Vote With Vision: Praying God’s Will Over Elections

El-Roi the God Who Sees Me

Thankful Through the Struggle

Giving Thanks in Every Season

Daily Reading Plan With Christian Mael (December)

Moving Toward Each Other in the Middle of a Divisive World

Advent Guide: You Belong

5 Spiritual Practices for Healing and Transformation

Embracing Wonder: A 5-Week Advent Devotional From Matthew West

Our Father

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkMAT">
 <div class="chapter ch7" data-usfm="MAT.7">
 <div class="label">7</div><div class="s1">Judging Others</div><div class="p"> 1 &#8220;Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.</div><div class="p"> 3 &#8220;Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother&#8217;s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, &#8216;Let me take the speck out of your eye,&#8217; when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother&#8217;s eye.</div><div class="p"> 6 &#8220;Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.</div><div class="s1">Ask, Seek, Knock</div><div class="p"> 7 &#8220;Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.</div><div class="p"> 9 &#8220;Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.</div><div class="s1">The Narrow and Wide Gates</div><div class="p"> 13 &#8220;Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.</div><div class="s1">True and False Prophets</div><div class="p"> 15 &#8220;Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep&#8217;s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.</div><div class="s1">True and False Disciples</div><div class="p"> 21 &#8220;Not everyone who says to me, &#8216;Lord, Lord,&#8217; will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, &#8216;Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?&#8217; 23Then I will tell them plainly, &#8216;I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!&#8217;</div><div class="s1">The Wise and Foolish Builders</div><div class="p"> 24 &#8220;Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkMAT">
 <div class="chapter ch8" data-usfm="MAT.8">
 <div class="label">8</div><div class="s1">Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy</div><div class="p"> 1When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2A man with leprosy#8:2 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin. came and knelt before him and said, &#8220;Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. &#8220;I am willing,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Be clean!&#8221; Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4Then Jesus said to him, &#8220;See that you don&#8217;t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Faith of the Centurion</div><div class="p"> 5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6&#8220;Lord,&#8221; he said, &#8220;my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7Jesus said to him, &#8220;Shall I come and heal him?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8The centurion replied, &#8220;Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, &#8216;Go,&#8217; and he goes; and that one, &#8216;Come,&#8217; and he comes. I say to my servant, &#8216;Do this,&#8217; and he does it.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, &#8220;Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13Then Jesus said to the centurion, &#8220;Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.&#8221; And his servant was healed at that moment.</div><div class="s1">Jesus Heals Many</div><div class="p"> 14When Jesus came into Peter&#8217;s house, he saw Peter&#8217;s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.</div><div class="p"> 16When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;He took up our infirmities</div><div class="q2">and bore our diseases.&#8221;#8:17 Isaiah 53:4 (see Septuagint)</div><div class="s1">The Cost of Following Jesus</div><div class="p"> 18When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, &#8220;Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 20Jesus replied, &#8220;Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21Another disciple said to him, &#8220;Lord, first let me go and bury my father.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22But Jesus told him, &#8220;Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Calms the Storm</div><div class="p"> 23Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25The disciples went and woke him, saying, &#8220;Lord, save us! We&#8217;re going to drown!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26He replied, &#8220;You of little faith, why are you so afraid?&#8221; Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.</div><div class="p"> 27The men were amazed and asked, &#8220;What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Restores Two Demon-Possessed Men</div><div class="p"> 28When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes,#8:28 Some manuscripts Gergesenes; other manuscripts Gerasenes two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29&#8220;What do you want with us, Son of God?&#8221; they shouted. &#8220;Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 30Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31The demons begged Jesus, &#8220;If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 32He said to them, &#8220;Go!&#8221; So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkMAT">
 <div class="chapter ch9" data-usfm="MAT.9">
 <div class="label">9</div><div class="s1">Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man</div><div class="p"> 1Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, &#8220;Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, &#8220;This fellow is blaspheming!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, &#8220;Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5Which is easier: to say, &#8216;Your sins are forgiven,&#8217; or to say, &#8216;Get up and walk&#8217;? 6But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.&#8221; So he said to the paralyzed man, &#8220;Get up, take your mat and go home.&#8221; 7Then the man got up and went home. 8When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.</div><div class="s1">The Calling of Matthew</div><div class="p"> 9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector&#8217;s booth. &#8220;Follow me,&#8221; he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.</div><div class="p"> 10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew&#8217;s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, &#8220;Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12On hearing this, Jesus said, &#8220;It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: &#8216;I desire mercy, not sacrifice.&#8217;#9:13 Hosea 6:6 For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Questioned About Fasting</div><div class="p"> 14Then John&#8217;s disciples came and asked him, &#8220;How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15Jesus answered, &#8220;How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.