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Proverbs 20, 21, 22

20Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
   and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion;
   anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits life itself.
3 It is honourable to refrain from strife,
   but every fool is quick to quarrel.
4 The lazy person does not plough in season;
   harvest comes, and there is nothing to be found.
5 The purposes in the human mind are like deep water,
   but the intelligent will draw them out.
6 Many proclaim themselves loyal,
   but who can find one worthy of trust?
7 The righteous walk in integrity—
   happy are the children who follow them!
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgement
   winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, ‘I have made my heart clean;
   I am pure from my sin’?
10 Diverse weights and diverse measures
   are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even children make themselves known by their acts,
   by whether what they do is pure and right.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye—
   the Lord has made them both.
13 Do not love sleep, or else you will come to poverty;
   open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
14 ‘Bad, bad’, says the buyer,
   then goes away and boasts.
15 There is gold, and abundance of costly stones;
   but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take the garment of one who has given surety for a stranger;
   seize the pledge given as surety for foreigners.
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet,
   but afterwards the mouth will be full of gravel.
18 Plans are established by taking advice;
   wage war by following wise guidance.
19 A gossip reveals secrets;
   therefore do not associate with a babbler.
20 If you curse father or mother,
   your lamp will go out in utter darkness.
21 An estate quickly acquired in the beginning
   will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’;
   wait for the Lord, and he will help you.
23 Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord,
   and false scales are not good.
24 All our steps are ordered by the Lord;
   how then can we understand our own ways?
25 It is a snare for one to say rashly, ‘It is holy’,
   and begin to reflect only after making a vow.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked,
   and drives the wheel over them.
27 The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord,
   searching every inmost part.
28 Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king,
   and his throne is upheld by righteousness.*
29 The glory of youths is their strength,
   but the beauty of the aged is their grey hair.
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
   beatings make clean the innermost parts.

21The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
   he turns it wherever he will.
2 All deeds are right in the sight of the doer,
   but the Lord weighs the heart.
3 To do righteousness and justice
   is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
   the lamp of the wicked—are sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
   but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
   is a fleeting vapour and a snare* of death.
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
   because they refuse to do what is just.
8 The way of the guilty is crooked,
   but the conduct of the pure is right.
9 It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
   than in a house shared with a contentious wife.
10 The souls of the wicked desire evil;
   their neighbours find no mercy in their eyes.
11 When a scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser;
   when the wise are instructed, they increase in knowledge.
12 The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
   he casts the wicked down to ruin.
13 If you close your ear to the cry of the poor,
   you will cry out and not be heard.
14 A gift in secret averts anger;
   and a concealed bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous,
   but dismay to evildoers.
16 Whoever wanders from the way of understanding
   will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;
   whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
   and the faithless for the upright.
19 It is better to live in a desert land
   than with a contentious and fretful wife.
20 Precious treasure remains* in the house of the wise,
   but the fool devours it.
21 Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
   will find life* and honour.
22 One wise person went up against a city of warriors
   and brought down the stronghold in which they trusted.
23 To watch over mouth and tongue
   is to keep out of trouble.
24 The proud, haughty person, named ‘Scoffer’,
   acts with arrogant pride.
25 The craving of the lazy person is fatal,
   for lazy hands refuse to labour.
26 All day long the wicked covet,*
   but the righteous give and do not hold back.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
   how much more when brought with evil intent.
28 A false witness will perish,
   but a good listener will testify successfully.
29 The wicked put on a bold face,
   but the upright give thought to* their ways.
30 No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel,
   can avail against the Lord.
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
   but the victory belongs to the Lord.

22A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
   and favour is better than silver or gold.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common:
   the Lord is the maker of them all.
3 The clever see danger and hide;
   but the simple go on, and suffer for it.
4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
   is riches and honour and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
   the cautious will keep far from them.
6 Train children in the right way,
   and when old, they will not stray.
7 The rich rules over the poor,
   and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
   and the rod of anger will fail.
9 Those who are generous are blessed,
   for they share their bread with the poor.
10 Drive out a scoffer, and strife goes out;
   quarrelling and abuse will cease.
11 Those who love a pure heart and are gracious in speech
   will have the king as a friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
   but he overthrows the words of the faithless.
13 The lazy person says, ‘There is a lion outside!
   I shall be killed in the streets!’
14 The mouth of a loose* woman is a deep pit;
   he with whom the Lord is angry falls into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a boy,
   but the rod of discipline drives it far away.
16 Oppressing the poor in order to enrich oneself,
   and giving to the rich, will lead only to loss.

Sayings of the Wise


17   The words of the wise:


Incline your ear and hear my words,*
   and apply your mind to my teaching;
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
   if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
   I have made them known to you today—yes, to you.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings
   of admonition and knowledge,
21 to show you what is right and true,
   so that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?


22 Do not rob the poor because they are poor,
   or crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 for the Lord pleads their cause
   and despoils of life those who despoil them.
24 Make no friends with those given to anger,
   and do not associate with hotheads,
25 or you may learn their ways
   and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Do not be one of those who give pledges,
   who become surety for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
   why should your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not remove the ancient landmark
   that your ancestors set up.
29 Do you see those who are skilful in their work?
   They will serve kings;
   they will not serve common people.

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Psalm 16

Song of Trust and Security in God

A Miktam of David.
1 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord;
   I have no good apart from you.’*


3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
   in whom is all my delight.


4 Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;*
   their drink-offerings of blood I will not pour out
   or take their names upon my lips.


5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
   you hold my lot.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
   I have a goodly heritage.


7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
   in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I keep the Lord always before me;
   because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.


9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
   my body also rests secure.
10 For you do not give me up to Sheol,
   or let your faithful one see the Pit.


11 You show me the path of life.
   In your presence there is fullness of joy;
   in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

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Ephesians 6

Children and Parents

6Children, obey your parents in the Lord,* for this is right. 2‘Honour your father and mother’—this is the first commandment with a promise: 3‘so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’

And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves and Masters

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ; 6not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. 7Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, 8knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are slaves or free.

And, masters, do the same to them. Stop threatening them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and with him there is no partiality.

The Whole Armour of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For our* struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16With all of these,* take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,* 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

Personal Matters and Benediction

21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus will tell you everything. He is a dear brother and a faithful minister in the Lord. 22I am sending him to you for this very purpose, to let you know how we are, and to encourage your hearts.

23 Peace be to the whole community,* and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.*

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30 June 2021

From the oremus Bible Browser https://bible.oremus.org v2.9.2 30 June 2021.