Proverbs

Dealing With Fights

Lesson #7 for February 14, 2015

Scriptures: [Proverbs 17-19; 1 Corinthians 13:5-7; John 8:1-11; Deuteronomy 24:10-22][i].

1.    This lesson challenges us to think about our top priorities. For many in the world, their priorities are wealth, power, pleasure, fame, etc. As we know, these things can be fleeting and deceptive. An ancient Egyptian proverb said: “Better is bread with a happy heart than wealth with vexation.”—Miriam Lichtheim, The New Kingdom, vol. 2 of Ancient Egyptian Literature: A Book of Readings (Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2006), p. 156.

2.    So, what are our priorities? Is having a good relationship with a number of friends and peace within our families more important than having a large bank account? What is the real basis for happiness?

3.    Read Proverbs 17:9; 19:11ii. If you want to have friends, you must be willing to overlook their foibles. This certainly does not mean that we should encourage people to sin! But, when people do sin and especially when they sin against us, we must be willing to forgive them. Holding a grudge is one of the quickest ways to destroy a relationship. Losing one’s temper does not help either.

4.    One of the problems of dealing with sins in friends or acquaintances is that for many it is exciting to tell about someone else’s faults! [Proverbs 18:8; 26:22]iii; GNB say: “Gossip is so tasty - how we love to swallow it!” Is that the way we treat our friends?

5.    I once saw a cartoon showing two ladies talking over the back fence. The first one said, “Have you heard...?” Her neighbor responded, “I’m sorry; but, I don’t pass along gossip.” Whereupon, the first lady responded, “So, you are the bottleneck!”

6.    Gossips are right in the middle of one of the longest list of evildoers in the entire Bible. (Romans 1:28-32iv) Is gossip sometimes true? Or, is it always false?

7.    So, what does it mean to cover the mistakes of our friends? This is not to imply that we do not know what happened or that the person never did anything wrong. What it means is to forgive them and move on. Our response to such cases should be to extend our love. (Proverbs 17:17; 1 Corinthians 13:5-7)[v]

8.    While this may not be the view of those standing at the marriage altar, anyone who has been married for some period of time will recognize that we do not love friends-or spouses especially-because they are perfect; we love them despite their problems, mistakes, and flaws. Haven’t we ever messed up and been very thankful for those who freely forgave us?

9.    True love is not blind. Sinning and even making mistakes has consequences. The Hebrew word for justice (shalom) also means righteousness, and includes the ideas of love and charity. Real compassion means that we put our arms around the sinner; but, we expect them to improve. Jesus said: “I do not condemn you either. Go, but do not sin again.” (John 8:11, GNB) Why do we have such a hard time correcting our mistakes?

10.    Read [Proverbs 17:10; 19:25]vi. What do we do with those who have a hard time correcting their mistakes? Why is it that fools seem to have such a hard time learning even from corrections including beatings?

11.    The best example to follow is always the example of Jesus. While He felt pain every time He observed or even became aware of a wrong action being done, He was still very considerate toward sinners. Read John 8:1-11vii. Look at what Ellen White said about that experience.

This was to her the beginning of a new life, a life of purity and peace, devoted to the service of God. In the uplifting of this fallen soul, Jesus performed a greater miracle than in healing the most grievous physical disease; He cured the spiritual malady which is unto death everlasting. This penitent woman became one of His most steadfast followers. With self-sacrificing love and devotion she repaid His forgiving mercy.

In His act of pardoning this woman and encouraging her to live a better life, the character of Jesus shines forth in the beauty of perfect righteousness.

While He does not palliate sin, nor lessen the sense of guilt, He seeks not to condemn, but to save. The world had for this erring woman only contempt and scorn; but Jesus speaks words of comfort and hope. The Sinless One pities the weakness of the sinner, and reaches to her a helping hand. While the hypocritical Pharisees denounce, Jesus bids her, “Go, and sin no more.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 462.2-3.

12.    Read Proverbs 18viii. This particular chapter focuses on the use of words and the results of the use of those words. Unfortunately, fools speak before they think. It is better to think first! It is interesting to note that the words listen and silent are spelled with the same letters! How many problems could be avoided if people would learn to listen carefully before responding?