</div><div class="p"> 16 &#8220;No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman</div><div class="p"> 18While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, &#8220;My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.&#8221; 19Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.</div><div class="p"> 20Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21She said to herself, &#8220;If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22Jesus turned and saw her. &#8220;Take heart, daughter,&#8221; he said, &#8220;your faith has healed you.&#8221; And the woman was healed at that moment.</div><div class="p"> 23When Jesus entered the synagogue leader&#8217;s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, 24he said, &#8220;Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.&#8221; But they laughed at him. 25After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26News of this spread through all that region.</div><div class="s1">Jesus Heals the Blind and the Mute</div><div class="p"> 27As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, &#8220;Have mercy on us, Son of David!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 28When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, &#8220;Do you believe that I am able to do this?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Yes, Lord,&#8221; they replied.</div><div class="p"> 29Then he touched their eyes and said, &#8220;According to your faith let it be done to you&#8221;; 30and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, &#8220;See that no one knows about this.&#8221; 31But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.</div><div class="p"> 32While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 33And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, &#8220;Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 34But the Pharisees said, &#8220;It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Workers Are Few</div><div class="p"> 35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, &#8220;The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.&#8221;</div>
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 <div class="chapter ch5" data-usfm="GEN.5">
 <div class="label">5</div><div class="s1">From Adam to Noah</div><div class="p"> 1This is the written account of Adam&#8217;s family line.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p">When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. 2He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them &#8220;Mankind&#8221;#5:2 Hebrew adam when they were created.</div><div class="p"> 3When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. 4After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 5Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.</div><div class="p"> 6When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father#5:6 Father may mean ancestor; also in verses 7-26. of Enosh. 7After he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters. 8Altogether, Seth lived a total of 912 years, and then he died.</div><div class="p"> 9When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan. 10After he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters. 11Altogether, Enosh lived a total of 905 years, and then he died.</div><div class="p"> 12When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel. 13After he became the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters. 14Altogether, Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died.</div><div class="p"> 15When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared. 16After he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters. 17Altogether, Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years, and then he died.</div><div class="p"> 18When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. 19After he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20Altogether, Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.</div><div class="p"> 21When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.</div><div class="p"> 25When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. 26After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.</div><div class="p"> 28When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. 29He named him Noah#5:29 Noah sounds like the Hebrew for comfort. and said, &#8220;He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.&#8221; 30After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. 31Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died.</div><div class="p"> 32After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.</div>
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 <div class="chapter ch6" data-usfm="GEN.6">
 <div class="label">6</div><div class="s1">Wickedness in the World</div><div class="p"> 1When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3Then the Lord said, &#8220;My Spirit will not contend with#6:3 Or My spirit will not remain in humans forever, for they are mortal#6:3 Or corrupt; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days&#8212;and also afterward&#8212;when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.</div><div class="p"> 5The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7So the Lord said, &#8220;I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created&#8212;and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground&#8212;for I regret that I have made them.&#8221; 8But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.</div><div class="s1">Noah and the Flood</div><div class="p"> 9This is the account of Noah and his family.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p">Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.</div><div class="p"> 11Now the earth was corrupt in God&#8217;s sight and was full of violence. 12God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13So God said to Noah, &#8220;I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14So make yourself an ark of cypress#6:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain. wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high.#6:15 That is, about 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high or about 135 meters long, 23 meters wide and 14 meters high 16Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit#6:16 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters high all around.#6:16 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark&#8212;you and your sons and your wife and your sons&#8217; wives with you. 19You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22Noah did everything just as God commanded him.</div>
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 <div class="chapter ch2" data-usfm="PSA.2">
