Daily Bible Reading
Day 125
Today's reading: Proverbs 16-18
Look for the promises in God’s word. As you read and find them, write them in your journal along with the scripture reference.
Proverbs 16
1. The intentions of the heart belong to a man, but the answer of the tongue comes from the Lord.
2. All a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion, but the Lord evaluates the motives.
3. Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
4. The Lord works everything for its own ends – even the wicked for the day of disaster.
5. The Lord abhors every arrogant person; rest assured that they will not go unpunished.
6. Through loyal love and truth iniquity is appeased; through fearing the Lord one avoids evil.
7. When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he even reconciles his enemies to himself.
8. Better to have a little with righteousness than to have abundant income without justice.
9. A person plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps.
10. The divine verdict is in the words of the king, his pronouncements must not act treacherously against justice.
11. Honest scales and balances are from the Lord; all the weights in the bag are his handiwork.
12. Doing wickedness is an abomination to kings, because a throne is established in righteousness.
13. The delight of kings is righteous counsel, and they love the one who speaks uprightly.
14. A king’s wrath is like a messenger of death, but a wise person appeases it.
15. In the light of the king’s face there is life, and his favor is like the clouds of the spring rain.
16. How much better it is to acquire wisdom than gold; to acquire understanding is more desirable than silver.
17. The highway of the upright is to turn away from evil; the one who guards his way safeguards his life.
18. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19. It is better to be lowly in spirit with the afflicted than to share the spoils with the proud.
20. The one who deals wisely in a matter will find success, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
21. The one who is wise in heart is called discerning, and kind speech increases persuasiveness.
22. Insight is like a life-giving fountain to the one who possesses it, but folly leads to the discipline of fools.
23. A wise person’s heart makes his speech wise and it adds persuasiveness to his words.
24. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
25. There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way that leads to death.
26. A laborer’s appetite works on his behalf, for his hunger urges him to work.
27. A wicked scoundrel digs up evil, and his slander is like a scorching fire.
28. A perverse person spreads dissension, and a gossip separates the closest friends.
29. A violent person entices his neighbor, and leads him down a path that is terrible.
30. The one who winks his eyes devises perverse things, and one who compresses his lips brings about evil.
31. Gray hair is like a crown of glory; it is attained in the path of righteousness.
32. Better to be slow to anger than to be a mighty warrior, and one who controls his temper is better than one who captures a city.
33. The dice are thrown into the lap, but their every decision is from the Lord.
Proverbs 17
1. Better is a dry crust of bread where there is quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
2. A servant who acts wisely will rule over an heir who behaves shamefully, and will share the inheritance along with the relatives.
3. The crucible is for refining silver and the furnace is for gold, likewise the Lord tests hearts.
4. One who acts wickedly pays attention to evil counsel; a liar listens to a malicious tongue.
5. The one who mocks the poor insults his Creator; whoever rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished.
6. Grandchildren are like a crown to the elderly, and the glory of children is their parents.
7. Excessive speech is not becoming for a fool; how much less are lies for a ruler!
8. A bribe works like a charm for the one who offers it; in whatever he does he succeeds.
9. The one who forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends.
10. A rebuke makes a greater impression on a discerning person than a hundred blows on a fool.
11. An evil person seeks only rebellion, and so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12. It is better for a person to meet a mother bear being robbed of her cubs, than to encounter a fool in his folly.
13. As for the one who repays evil for good, evil will not leave his house.
14. Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; stop it before strife breaks out!
15. The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent – both of them are an abomination to the Lord.
16. Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no intention of acquiring wisdom?
17. A friend loves at all times, and a relative is born to help in adversity.
18. The one who lacks wisdom strikes hands in pledge, and puts up financial security for his neighbor.
19. The one who loves a quarrel loves transgression; whoever builds his gate high seeks destruction.
20. The one who has a perverse heart does not find good, and the one who is deceitful in speech falls into trouble.
21. Whoever brings a fool into the world does so to his grief, and the father of a fool has no joy.
22. A cheerful heart brings good healing, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23. A wicked person receives a bribe secretly to pervert the ways of justice.
24. Wisdom is directly in front of the discerning person, but the eyes of a fool run to the ends of the earth.
25. A foolish child is a grief to his father, and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
26. It is terrible to punish a righteous person, and to flog honorable men is wrong.
27. The truly wise person restrains his words, and the one who stays calm is discerning.
28. Even a fool who remains silent is considered wise, and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning.
Proverbs 18
1. One who has isolated himself seeks his own desires; he rejects all sound judgment.
2. A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only in disclosing what is on his mind.
3. When a wicked person arrives, contempt shows up with him, and with shame comes a reproach.
4. The words of a person’s mouth are like deep waters, and the fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
5. It is terrible to show partiality to the wicked, by depriving a righteous man of justice.
6. The lips of a fool enter into strife, and his mouth invites a flogging.
7. The mouth of a fool is his ruin, and his lips are a snare for his life.
8. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down into the person’s innermost being.
9. The one who is slack in his work is a brother to one who destroys.
10. The name of the Lord is like a strong tower; the righteous person runs to it and is set safely on high.
11. The wealth of a rich person is like a strong city, and it is like a high wall in his imagination.
12. Before destruction the heart of a person is proud, but humility comes before honor.
13. The one who gives an answer before he listens – that is his folly and his shame.
14. A person’s spirit sustains him through sickness – but who can bear a crushed spirit?
15. The discerning person acquires knowledge, and the wise person seeks knowledge.
16. A person’s gift makes room for him, and leads him before important people.
17. The first to state his case seems right, until his opponent begins to cross-examine him.
18. A toss of a coin ends disputes, and settles the issue between strong opponents.
19. A relative offended is harder to reach than a strong city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a fortified citadel.
20. From the fruit of a person’s mouth his stomach is satisfied, with the product of his lips is he satisfied.
21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love its use will eat its fruit.
22. The one who finds a wife finds what is enjoyable, and receives a pleasurable gift from the Lord.
23. A poor person makes supplications, but a rich man answers harshly.
24. A person who has friends may be harmed by them, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.