Proverbs 1:20-33
Christian Standard Bible
Wisdom’s Plea
20 Wisdom calls out in the street;
she makes her voice heard in the public squares.(A)
21 She cries out above[a] the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
22 “How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers(B) enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?(C)
23 If you respond to my warning,[b](D)
then I will pour out my spirit on you(E)
and teach you my words.
24 Since I called out and you refused,(F)
extended my hand and no one paid attention,(G)
25 since you neglected all my counsel(H)
and did not accept my correction,
26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.(I)
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will search for me, but won’t find me.(J)
29 Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear the Lord,(K)
30 were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,(L)
31 they will eat the fruit of their way(M)
and be glutted with their own schemes.(N)
32 For the apostasy of the inexperienced will kill them,(O)
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be undisturbed by the dread of danger.”(P)
Proverbs 8
Christian Standard Bible
Wisdom’s Appeal
8 Doesn’t wisdom(A) call out?
Doesn’t understanding make her voice heard?
2 At the heights overlooking the road,
at the crossroads, she takes her stand.
3 Beside the gates(B) leading into the city,
at the main entrance, she cries out:
4 “People, I call out to you;
my cry is to the children of Adam.
5 Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced;
develop common sense, you who are foolish.
6 Listen, for I speak of noble things,
and what my lips say is right.
7 For my mouth tells the truth,(C)
and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
8 All the words from my mouth are righteous;
none of them are deceptive or perverse.(D)
9 All of them are clear to the perceptive,(E)
and right to those who discover knowledge.
10 Accept my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than pure gold.(F)
11 For wisdom is better than jewels,(G)
and nothing desirable can equal it.(H)
12 I, wisdom, share a home with shrewdness
and have knowledge and discretion.(I)
13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil.(J)
I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct,
and perverse speech.
14 I possess good advice and sound wisdom;[a]
I have understanding and strength.(K)
15 It is by me that kings reign(L)
and rulers enact just law;
16 by me, princes lead,
as do nobles and all righteous judges.[b]
17 I love those who love me,(M)
and those who search for me find me.(N)
18 With me are riches and honor,(O)
lasting wealth and righteousness.(P)
19 My fruit is better than solid gold,
and my harvest than pure silver.(Q)
20 I walk in the ways of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21 giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
22 “The Lord acquired[c] me
at the beginning of his creation,[d]
before his works of long ago.(R)
23 I was formed[e] before ancient times,
from the beginning, before the earth began.(S)
24 I was born
when there were no watery depths(T)
and no springs filled with water.
25 Before the mountains were established,
prior to the hills,(U) I was given birth—
26 before he made the land, the fields,
or the first soil on earth.
27 I was there when he established the heavens,(V)
when he laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,(W)
28 when he placed the skies above,
when the fountains of the ocean gushed out,
29 when he set a limit for the sea
so that the waters would not violate his command,(X)
when he laid out the foundations of the earth.(Y)
30 I was a skilled craftsman[f] beside him.(Z)
I was his[g] delight every day,
always rejoicing before him.
31 I was rejoicing in his inhabited world,(AA)
delighting in the children of Adam.(AB)
32 “And now, sons, listen to me;
those who keep my ways are happy.(AC)
33 Listen to instruction and be wise;(AD)
don’t ignore it.
34 Anyone who listens to me is happy,(AE)
watching at my doors every day,
waiting by the posts of my doorway.
35 For the one who finds me finds life(AF)
and obtains favor from the Lord,(AG)
36 but the one who misses me[h] harms himself;(AH)
all who hate me love death.”(AI)
Matthew 23:34
Christian Standard Bible
34 This is why I am sending you prophets,(A) sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues(B) and pursue from town to town.
Read full chapterThe Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Bible Gateway Recommends
