7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Exodus 6:7.
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Psalm 37:4.
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 For learning what wisdom and discipline are; for understanding insightful sayings;
3 for receiving wise instruction in righteousness, justice, and integrity;
4 for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man.
5 a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance,
6 for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Avoid the Path of the Violent
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,
9 for they will be a garland of grace on your head and a gold chain around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, don’t be persuaded.
11 If they say — “Come with us! Let’s set an ambush and kill someone.
Let’s attack some innocent person just for fun!
12 Let’s swallow them alive, like Sheol, still healthy as they go down to the Pit.
13 We’ll find all kinds of valuable property and fill our houses with plunder.
14 Throw in your lot with us, and we’ll all share our money”
15 my son, don’t travel that road with them or set foot on their path,
16 because their feet run toward trouble and they hurry to commit murder.
17 It is foolish to spread a net where any bird can see it,
18 but they set an ambush to kill themselves; they attack their own lives.
19 Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly; it takes the lives of those who receive it.
Wisdom’s Plea
20 Wisdom calls out in the street; she raises her voice in the public squares.
21 She cries out above the commotion; she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
22 “How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance? How long will you mockers enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?
23 If you respond to my warning, then I will pour out my spirit on you and teach you my words.
24 Since I called out and you refused, extended my hand and no one paid attention,
25 since you neglected all my counsel and did not accept my correction,
26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when trouble and stress overcome you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer; they will search for me, but won’t find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge, didn’t choose to fear the LORD,
30 were not interested in my counsel, and rejected all my correction,
31 they will eat the fruit of their way and be glutted with their own schemes.
32 For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will live securely and be free from the fear of danger.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009), Proverbs 1:1–33.
1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Matthew 5:1–12.
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up.
2 Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting God’s message, but commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in God’s sight by an open display of the truth.
3 But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
4 In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
5 For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. 6 For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
Treasure in Clay Jars
7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.
8 We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair;
9 we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.
10 We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
11 For we who live are always given over to death because of Jesus, so that Jesus’ life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.
12 So death works in us, but life in you.
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, we also believe, and therefore speak.
14 We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and present us with you. 15 Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving to increase to God’s glory.
16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day.
17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.
18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009), 2 Corinthians 4:1–18.
20 And I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009), Galatians 2:20.