Proverbs 22; Proverbs 23; Proverbs 24; 2 Corinthians 8

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Proverbs 22

1 Being respected is more important than having great riches. To be well thought of is better than silver or gold.

2 The rich and the poor are alike in that the Lord made them all.

3 The wise see danger ahead and avoid it, but fools keep going and get into trouble.

4 Respecting the Lord and not being proud will bring you wealth, honor, and life.

5 Evil people's lives are like paths covered with thorns and traps. People who guard themselves don't have such problems.

6 Train children how to live right, and when they are old, they will not change.

7 The rich rule over the poor, and borrowers are servants to lenders.

8 Those who plan evil will receive trouble. Their cruel anger will come to an end.

9 Generous people will be blessed, because they share their food with the poor.

10 Get rid of the one who makes fun of wisdom. Then fighting, quarrels, and insults will stop.

11 Whoever loves pure thoughts and kind words will have even the king as a friend.

12 The Lord guards knowledge, but he destroys false words.

13 The lazy person says, "There's a lion outside! I might get killed out in the street!"

14 The words of an unfaithful wife are like a deep trap. Those who make the Lord angry will get caught by them.

15 Every child is full of foolishness, but punishment can get rid of it.

16 Whoever gets rich by mistreating the poor, and gives presents to the wealthy, will become poor.

17 Listen carefully to what wise people say; pay attention to what I am teaching you.

18 It will be good to keep these things in mind so that you are ready to repeat them.

19 I am teaching them to you now so that you will put your trust in the Lord.

20 I have written thirty sayings for you, which give knowledge and good advice.

21 I am teaching you true and reliable words so that you can give true answers to anyone who asks.

22 Do not abuse poor people because they are poor, and do not take away the rights of the needy in court.

23 The Lord will defend them in court and will take the life of those who take away their rights.

24 Don't make friends with quick-tempered people or spend time with those who have bad tempers.

25 If you do, you will be like them. Then you will be in real danger.

26 Don't promise to pay what someone else owes, and don't guarantee anyone's loan.

27 If you cannot pay the loan, your own bed may be taken right out from under you.

28 Don't move an old stone that marks a border, because those stones were set up by your ancestors.

29 Do you see people skilled in their work? They will work for kings, not for ordinary people.

Proverbs 23

1 If you sit down to eat with a ruler, notice the food that is in front of you.

2 Control yourself if you have a big appetite.

3 Don't be greedy for his fine foods, because that food might be a trick.

4 Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich; be wise enough to control yourself

5 Wealth can vanish in the wink of an eye. It can seem to grow wings and fly away like an eagle.

6 Don't eat the food of selfish people; don't be greedy for their fine foods.

7 Selfish people are always worrying about how much the food costs. They tell you, "Eat and drink," but they don't really mean it.

8 You will throw up the little you have eaten, and you will have wasted your kind words.

9 Don't speak to fools; they will only ignore your wise words.

10 Don't move an old stone that marks a border, and don't take fields that belong to orphans.

11 God, their defender, is strong; he will take their side against you.

12 Remember what you are taught, and listen carefully to words of knowledge.

13 Don't fail to punish children. If you spank them, they won't die.

14 If you spank them, you will save them from death

15 My child, if you are wise, then I will be happy.

16 I will be so pleased if you speak what is right.

17 Don't envy sinners, but always respect the Lord.

18 Then you will have hope for the future, and your wishes will come true.

19 Listen, my child, and be wise. Keep your mind on what is right

20 Don't drink too much wine or eat too much food.

21 Those who drink and eat too much become poor. They sleep too much and end up wearing rags

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not forget your mother when she is old.

23 Learn the truth and never reject it. Get wisdom, self-control, and understanding.

24 The father of a good child is very happy; parents who have wise children are glad because of them.

25 Make your father and mother happy; give your mother a reason to be glad.

26 My son, pay attention to me, and watch closely what I do.

27 A prostitute is as dangerous as a deep pit, and an unfaithful wife is like a narrow well.

28 They ambush you like robbers and cause many men to be unfaithful to their wives.

29 Who has trouble? Who has pain? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

30 It is people who drink too much wine, who try out all different kinds of strong drinks.

31 Don't stare at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.

32 Later it bites like a snake with poison in its fangs.

33 Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will be confused.

34 You will feel dizzy as if you're in a storm on the ocean, as if you're on top of a ship's sails.

35 You will think, "They hit me, but I'm not hurt. They beat me up, but I don't remember it. I wish I could wake up. Then I would get another drink."