13.    Read Proverbs 18:4ix. Why is it that the words of the wise are sometimes compared to deep waters? Why do some words imply wisdom and others imply foolishness? We know that deep waters tend to run quietly and appear to be not moving very fast. Do we always consider carefully the consequences of our words before we speak them? (See Proverbs 18:21[x].) How words are understood also depends on the tone of one’s voice, etc.

14.    It is an old but true adage that there are at least two sides to every story. Read Proverbs 18:2xi, and compare Proverbs 18:17xii. Fools are described in these passages as people who have closed minds and open mouths. What a deadly combination!

15.    The wise are those who are willing to listen to other people’s opinions and consider them carefully before responding. Only God does not need a second opinion.

16.    Have you ever been absolutely certain about something only to find out later that you were wrong about it? What should that teach us about judging others prematurely?

A king needed to appoint a new minister to the highest office of his kingdom.

For this purpose, he organized a special contest on lying: who could utter the biggest lie. All his ministers applied, and each one came and spoke their biggest lie. But the king was not satisfied; their lies seemed lame. The king then asked his closest and most trusted counselor: “Why didn’t you apply?”

The counselor answered, “I am sorry to disappoint you, Majesty, but I cannot apply.”

“Why not?” asked the king.

“Because I never lie,” the counselor replied.

The king decided to appoint him to the position.

As sinners, lying comes to us easier than we think; for this reason, again, how careful we need to be with our words. (Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Thursday, February 12)

17.    Read Proverbs 17-19. Look at some of the comments about lying found in those three chapters. Quotations are from GNB.

17:4 - Evil people listen to evil ideas, and liars listen to lies.

17:7 - Respected people do not tell lies, and fools have nothing worthwhile to say.

17:19 - It is better to be poor but honest than to be a lying fool.

19:22 - It is a disgrace to be greedy; poor people are better off than liars.

19:5 - If you tell lies in court, you will be punished—there will be no escape.

19:9 - No one who tells lies in court can escape punishment; he is doomed.

18.    Lying is a terrible trait. What do we gain by doing it? It may seem to provide a temporary escape from condemnation or consequences; but, it virtually never works out in the end.

19.    The Bible speaks repeatedly about how we should deal with the poor among us. This applies especially to widows and orphans. Read Deuteronomy 24:10-22.

20.    Consider what Proverbs 17-19 (GNB) say about riches and poverty.

17:5 - If you laugh at poor people, you insult the God who made them. You will be punished if you take pleasure in someone’s misfortune.

18:4 and 19:4 - Rich people are always finding new friends, but the poor cannot keep the few they have.

18:11 - Rich people, however, imagine that their wealth protects them like high, strong walls round a city.

18:23 - When the poor speak, they have to beg politely, but when the rich answer, they are rude.

19:1 - It is better to be poor but honest than to be a lying fool.

19:7 - Even the relatives of a poor person have no use for him; no wonder he has no friends. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot win any.

19:10 - The LORD is like a strong tower, where the righteous can go and be safe. 11Rich people, however, imagine that their wealth protects them like high, strong walls round a city.

19:17 - When you give to the poor, it is like lending to the LORD, and the LORD will pay you back. (Compare Matthew 25:31-46xiii.)

19:22 - It is a disgrace to be greedy; poor people are better off than liars.

21.    Notice these comments from Ellen White about the evil of gossiping.

The spirit of gossip and talebearing is one of Satan’s special agencies to sow discord and strife, to separate friends, and to undermine the faith of many in the truthfulness of our positions. Brethren and sisters are too ready to talk of the faults and errors that they think exist in others, and especially in those who have borne unflinchingly the messages of reproof and warning given

them of God.

The children of these complainers listen with open ears and receive the poison of disaffection. Parents are thus blindly closing the avenues through which the hearts of the children might be reached. How many families season their daily meals with doubt and questionings. They dissect the characters of their friends, and serve them up as a dainty dessert. A precious bit of slander is passed around the board to be commented upon, not only by adults, but by children. In this God is dishonored. Jesus said: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.” [Matthew 25:40] Therefore Christ is slighted and abused by those who slander His servants.—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 195.0-1. [Content in brackets is added.]

22.    How should we deal with problems that we detect or that affect our families, spouse, or friends? Some people try to deal with these things by pretending that they never happened. Is that the best way to do it? We need God’s help in this area. If you pretend like it did not happen, are you encouraging them to sin with impunity?

