Proverbs 1; Proverbs 2; 1 Corinthians 16

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Proverbs 1

1 These are the wise words of Solomon son of David, king of Israel.
2 They teach wisdom and self-control; they will help you understand wise words.
3 They will teach you how to be wise and self-controlled and will teach you to do what is honest and fair and right.
4 They make the uneducated smarter and give knowledge and sense to the young.
5 Wise people can also listen and learn; even smart people can find good advice in these words.
6 Then anyone can understand wise words and stories, the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 Knowledge begins with respect for the Lord, but fools hate wisdom and self-control.
8 My child, listen to your father's teaching and do not forget your mother's advice.
9 Their teaching will be like flowers in your hair or a necklace around your neck.
10 My child, if sinners try to lead you into sin, do not follow them.
11 They will say, "Come with us. Let's ambush and kill someone; let's attack some innocent people just for fun.
12 Let's swallow them alive, as death does; let's swallow them whole, as the grave does.
13 We will take all kinds of valuable things and fill our houses with stolen goods.
14 Come join us, and we will share with you stolen goods."
15 My child, do not go along with them; do not do what they do.
16 They are eager to do evil and are quick to kill.
17 It is useless to spread out a net right where the birds can see it.
18 But sinners will fall into their own traps; they will only catch themselves!
19 All greedy people end up this way; greed kills selfish people.
20 Wisdom is like a woman shouting in the street; she raises her voice in the city squares.
21 She cries out in the noisy street and shouts at the city gates:
22 "You fools, how long will you be foolish? How long will you make fun of wisdom and hate knowledge?
23 If only you had listened when I corrected you, I would have told you what's in my heart; I would have told you what I am thinking.
24 I called, but you refused to listen; I held out my hand, but you paid no attention.
25 You did not follow my advice and did not listen when I corrected you.
26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble. I will make fun when disaster strikes you,
27 when disaster comes over you like a storm, when trouble strikes you like a whirlwind, when pain and trouble overwhelm you.
28 "Then you will call to me, but I will not answer. You will look for me, but you will not find me.
29 It is because you rejected knowledge and did not choose to respect the Lord.
30 You did not accept my advice, and you rejected my correction.
31 So you will get what you deserve; you will get what you planned for others.
32 Fools will die because they refuse to listen; they will be destroyed because they do not care.
33 But those who listen to me will live in safety and be at peace, without fear of injury."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 2

1 My child, listen to what I say and remember what I command you.
2 Listen carefully to wisdom; set your mind on understanding.
3 Cry out for wisdom, and beg for understanding.
4 Search for it like silver, and hunt for it like hidden treasure.
5 Then you will understand respect for the Lord, and you will find that you know God.
6 Only the Lord gives wisdom; he gives knowledge and understanding.
7 He stores up wisdom for those who are honest. Like a shield he protects the innocent.
8 He makes sure that justice is done, and he protects those who are loyal to him.
9 Then you will understand what is honest and fair and what is the good and right thing to do.
10 Wisdom will come into your mind, and knowledge will be pleasing to you.
11 Good sense will protect you; understanding will guard you.
12 It will keep you from the wicked, from those whose words are bad,
13 who don't do what is right but what is evil.
14 They enjoy doing wrong and are happy to do what is crooked and evil.
15 What they do is wrong, and their ways are dishonest.
16 It will save you from the unfaithful wife who tries to lead you into adultery with pleasing words.
17 She leaves the husband she married when she was young. She ignores the promise she made before God.
18 Her house is on the way to death; those who took that path are now all dead.
19 No one who goes to her comes back or walks the path of life again.
20 But wisdom will help you be good and do what is right.
21 Those who are honest will live in the land, and those who are innocent will remain in it.
22 But the wicked will be removed from the land, and the unfaithful will be thrown out of it.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

1 Corinthians 16

1 Now I will write about the collection of money for God's people. Do the same thing I told the Galatian churches to do:
2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should put aside money as you have been blessed. Save it up so you will not have to collect money after I come.
3 When I arrive, I will send whomever you approve to take your gift to Jerusalem. I will send them with letters of introduction,
4 and if it seems good for me to go also, they will go along with me.
5 I plan to go through Macedonia, so I will come to you after I go through there.
6 Perhaps I will stay with you for a time or even all winter. Then you can help me on my trip, wherever I go.
7 I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to stay a longer time with you if the Lord allows it.
8 But I will stay at Ephesus until Pentecost,
9 because a good opportunity for a great and growing work has been given to me now. And there are many people working against me.
10 If Timothy comes to you, see to it that he has nothing to fear with you, because he is working for the Lord just as I am.
11 So none of you should treat Timothy as unimportant, but help him on his trip in peace so that he can come back to me. I am expecting him to come with the brothers.
12 Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly encouraged him to visit you with the other brothers. He did not at all want to come now; he will come when he has the opportunity.
13 Be alert. Continue strong in the faith. Have courage, and be strong.
14 Do everything in love.
15 You know that the family of Stephanas were the first believers in Southern Greece and that they have given themselves to the service of God's people. I ask you, brothers and sisters,
16 to follow the leading of people like these and anyone else who works and serves with them.
17 I am happy that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come. You are not here, but they have filled your place.
18 They have refreshed my spirit and yours. You should recognize the value of people like these.
19 The churches in the country of Asia send greetings to you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you in the Lord, as does the church that meets in their house.
20 All the brothers and sisters here send greetings. Give each other a holy kiss when you meet.
21 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be separated from God -- lost forever! Come, O Lord!
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
24 My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.