's words are like choice food
that goes down to one's innermost being.[c](g)
9 The one who is truly lazy in his work
is brother to a vandal.[d](h)
10 The name of Yahweh is a strong tower;(i)
the righteous run to it and are protected.[e](j)
11 A rich man's wealth is his fortified city;
in his imagination it is like a high wall.(k)
12 Before his downfall a man's heart is proud,(l)
but humility comes before honor.(m)
13 The one who gives an answer before he listens—
this is foolishness and disgrace for him.(n)
14 A man's spirit can endure sickness,
but who can survive a broken spirit?(o)
15 The mind of the discerning acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks it.(p)
16 A gift opens doors[f] for a man
and brings him before the great.(q)
17 The first to state his case seems right
until another comes and cross-examines him.(r)
18 Casting the lot(s) ends quarrels
and separates powerful opponents.
19 An offended brother is harder to reach[g]
than a fortified city,
and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress.
20 From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is satisfied;
he is filled with the product of his lips.(t)
21 Life and death are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.(u)
22 A man who finds a wife finds a good thing(v)
and obtains favor from the
Lord
.(w)
23 The poor man pleads,(x)
but the rich one answers roughly.(y)
24 A man with many friends may be harmed,[h]
but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.(z)
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