23.    One of the most serious problems in our world today is the problem of divorce. God hates divorce. (Malachi 2:16xiv) Why do you think it is that the divorce rate among Christians and even among Seventh-day Adventists is virtually the same as the divorce rate in the world? Does that say something about how we choose our partners to begin with? Or, is it a better indication of how selfish we really are? Why were Nehemiah and Ezra separating husbands and wives in their day? (Ezra 10:1-17; Nehemiah 13:1-3, 23-31)xv What happened in Noah’s day? (Genesis 6:1-4xvi)

24.    How often do we lie without even thinking about it? Have you ever gone to work or to school feeling quite sick and had someone ask you, “How are you?” Perhaps you responded, “I’m fine.” Is that a lie? It is certainly not revealing the full truth!

25.    Read Proverbs 19:3xvii. How often do we do foolish and stupid things and then find ways to blame the Lord? I deal every day with people who have serious medical problems. One of the most common problems in America today is obesity. There is a famous quotation from a doctor discussing the problems of obesity with one of his patients. He asked the patient what he was going to do about the problem. The patient responded by saying: “I’m sorry, Doc. Obesity just runs in our family.” Whereupon the doctor responded by saying, “No! The truth is that nobody runs in your family.”

26.    After studying this lesson, can we identify words that stir up strife? Are we prepared to make the changes necessary in our lives that will allow us to live happier, healthier lives?

27.    Why do people fight over money? Is money ever the source of happiness? In our society, we all need at least some money. Let us not question that point. But, beyond meeting our basic needs, money so often leads to contention. Are there some things that are worse than poverty? Why is it that marriages and family relationships among the rich and famous so often end in divorce court?

28.    Human relationships are built on words and attitudes and all that goes into our communication. Are we choosing words that build up and do not tear down?

29.    How many of our troubles are self-created? Do we take full responsibility for everything we say and do? Are we ever tempted to lie or bully? No one likes a liar or a person who bullies. Could you put together a list of the most dangerous words that people use in fighting with their spouse, families, or even friends? Should we try to avoid such words? What words personally offend us the most?

30.    For those of us who believe in the great controversy over God’s character and government and Satan’s attack on God, it should be clear that the basic problem that leads to fights is selfishness. Try to think of the contentious encounters that you know about or that you have been personally involved in recently. How did things work out? Or, did they?

31.    Proverbs 17 can be divided into three sections: (1) Good words that build relationships (Proverbs 17:1-10); (2) Evil words that destroy relationships (Proverbs 17:11-22); and (3) The cause of evil words (Proverbs 17:23-28).

32.    Thoughtful Christians often ask themselves, “What would Jesus do?” But we do not like to discuss the fact that Jesus basically lived a life of poverty. Now, it is true that He had a lot of friends, and they were more than happy to care for Him financially. (Luke 8:1-3xviii) It is also true that He had the resources of the universe available to Him. But, He began His ministry without even a place to lay His head. (Matthew 8:20xix) And when He died, He apparently owned nothing more than a few pieces of clothing. Why do you think that was?

33.    Read Proverbs 18xx. This chapter is organized into groups of two or three statements. See Proverbs 18:10-12xxi. How foolish is it for a Christian who knows what the Lord can do for him to turn instead to depending on his wealth? If we could learn to be totally trusting of God and having faith in Him, would we need to worry so much about having enough money? Proverbs 18 assures us that a good family (Proverbs 18:19), a good wife or spouse (Proverbs 18:22), and good friends (Proverbs 18:24) are precious gifts from the Lord and worth more than gold.

34.    Rich people often flaunt their wealth and presume power because of it. Why do we not like that behavior but still want to be like them in having more money?

35.    Read Proverbs 19. What virtues are extolled in this chapter? What kind of lives do the people live that are honest, patient, educated, willing to forgive, and have good marriages? Wouldn’t that be a recipe for happiness?

36.    In light of what we have read in Proverbs 17-19 and studied in this lesson, why is it that there are so many people in our world still acting like fools? How many people end up sacrificing their eternal lives for wealth, status, security, and power?

