Grace, Redemption, and the Sabbath's Rest

1. “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond. It is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of your altars. 2. Even their children remember their altars and their Asherah poles by the green trees on the high hills. 3. My mountain in the field, I will give your substance and all your treasures for a plunder, and your high places, because of sin, throughout all your borders. 4. You, even of yourself, will discontinue from your heritage that I gave you. I will cause you to serve your enemies in the land which you don’t know, for you have kindled a fire in my anger which will burn forever.” 5. Yahweh says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, relies on strength of flesh, and whose heart departs from Yahweh. 6. For he will be like a bush in the desert, and will not see when good comes, but will inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, an uninhabited salt land. 7. “Blessed is the man who trusts in Yahweh, and whose confidence is in Yahweh. 8. For he will be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green; and will not be concerned in the year of drought. It won’t cease from yielding fruit. 9. The heart is deceitful above all things and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it? 10. “I, Yahweh, search the mind. I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” 11. As the partridge that sits on eggs which she has not laid, so is he who gets riches, and not by right. In the middle of his days, they will leave him. At his end, he will be a fool. 12. A glorious throne, set on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary. 13. Yahweh, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be disappointed. Those who depart from me will be written in the earth, because they have forsaken Yahweh, the spring of living waters. 14. Heal me, O Yahweh, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved; for you are my praise. 15. Behold, they tell me, “Where is Yahweh’s word? Let it be fulfilled now.” 16. As for me, I have not hurried from being a shepherd after you. I haven’t desired the woeful day. You know. That which came out of my lips was before your face. 17. Don’t be a terror to me. You are my refuge in the day of evil. 18. Let them be disappointed who persecute me, but let not me be disappointed. Let them be dismayed, but don’t let me be dismayed. Bring on them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction. 19. Yahweh said this to me: “Go, and stand in the gate of the children of the people, through which the kings of Judah come in and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem. 20. Tell them, ‘Hear Yahweh’s word, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates: 21. Yahweh says, “Be careful, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem. 22. Don’t carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day. Don’t do any work, but make the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers. 23. But they didn’t listen. They didn’t turn their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction. 24. It will happen, if you diligently listen to me,” says Yahweh, “to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but to make the Sabbath day holy, to do no work therein; 25. then there will enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on David’s throne, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city will remain forever. 26. They will come from the cities of Judah, and from the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill country, and from the South, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, meal offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving, to Yahweh’s house. 27. But if you will not listen to me to make the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem. It will not be quenched.”’” 1. The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, 2. “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words.” 3. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was making something on the wheels. 4. When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. 5. Then Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 6. “House of Israel, can’t I do with you as this potter?” says Yahweh. “Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel. 7. At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it; 8. if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them. 9. At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; 10. if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good with which I said I would benefit them. 11. “Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Yahweh says: “Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a plan against you. Everyone return from his evil way now, and amend your ways and your doings.”’ 12. But they say, ‘It is in vain; for we will walk after our own plans, and we will each follow the stubbornness of his evil heart.’” 13. Therefore Yahweh says: “Ask now among the nations, ‘Who has heard such things?’ The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing. 14. Will the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? Will the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up? 15. For my people have forgotten me. They have burned incense to false gods. They have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in byways, in a way not built up; 16. to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing. Everyone who passes thereby will be astonished, and shake his head. 17. I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy. I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity. 18. Then they said, “Come, and let us devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law won’t perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.” 19. Give heed to me, Yahweh, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me. 20. Should evil be recompensed for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them. 21. Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives become childless, and widows. Let their men be killed, and their young men struck by the sword in battle. 22. Let a cry be heard from their houses, when you bring a troop suddenly on them; for they have dug a pit to take me, and hidden snares for my feet. 23. Yet, Yahweh, you know all their counsel against me to kill me. Don’t forgive their iniquity. Don’t blot out their sin from your sight, Let them be overthrown before you. Deal with them in the time of your anger. 1. Thus said Yahweh, “Go, and buy a potter’s earthen bottle, and take some of the elders of the people, and of the elders of the priests; 2. and go out to the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the gate Harsith, and proclaim there the words that I will tell you. 3. Say, ‘Hear Yahweh’s word, kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem: Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel says, “Behold, I will bring evil on this place, which whoever hears, his ears will tingle. 4. Because they have forsaken me, and have defiled this place, and have burned incense in it to other gods, that they didn’t know, they and their fathers and the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents, 5. and have built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons in the fire for burnt offerings to Baal; which I didn’t command, nor speak, which didn’t even enter into my mind: 6. therefore, behold, the days come,” says Yahweh, “that this place will no more be called ‘Topheth’, nor ‘The Valley of the son of Hinnom’, but ‘The valley of Slaughter’. 7. “‘“I will make the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem void in this place. I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life. I will give their dead bodies to be food for the birds of the sky and for the animals of the earth. 8. I will make this city an astonishment and a hissing. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished and hiss because of all its plagues. 9. I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters. They will each eat the flesh of his friend in the siege and in the distress, with which their enemies, and those who seek their life, will distress them.”’ 10. “Then you shall break the bottle in the sight of the men who go with you, 11. and shall tell them, ‘Yahweh of Armies says: “Even so I will break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter’s vessel, that can’t be made whole again. They will bury in Topheth, until there is no place to bury. 12. Thus will I do to this place,” says Yahweh, “and to its inhabitants, even making this city as Topheth. 13. The houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, which are defiled, will be as the place of Topheth, even all the houses on whose roofs they have burned incense to all the army of the sky, and have poured out drink offerings to other gods.”’” 14. Then Jeremiah came from Topheth, where Yahweh had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of Yahweh’s house, and said to all the people: 15. “Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel says, ‘Behold, I will bring on this city and on all its towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have made their neck stiff, that they may not hear my words.’” 1. Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in Yahweh’s house, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. 2. Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper gate of Benjamin, which was in Yahweh’s house. 3. On the next day, Pashhur released Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then Jeremiah said to him, “Yahweh has not called your name Pashhur, but Magormissabib. 4. For Yahweh says, ‘Behold, I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They will fall by the sword of their enemies, and your eyes will see it. I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will carry them captive to Babylon, and will kill them with the sword. 5. Moreover I will give all the riches of this city, and all its gains, and all its precious things, yes, I will give all the treasures of the kings of Judah into the hand of their enemies. They will make them captives, take them, and carry them to Babylon. 6. You, Pashhur, and all who dwell in your house will go into captivity. You will come to Babylon, and there you will die, and there you will be buried, you, and all your friends, to whom you have prophesied falsely.’” 7. Yahweh, you have persuaded me, and I was persuaded. You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I have become a laughing-stock all day. Everyone mocks me. 8. For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, “Violence and destruction!” because Yahweh’s word has been made a reproach to me, and a derision, all day. 9. If I say, I will not make mention of him, or speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I can’t. 10. For I have heard the defaming of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce, and we will denounce him!” say all my familiar friends, those who watch for my fall. “Perhaps he will be persuaded, and we will prevail against him, and we will take our revenge on him.” 11. But Yahweh is with me as an awesome mighty one. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they won’t prevail. They will be utterly disappointed, because they have not dealt wisely, even with an everlasting dishonor which will never be forgotten. 12. But, Yahweh of Armies, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance on them; for to you I have revealed my cause. 13. Sing to Yahweh! Praise Yahweh, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hand of evildoers. 14. Cursed is the day in which I was born. Don’t let the day in which my mother bore me be blessed. 