The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wiseand discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” So...
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in...
Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure....
“At the end of every seventh year you must cancel the debts of everyone who owes you money. This is how it must be done. Everyone must cancel the loans they have made to their fellow Israelites. They must not demand payment from their neighbors...
Send your grain across the seas,and in time, profits will flow back to you.But divide your investments among many places,for you do not know what risks might lie ahead. When clouds are heavy, the rains come down.Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where...
This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded...
Now I will sing for the one I lovea song about his vineyard:My beloved had a vineyardon a rich and fertile hill.He plowed the land, cleared its stones,and planted it with the best vines.In the middle he built a watchtowerand carved a winepress in the...
The Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,will take away from Jerusalem and Judaheverything they depend on:every bit of breadand every drop of water,all their heroes and soldiers,judges and prophets,fortune-tellers and elders,army officers and high officials,advisers, skilled sorcerers, and astrologers. I will make boys their leaders,and toddlers...
The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child brings joy to a father;a foolish child brings grief to a mother. Tainted wealth has no lasting value,but right living can save your life. The Lord will not let the godly go hungry,but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the...
Justice—do you rulers know the meaning of the word?Do you judge the people fairly?No! You plot injustice in your hearts.You spread violence throughout the land.These wicked people are born sinners;even from birth they have lied and gone their own way.They spit venom like deadly snakes;they...
As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink,so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor. A wise person chooses the right road;a fool takes the wrong one. You can identify foolsjust by the way they walk down the street! If your boss is angry...
Praise the Lord! Let all that I am praise the Lord.I will praise the Lord as long as I live.I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath. Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;there is no help for you there.When they breathe their last,...
“But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when...
But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ...
O God, we have heard it with our own ears—our ancestors have told usof all you did in their day,in days long ago:You drove out the pagan nations by your powerand gave all the land to our ancestors.You crushed their enemiesand set our ancestors free.They...
O Lord, God of my salvation,I cry out to you by day.I come to you at night.Now hear my prayer;listen to my cry.For my life is full of troubles,and death draws near.I am as good as dead,like a strong man with no strength left.They have...
This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious...
“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s...
Don’t worry about the wickedor envy those who do wrong.For like grass, they soon fade away.Like spring flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the Lord and do good.Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.Take delight in the Lord,and he will give you your...
Truly God is good to Israel,to those whose hearts are pure.But as for me, I almost lost my footing.My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.For I envied the proudwhen I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.They seem to live such painless lives;their bodies...
Why are the nations so angry?Why do they waste their time with futile plans?The kings of the earth prepare for battle;the rulers plot togetheragainst the Lordand against his anointed one.“Let us break their chains,” they cry,“and free ourselves from slavery to God.” But the one who...
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from...
How wonderful to be wise,to analyze and interpret things.Wisdom lights up a person’s face,softening its harshness. Obey the king since you vowed to God that you would. Don’t try to avoid doing your duty, and don’t stand with those who plot evil, for the king can...
As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one.No one is truly wise;no one is seeking God.All have turned away;all have become useless.No one does good,not a single one.”“Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.Their tongues are filled with lies.”“Snake venom...
Only fools say in their hearts,“There is no God.”They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;not one of them does good! The Lord looks down from heavenon the entire human race;he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,if anyone seeks God.But no, all have turned...