37.    One day, hopefully not far in the future, the Devil will try to destroy everyone who is on God’s side by preventing them from buying or selling. (See Revelation 13:16-18. Compare 14:9-11.)xxii What good will our money do us then? Or, in order to hold onto our money, will we be willing to accept the mark of the beast? Remember the words of Jesus who said: “Will you gain anything if you win the whole world but lose your life? Of course not! There is nothing you can give to regain your life.” (Matthew 16:26, GNB; See Mark 8:37.)xxiii

38.    So, what do you think? Would you rather be rich? Or, happy, with lots of friends? Is that a choice that we have to make?

© 2014, Kenneth Hart, MD, MA, MPH. Permission is hereby granted for any noncommercial use of these materials. Free distribution of all or of a portion of this material such as to a Bible study class is encouraged.

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Last Modified: December 22, 2014

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i-Proverbs 17:1 Better to eat a dry crust of bread with peace of mind than have a banquet in a house full of trouble. 2 A shrewd servant will gain authority over a master's worthless son and receive a part of the inheritance. 3 Gold and silver are tested by fire, and a person's heart is tested by the Lord. 4 Evil people listen to evil ideas, and liars listen to lies. 5 If you make fun of poor people, you insult the God who made them. You will be punished if you take pleasure in someone's misfortune. 6 Grandparents are proud of their grandchildren, just as children are proud of their parents. 7 Respected people do not tell lies, and fools have nothing worthwhile to say. 8 Some people think a bribe works like magic; they believe it can do anything. 9 If you want people to like you, forgive them when they wrong you. Remembering wrongs can break up a friendship. 10 An intelligent person learns more from one rebuke than a fool learns from being beaten a hundred times. 11 Death will come like a cruel messenger to wicked people who are always stirring up trouble. 12 It is better to meet a mother bear robbed of her cubs than to meet some fool busy with a stupid project. 13 If you repay good with evil, you will never get evil out of your house. 14 The start of an argument is like the first break in a dam; stop it before it goes any further. 15 Condemning the innocent or letting the wicked go - both are hateful to the Lord. 16 It does a fool no good to spend money on an education, because he has no common sense. 17 Friends always show their love. What are relatives for if not to share trouble? 18 Only someone with no sense would promise to be responsible for someone else's debts. 19 To like sin is to like making trouble. If you brag all the time, you are asking for trouble. 20 Anyone who thinks and speaks evil can expect to find nothing good - only disaster. 21 There is nothing but sadness and sorrow for parents whose children do foolish things. 22 Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time. 23 Corrupt judges accept secret bribes, and then justice is not done. 24 An intelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in many directions. 25 Foolish children bring grief to their fathers and bitter regrets to their mothers. 26 It is not right to make an innocent person pay a fine; justice is perverted when good people are punished. 27 Those who are sure of themselves do not talk all the time. People who stay calm have real insight. 28 After all, even fools may be thought wise and intelligent if they stay quiet and keep their mouths shut.

18:1 People who do not get along with others are interested only in themselves; they will disagree with what everyone else knows is right. 2 A fool does not care whether he understands a thing or not; all he wants to do is show how smart he is. 3 Sin and shame go together. Lose your honor, and you will get scorn in its place. 4 A person's words can be a source of wisdom, deep as the ocean, fresh as a flowing stream. 5 It is not right to favor the guilty and keep the innocent from receiving justice. 6 When some fool starts an argument, he is asking for a beating. 7 When a fool speaks, he is ruining himself; he gets caught in the trap of his own words. 8 Gossip is so tasty - how we love to swallow it! 9 A lazy person is as bad as someone who is destructive. 10 The Lord is like a strong tower, where the righteous can go and be safe. 11 Rich people, however, imagine that their wealth protects them like high, strong walls around a city. 12 No one is respected unless he is humble; arrogant people are on the way to ruin. 13 Listen before you answer. If you don't, you are being stupid and insulting. 14 Your will to live can sustain you when you are sick, but if you lose it, your last hope is gone. 15 Intelligent people are always eager and ready to learn. 16 Do you want to meet an important person? Take a gift and it will be easy. 17 The first person to speak in court always seems right until his opponent begins to question him. 18 If two powerful people are opposing each other in court, casting lots can settle the issue. 19 Help your relatives and they will protect you like a strong city wall, but if you quarrel with them, they will close their doors to you. 20 You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say. 21 What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words. 22 Find a wife and you find a good thing; it shows that the Lord is good to you. 23 When the poor speak, they have to be polite, but when the rich answer, they are rude. 24 Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than brothers.

