Chapter 13

1 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,

but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.

2 From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,

but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.

3 Those who guard their lips preserve their lives,

but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.

4 A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,

but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

5 The righteous hate what is false,

but the wicked make themselves a stench

and bring shame on themselves.

6 Righteousness guards the person of integrity,

but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

7 One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;

another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

8 A person’s riches may ransom their life,

but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.

9 The light of the righteous shines brightly,

but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

10 Where there is strife, there is pride,

but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

11 Dishonest money dwindles away,

but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

13 Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,

but whoever respects a command is rewarded.

14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,

turning a person from the snares of death.

15 Good judgment wins favor,

but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.

16 All who are prudent act with knowledge,

but fools expose their folly.

17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble,

but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.

18 Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,

but whoever heeds correction is honored.

19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,

but fools detest turning from evil.

20 Walk with the wise and become wise,

for a companion of fools suffers harm.

21 Trouble pursues the sinner,

but the righteous are rewarded with good things.

22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,

but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

23 An unplowed field produces food for the poor,

but injustice sweeps it away.

24 Whoever spares the rod hates their children,

but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

25 The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,

but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.

Chapter 14

1 The wise woman builds her house,

but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

2 Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly,

but those who despise him are devious in their ways.

3 A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride,

but the lips of the wise protect them.

4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,

but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests.

5 An honest witness does not deceive,

but a false witness pours out lies.

6 The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,

but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

7 Stay away from a fool,

for you will not find knowledge on their lips.

8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,

but the folly of fools is deception.

9 Fools mock at making amends for sin,

but goodwill is found among the upright.

10 Each heart knows its own bitterness,

and no one else can share its joy.

11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,

but the tent of the upright will flourish.

12 There is a way that appears to be right,

but in the end it leads to death.

13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,

and rejoicing may end in grief.

14 The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways,

and the good rewarded for theirs.

15 The simple believe anything,

but the prudent give thought to their steps.

16 The wise fear the Lord and shun evil,

but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure.

17 A quick-tempered person does foolish things,

and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.

18 The simple inherit folly,

but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

19 Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good,

and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20 The poor are shunned even by their neighbors,

but the rich have many friends.

21 It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor,

but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.

22 Do not those who plot evil go astray?

But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.

23 All hard work brings a profit,

but mere talk leads only to poverty.

24 The wealth of the wise is their crown,

but the folly of fools yields folly.

25 A truthful witness saves lives,

but a false witness is deceitful.

26 Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,

and for their children it will be a refuge.

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,

turning a person from the snares of death.

28 A large population is a king’s glory,

but without subjects a prince is ruined.

29 Whoever is patient has great understanding,

but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

30 A heart at peace gives life to the body,

but envy rots the bones.

31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,

but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

32 When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down,

but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.

33 Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning

and even among fools she lets herself be known.

34 Righteousness exalts a nation,

but sin condemns any people.

35 A king delights in a wise servant,

but a shameful servant arouses his fury.

Chapter 15

1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,

but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

3 The eyes of the Lord are everywhere,

keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

4 The soothing tongue is a tree of life,

but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

5 A fool spurns a parent’s discipline,

but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.

6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure,

but the income of the wicked brings ruin.

7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge,

but the hearts of fools are not upright.

8 The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked,

but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

9 The Lord detests the way of the wicked,

but he loves those who pursue righteousness.

10 Stern discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path;

the one who hates correction will die.

11 Death and Destruction lie open before the Lord—

how much more do human hearts!

12 Mockers resent correction,

so they avoid the wise.

13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful,

but heartache crushes the spirit.

14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,

but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched,

but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

16 Better a little with the fear of the Lord

than great wealth with turmoil.

17 Better a small serving of vegetables with love

than a fattened calf with hatred.

18 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict,

but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.

19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,

but the path of the upright is a highway.

20 A wise son brings joy to his father,

but a foolish man despises his mother.

21 Folly brings joy to one who has no sense,

but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course.

22 Plans fail for lack of counsel,

but with many advisers they succeed.

23 A person finds joy in giving an apt reply—

and how good is a timely word!

24 The path of life leads upward for the prudent

to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.

25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud,

but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.

26 The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked,

but gracious words are pure in his sight.

27 The greedy bring ruin to their households,

but the one who hates bribes will live.

28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,

but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

29 The Lord is far from the wicked,

but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

30 Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart,

and good news gives health to the bones.

31 Whoever heeds life-giving correction

will be at home among the wise.

32 Those who disregard discipline despise themselves,

but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.

33 Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord,

and humility comes before honor.

Chapter 11

The Remnant of Israel

1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, 8 as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,

eyes that could not see

and ears that could not hear,

to this very day.”

9 And David says:

“May their table become a snare and a trap,

a stumbling block and a retribution for them.

10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,

and their backs be bent forever.”

Ingrafted Branches

11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

All Israel Will Be Saved

25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:

“The deliverer will come from Zion;

he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.

27 And this is my covenant with them

when I take away their sins.”

28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

Doxology

33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable his judgments,

and his paths beyond tracing out!

34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?

Or who has been his counselor?”

35 “Who has ever given to God,

that God should repay them?”

36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.

To him be the glory forever! Amen.