16 The plans of the heart belong to man,
    but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
² All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
    but the Lord weighs the spirit.
³ Commit your work to the Lord,
    and your plans will be established.
⁴ The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
    even the wicked for the day of trouble.
⁵ Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
    be assured, he will not go unpunished.
⁶ By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
    and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.
⁷ When a man’s ways please the Lord,
    he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
⁸ Better is a little with righteousness
    than great revenues with injustice.
⁹ The heart of man plans his way,
    but the Lord establishes his steps.
¹⁰ An oracle is on the lips of a king;
    his mouth does not sin in judgment.
¹¹ A just balance and scales are the Lord‘s;
    all the weights in the bag are his work.
¹² It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
    for the throne is established by righteousness.
¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
    and he loves him who speaks what is right.
¹⁴ A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
    and a wise man will appease it.
¹⁵ In the light of a king’s face there is life,
    and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
¹⁶ How much better to get wisdom than gold!
    To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
¹⁷ The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;
    whoever guards his way preserves his life.
¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
    and a haughty spirit before a fall.
¹⁹ It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
    than to divide the spoil with the proud.
²⁰ Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good,
    and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
²¹ The wise of heart is called discerning,
    and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
²² Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,
    but the instruction of fools is folly.
²³ The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
    and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
²⁴ Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
²⁵ There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.
²⁶ A worker’s appetite works for him;
    his mouth urges him on.
²⁷ A worthless man plots evil,
    and his speech is like a scorching fire.
²⁸ A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.
²⁹ A man of violence entices his neighbor
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰ Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things;
    he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
³¹ Gray hair is a crown of glory;
    it is gained in a righteous life.
³² Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
³³ The lot is cast into the lap,
    but its every decision is from the Lord.
17 Better is a dry morsel with quiet
    than a house full of feasting with strife.
² A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully
    and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
³ The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    and the Lord tests hearts.
⁴ An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
⁵ Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;
    he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
⁶ Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their fathers.
⁷ Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;
    still less is false speech to a prince.
⁸ A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
    wherever he turns he prospers.
⁹ Whoever covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
¹⁰ A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹ An evil man seeks only rebellion,
    and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
¹² Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    rather than a fool in his folly.
¹³ If anyone returns evil for good,
    evil will not depart from his house.
¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
¹⁵ He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶ Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom
    when he has no sense?
¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity.
¹⁸ One who lacks sense gives a pledge
    and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
¹⁹ Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
    he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
²⁰ A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
²¹ He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
    and the father of a fool has no joy.
²² A joyful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
²³ The wicked accepts a bribe in secret
    to pervert the ways of justice.
²⁴ The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
²⁵ A foolish son is a grief to his father
    and bitterness to her who bore him.
²⁶ To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
    nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
²⁷ Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
²⁸ Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
18 Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;
    he breaks out against all sound judgment.
² A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only in expressing his opinion.
³ When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
    and with dishonor comes disgrace.
⁴ The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
    the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
⁵ It is not good to be partial to the wicked
    or to deprive the righteous of justice.
⁶ A fool’s lips walk into a fight,
    and his mouth invites a beating.
⁷ A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.
⁸ The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
    they go down into the inner parts of the body.
⁹ Whoever is slack in his work
    is a brother to him who destroys.
¹⁰ The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
    the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
¹¹ A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
    and like a high wall in his imagination.
¹² Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty,
    but humility comes before honor.
¹³ If one gives an answer before he hears,
    it is his folly and shame.
¹⁴ A man’s spirit will endure sickness,
    but a crushed spirit who can bear?
¹⁵ An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
    and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
¹⁶ A man’s gift makes room for him
    and brings him before the great.
¹⁷ The one who states his case first seems right,
    until the other comes and examines him.
¹⁸ The lot puts an end to quarrels
    and decides between powerful contenders.
¹⁹ A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
    and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
²⁰ From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied;
    he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
    and those who love it will eat its fruits.
²² He who finds a wife finds a good thing
    and obtains favor from the Lord.
²³ The poor use entreaties,
    but the rich answer roughly.
²⁴ A man of many companions may come to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

The Example of Christ

15 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ² Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. ³ For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” ⁴ For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. ⁵ May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, ⁶ that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷ Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles

⁸ For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, ⁹ and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

¹⁰ And again it is said,

¹¹ And again,

¹² And again Isaiah says,

¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

¹⁴ I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. ¹⁵ But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God ¹⁶ to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷ In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. ¹⁸ For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, ¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; ²⁰ and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, ²¹ but as it is written,

Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome

²² This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. ²³ But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, ²⁴ I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. ²⁵ At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. ²⁶ For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. ²⁷ For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. ²⁸ When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. ²⁹ I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

³⁰ I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, ³¹ that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, ³² so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. ³³ May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.