19:1 It is better to be poor but honest than to be a lying fool. 2 Enthusiasm without knowledge is not good; impatience will get you into trouble. 3 Some people ruin themselves by their own stupid actions and then blame the Lord. 4 Rich people are always finding new friends, but the poor cannot keep the few they have. 5 If you tell lies in court, you will be punished - there will be no escape. 6 Everyone tries to gain the favor of important people; everyone claims the friendship of those who give out favors. 7 Even the relatives of a poor person have no use for him; no wonder he has no friends. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot win any. 8 Do yourself a favor and learn all you can; then remember what you learn and you will prosper. 9 No one who tells lies in court can escape punishment; he is doomed. 10 Fools should not live in luxury, and slaves should not rule over noblemen. 11 If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it. 12 The king's anger is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like welcome rain. 13 Stupid children can bring their parents to ruin. A nagging wife is like water going drip-drip-drip. 14 A man can inherit a house and money from his parents, but only the Lord can give him a sensible wife. 15 Go ahead and be lazy; sleep on, but you will go hungry. 16 Keep God's laws and you will live longer; if you ignore them, you will die. 17 When you give to the poor, it is like lending to the Lord, and the Lord will pay you back. 18 Discipline your children while they are young enough to learn. If you don't, you are helping them destroy themselves. 19 If someone has a hot temper, let him take the consequences. If you get him out of trouble once, you will have to do it again. 20 If you listen to advice and are willing to learn, one day you will be wise. 21 People may plan all kinds of things, but the Lord's will is going to be done. 22 It is a disgrace to be greedy; poor people are better off than liars. 23 Obey the Lord and you will live a long life, content and safe from harm. 24 Some people are too lazy to put food in their own mouths. 25 Arrogance should be punished, so that people who don't know any better can learn a lesson. If you are wise, you will learn when you are corrected. 26 Only a shameful, disgraceful person would mistreat his father or turn his mother away from his home. 27 My child, when you stop learning, you will soon neglect what you already know. 28 There is no justice where a witness is determined to hurt someone. Wicked people love the taste of evil. 29 A conceited fool is sure to get a beating.

1 Corinthians 13:5 love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; 6 love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. 7 Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.

John 8:1 [Then everyone went home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early the next morning he went back to the Temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and began to teach them. 3 The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught committing adultery, and they made her stand before them all. 4 "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?" 6 They said this to trap Jesus, so that they could accuse him. But he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7 As they stood there asking him questions, he straightened up and said to them, "Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her." 8 Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they all left, one by one, the older ones first. Jesus was left alone, with the woman still standing there. 10 He straightened up and said to her, "Where are they? Is there no one left to condemn you?" 11 "No one, sir," she answered. "Well, then," Jesus said, "I do not condemn you either. Go, but do not sin again."]

Deuteronomy 24:10 "When you lend someone something, do not go into his house to get the garment he is going to give you as security; 11 wait outside and let him bring it to you himself. 12 If he is poor, do not keep it overnight; 13 return it to him each evening, so that he can have it to sleep in. Then he will be grateful, and the Lord your God will be pleased with you. 14 "Do not cheat poor and needy hired servants, whether they are Israelites or foreigners living in one of your towns. 15 Each day before sunset pay them for that day's work; they need the money and have counted on getting it. If you do not pay them, they will cry out against you to the Lord, and you will be guilty of sin. 16 "Parents are not to be put to death for crimes committed by their children, and children are not to be put to death for crimes committed by their parents; people are to be put to death only for a crime they themselves have committed. 17 "Do not deprive foreigners and orphans of their rights; and do not take a widow's garment as security for a loan. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God set you free; that is why I have given you this command. 19 "When you gather your crops and fail to bring in some of the grain that you have cut, do not go back for it; it is to be left for the foreigners, orphans, and widows, so that the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do. 20 When you have picked your olives once, do not go back and get those that are left; they are for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. 21 When you have gathered your grapes once, do not go back over the vines a second time; the grapes that are left are for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. 22 Never forget that you were slaves in Egypt; that is why I have given you this command.

ii-Proverbs 17:9 If you want people to like you, forgive them when they wrong you. Remembering wrongs can break up a friendship.

19:11 If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it.

iii-Proverbs 18:8 Gossip is so tasty - how we love to swallow it!