 <div class="label">2</div><div class="cl">Psalm 2</div><div class="q1"> 1Why do the nations conspire#2:1 Hebrew; Septuagint rage</div><div class="q2">and the peoples plot in vain?</div><div class="q1"> 2The kings of the earth rise up</div><div class="q2">and the rulers band together</div><div class="q2">against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,</div><div class="q1"> 3&#8220;Let us break their chains</div><div class="q2">and throw off their shackles.&#8221;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 4The One enthroned in heaven laughs;</div><div class="q2">the Lord scoffs at them.</div><div class="q1"> 5He rebukes them in his anger</div><div class="q2">and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,</div><div class="q1"> 6&#8220;I have installed my king</div><div class="q2">on Zion, my holy mountain.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7I will proclaim the Lord&#8217;s decree:</div><div class="q1">He said to me, &#8220;You are my son;</div><div class="q2">today I have become your father.</div><div class="q1"> 8Ask me,</div><div class="q2">and I will make the nations your inheritance,</div><div class="q2">the ends of the earth your possession.</div><div class="q1"> 9You will break them with a rod of iron#2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac);</div><div class="q2">you will dash them to pieces like pottery.&#8221;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 10Therefore, you kings, be wise;</div><div class="q2">be warned, you rulers of the earth.</div><div class="q1"> 11Serve the Lord with fear</div><div class="q2">and celebrate his rule with trembling.</div><div class="q1"> 12Kiss his son, or he will be angry</div><div class="q2">and your way will lead to your destruction,</div><div class="q1">for his wrath can flare up in a moment.</div><div class="q2">Blessed are all who take refuge in him.</div>
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 <div class="book bkPRO">
 <div class="chapter ch1" data-usfm="PRO.1">
 <div class="label">1</div><div class="ms1">Purpose and Theme</div><div class="p"> 1The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:</div><div class="q1"> 2for gaining wisdom and instruction;</div><div class="q2">for understanding words of insight;</div><div class="q1"> 3for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,</div><div class="q2">doing what is right and just and fair;</div><div class="q1"> 4for giving prudence to those who are simple,#1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs denotes a person who is gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil.</div><div class="q2">knowledge and discretion to the young&#8212;</div><div class="q1"> 5let the wise listen and add to their learning,</div><div class="q2">and let the discerning get guidance&#8212;</div><div class="q1"> 6for understanding proverbs and parables,</div><div class="q2">the sayings and riddles of the wise.#1:6 Or understanding a proverb, namely, a parable, / and the sayings of the wise, their riddles</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 7The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,</div><div class="q2">but fools#1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient. despise wisdom and instruction.</div><div class="ms1">Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom</div><div class="s1">Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men</div><div class="q1"> 8Listen, my son, to your father&#8217;s instruction</div><div class="q2">and do not forsake your mother&#8217;s teaching.</div><div class="q1"> 9They are a garland to grace your head</div><div class="q2">and a chain to adorn your neck.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 10My son, if sinful men entice you,</div><div class="q2">do not give in to them.</div><div class="q1"> 11If they say, &#8220;Come along with us;</div><div class="q2">let&#8217;s lie in wait for innocent blood,</div><div class="q2">let&#8217;s ambush some harmless soul;</div><div class="q1"> 12let&#8217;s swallow them alive, like the grave,</div><div class="q2">and whole, like those who go down to the pit;</div><div class="q1"> 13we will get all sorts of valuable things</div><div class="q2">and fill our houses with plunder;</div><div class="q1"> 14cast lots with us;</div><div class="q2">we will all share the loot&#8221;&#8212;</div><div class="q1"> 15my son, do not go along with them,</div><div class="q2">do not set foot on their paths;</div><div class="q1"> 16for their feet rush into evil,</div><div class="q2">they are swift to shed blood.</div><div class="q1"> 17How useless to spread a net</div><div class="q2">where every bird can see it!</div><div class="q1"> 18These men lie in wait for their own blood;</div><div class="q2">they ambush only themselves!</div><div class="q1"> 19Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;</div><div class="q2">it takes away the life of those who get it.</div><div class="s1">Wisdom&#8217;s Rebuke</div><div class="q1"> 20Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,</div><div class="q2">she raises her voice in the public square;</div><div class="q1"> 21on top of the wall#1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners she cries out,</div><div class="q2">at the city gate she makes her speech:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 22&#8220;How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?</div><div class="q2">How long will mockers delight in mockery</div><div class="q2">and fools hate knowledge?</div><div class="q1"> 23Repent at my rebuke!</div><div class="q2">Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,</div><div class="q2">I will make known to you my teachings.</div><div class="q1"> 24But since you refuse to listen when I call</div><div class="q2">and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,</div><div class="q1"> 25since you disregard all my advice</div><div class="q2">and do not accept my rebuke,</div><div class="q1"> 26I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;</div><div class="q2">I will mock when calamity overtakes you&#8212;</div><div class="q1"> 27when calamity overtakes you like a storm,</div><div class="q2">when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,</div><div class="q2">when distress and trouble overwhelm you.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 28&#8220;Then they will call to me but I will not answer;</div><div class="q2">they will look for me but will not find me,</div><div class="q1"> 29since they hated knowledge</div><div class="q2">and did not choose to fear the Lord.</div><div class="q1"> 30Since they would not accept my advice</div><div class="q2">and spurned my rebuke,</div><div class="q1"> 31they will eat the fruit of their ways</div><div class="q2">and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.</div><div class="q1"> 32For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,</div><div class="q2">and the complacency of fools will destroy them;</div><div class="q1"> 33but whoever listens to me will live in safety</div><div class="q2">and be at ease, without fear of harm.&#8221;</div>
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