15. Cursed is the man who brought news to my father, saying, “A boy is born to you,” making him very glad. 16. Let that man be as the cities which Yahweh overthrew, and didn’t repent. Let him hear a cry in the morning, and shouting at noontime; 17. because he didn’t kill me from the womb. So my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great. 18. Why did I come out of the womb to see labor and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ; 4. even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love; 5. having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, 6. to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved, 7. in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8. which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9. making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him 10. to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, in him; 11. in whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will; 12. to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ. 13. In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14. who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory. 15. For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which you have toward all the saints, 16. don’t cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, 17. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; 18. having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19. and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might 20. which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21. far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. 22. He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, 23. which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. 1. You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, 2. in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience; 3. among whom we also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4. But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, 5. even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6. and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7. that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus; 8. for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9. not of works, that no one would boast. 10. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them. 11. Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “uncircumcision” by that which is called “circumcision”, (in the flesh, made by hands); 12. that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ. 14. For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition, 15. having abolished in his flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace; 16. and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility thereby. 17. He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. 18. For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19. So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, 20. being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; 21. in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22. in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. 1. For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles, 2. if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you; 3. how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words, 4. by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; 5. which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6. that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News, 7. of which I was made a servant, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power. 8. To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9. and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10. to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places, 11. according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord; 12. in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him. 13. Therefore I ask that you may not lose heart at my troubles for you, which are your glory. 14. For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15. from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16. that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; 17. that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18. may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, 19. and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20. Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21. to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. 1. I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, 2. with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love; 3. being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling; 5. one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6. one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all. 7. But to each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8. Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” 9. Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10. He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. 11. He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; 12. for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13. until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14. that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; 15. but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ; 16. from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love. 17. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18. being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts; 19. who having become callous gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20. But you did not learn Christ that way; 21. if indeed you heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: 22. that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23. and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24. and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. 25. Therefore putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members of one another. 26. “Be angry, and don’t sin.” Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath, 27. and don’t give place to the devil. 28. Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need. 29. Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30. Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice. 32. And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you. 1. Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children. 2. Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance. 3. But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints; 4. nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate; but rather giving of thanks. 5. Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. 6. Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. 7. Therefore don’t be partakers with them. 8. For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9. for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, 10. proving what is well pleasing to the Lord. 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even reprove them. 12. For the things which are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. 13. But all things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that reveals is light. 14. Therefore he says, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15. Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise; 16. redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17. Therefore don’t be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18. Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19. speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing, and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20. giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; 21. subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ. 22. Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body. 24. But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything. 25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; 26. that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, 27. that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without defect. 28. Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. 29. For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly; 30. because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. 31. “For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh.” 32. This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly. 33. Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband. 1. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise: 3. “that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.” 4. You fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 5. Servants, be obedient to those who according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ; 6. not in the way of service only when eyes are on you, as men pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7. with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men; 8. knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive the same again from the Lord, whether he is bound or free. 9. You masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him. 10. Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. 11. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13. Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. 14. Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15. and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace; 16. above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. 17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18. with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints: 19. on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News, 20. for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. 21. But that you also may know my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things; 22. whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts. 23. Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love. Amen.

1. Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. 2. Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest. 3. A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools! 4. Don’t answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him. 5. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. 6. One who sends a message by the hand of a fool is cutting off feet and drinking violence. 7. Like the legs of the lame that hang loose, so is a parable in the mouth of fools. 8. As one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool. 9. Like a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools. 10. As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by. 11. As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly. 12. Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. 13. The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!” 14. As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed. 15. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. 16. The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion. 17. Like one who grabs a dog’s ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own. 18. Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death, 19. is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?” 20. For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down. 21. As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife. 22. The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts. 23. Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart. 24. A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart. 25. When his speech is charming, don’t believe him; for there are seven abominations in his heart. 26. His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. 27. Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him. 28. A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.