Proverbs 24

1 Don't envy evil people or try to be friends with them.

2 Their minds are always planning violence, and they always talk about making trouble.

3 It takes wisdom to have a good family, and it takes understanding to make it strong.

4 It takes knowledge to fill a home with rare and beautiful treasures.

5 Wise people have great power, and those with knowledge have great strength.

6 So you need advice when you go to war. If you have lots of good advice, you will win.

7 Foolish people cannot understand wisdom. They have nothing to say in a discussion.

8 Whoever makes evil plans will be known as a troublemaker.

9 Making foolish plans is sinful, and making fun of wisdom is hateful.

10 If you give up when trouble comes, it shows that you are weak.

11 Save those who are being led to their death; rescue those who are about to be killed.

12 If you say, "We don't know anything about this," God, who knows what's in your mind, will notice. He is watching you, and he will know. He will reward each person for what he has done.

13 My child, eat honey because it is good. Honey from the honeycomb tastes sweet.

14 In the same way, wisdom is pleasing to you. If you find it, you have hope for the future, and your wishes will come true.

15 Don't be wicked and attack a good family's house; don't rob the place where they live.

16 Even though good people may be bothered by trouble seven times, they are never defeated, but the wicked are overwhelmed by trouble.

17 Don't be happy when your enemy is defeated; don't be glad when he is overwhelmed.

18 The Lord will notice and be displeased. He may not be angry with them anymore.

19 Don't envy evil people, and don't be jealous of the wicked.

20 An evil person has nothing to hope for; the wicked will die like a flame that is put out.

21 My child, respect the Lord and the king. Don't join those people who refuse to obey them.

22 The Lord and the king will quickly destroy such people. Those two can cause great disaster!

23 These are also sayings of the wise: It is not good to take sides when you are the judge.

24 Don't tell the wicked that they are innocent; people will curse you, and nations will hate you.

25 But things will go well if you punish the guilty, and you will receive rich blessings.

26 An honest answer is as pleasing as a kiss on the lips.

27 First, finish your outside work and prepare your fields. After that, you can build your house.

28 Don't testify against your neighbor for no good reason. Don't say things that are false.

29 Don't say, "I'll get even; I'll do to him what he did to me."

30 I passed by a lazy person's field and by the vineyard of someone with no sense.

31 Thorns had grown up everywhere. The ground was covered with weeds, and the stone walls had fallen down.

32 I thought about what I had seen; I learned this lesson from what I saw.

33 You sleep a little; you take a nap. You fold your hands and lie down to rest.

34 Soon you will be as poor as if you had been robbed; you will have as little as if you had been held up.

2 Corinthians 8

1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace God gave the churches in Macedonia.

2 They have been tested by great troubles, and they are very poor. But they gave much because of their great joy.

3 I can tell you that they gave as much as they were able and even more than they could afford. No one told them to do it.

4 But they begged and pleaded with us to let them share in this service for God's people.

5 And they gave in a way we did not expect: They first gave themselves to the Lord and to us. This is what God wants.

6 So we asked Titus to help you finish this special work of grace since he is the one who started it.

7 You are rich in everything -- in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in truly wanting to help, and in the love you learned from us. In the same way, be strong also in the grace of giving.

8 I am not commanding you to give. But I want to see if your love is true by comparing you with others that really want to help.

9 You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that Christ was rich, but for you he became poor so that by his becoming poor you might become rich.

10 This is what I think you should do: Last year you were the first to want to give, and you were the first who gave.

11 So now finish the work you started. Then your "doing" will be equal to your "wanting to do." Give from what you have.

12 If you want to give, your gift will be accepted. It will be judged by what you have, not by what you do not have.

13 We do not want you to have troubles while other people are at ease, but we want everything to be equal.

14 At this time you have plenty. What you have can help others who are in need. Then later, when they have plenty, they can help you when you are in need, and all will be equal.

15 As it is written in the Scriptures, "The person who gathered more did not have too much, nor did the person who gathered less have too little."

16 I thank God because he gave Titus the same love for you that I have.

17 Titus accepted what we asked him to do. He wanted very much to go to you, and this was his own idea.

18 We are sending with him the brother who is praised by all the churches because of his service in preaching the Good News.

19 Also, this brother was chosen by the churches to go with us when we deliver this gift of money. We are doing this service to bring glory to the Lord and to show that we really want to help.

20 We are being careful so that no one will criticize us for the way we are handling this large gift.

21 We are trying hard to do what the Lord accepts as right and also what people think is right.

22 Also, we are sending with them our brother, who is always ready to help. He has proved this to us in many ways, and he wants to help even more now, because he has much faith in you.

23 Now about Titus -- he is my partner who is working with me to help you. And about the other brothers -- they are sent from the churches, and they bring glory to Christ.

24 So show these men the proof of your love and the reason we are proud of you. Then all the churches can see it.