26:22 Gossip is so tasty! How we love to swallow it!

iv-Romans 1:28 Because those people refuse to keep in mind the true knowledge about God, he has given them over to corrupted minds, so that they do the things that they should not do. 29 They are filled with all kinds of wickedness, evil, greed, and vice; they are full of jealousy, murder, fighting, deceit, and malice. They gossip 30 and speak evil of one another; they are hateful to God, insolent, proud, and boastful; they think of more ways to do evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no conscience; they do not keep their promises, and they show no kindness or pity for others. 32 They know that God's law says that people who live in this way deserve death. Yet, not only do they continue to do these very things, but they even approve of others who do them.

v-Proverbs 17:17 Friends always show their love. What are relatives for if not to share trouble?

1 Corinthians 13:5 love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; 6 love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. 7 Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.

vi-Proverbs 17:10 An intelligent person learns more from one rebuke than a fool learns from being beaten a hundred times.

19:25 Arrogance should be punished, so that people who don't know any better can learn a lesson. If you are wise, you will learn when you are corrected.

vii-John 8:1 [Then everyone went home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early the next morning he went back to the Temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and began to teach them. 3 The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught committing adultery, and they made her stand before them all. 4 "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?" 6 They said this to trap Jesus, so that they could accuse him. But he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7 As they stood there asking him questions, he straightened up and said to them, "Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her." 8 Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they all left, one by one, the older ones first. Jesus was left alone, with the woman still standing there. 10 He straightened up and said to her, "Where are they? Is there no one left to condemn you?" 11 "No one, sir," she answered. "Well, then," Jesus said, "I do not condemn you either. Go, but do not sin again."]

viii-Proverbs 18:1 People who do not get along with others are interested only in themselves; they will disagree with what everyone else knows is right. 2 A fool does not care whether he understands a thing or not; all he wants to do is show how smart he is. 3 Sin and shame go together. Lose your honor, and you will get scorn in its place. 4 A person's words can be a source of wisdom, deep as the ocean, fresh as a flowing stream. 5 It is not right to favor the guilty and keep the innocent from receiving justice. 6 When some fool starts an argument, he is asking for a beating. 7 When a fool speaks, he is ruining himself; he gets caught in the trap of his own words. 8 Gossip is so tasty - how we love to swallow it! 9 A lazy person is as bad as someone who is destructive. 10 The Lord is like a strong tower, where the righteous can go and be safe. 11 Rich people, however, imagine that their wealth protects them like high, strong walls around a city. 12 No one is respected unless he is humble; arrogant people are on the way to ruin. 13 Listen before you answer. If you don't, you are being stupid and insulting. 14 Your will to live can sustain you when you are sick, but if you lose it, your last hope is gone. 15 Intelligent people are always eager and ready to learn. 16 Do you want to meet an important person? Take a gift and it will be easy. 17 The first person to speak in court always seems right until his opponent begins to question him. 18 If two powerful people are opposing each other in court, casting lots can settle the issue. 19 Help your relatives and they will protect you like a strong city wall, but if you quarrel with them, they will close their doors to you. 20 You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say. 21 What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words. 22 Find a wife and you find a good thing; it shows that the Lord is good to you. 23 When the poor speak, they have to be polite, but when the rich answer, they are rude. 24 Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than brothers.

ix-Proverbs 18:. 4 A person's words can be a source of wisdom, deep as the ocean, fresh as a flowing stream

x-Proverbs 18:21 What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words.

xi-Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not care whether he understands a thing or not; all he wants to do is show how smart he is.

xii-Proverbs 18:17 The first person to speak in court always seems right until his opponent begins to question him.

xiii-Matthew 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes as King and all the angels with him, he will sit on his royal throne, 32 and the people of all the nations will be gathered before him. Then he will divide them into two groups, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the righteous people at his right and the others at his left. 34 Then the King will say to the people on his right, "Come, you that are blessed by my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation of the world. 35 I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you received me in your homes, 36 naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me.' 37 The righteous will then answer him, "When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When did we ever see you a stranger and welcome you in our homes, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' 40 The King will reply, "I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these followers of mine, you did it for me!' 41 "Then he will say to those on his left, "Away from me, you that are under God's curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels! 42 I was hungry but you would not feed me, thirsty but you would not give me a drink; 43 I was a stranger but you would not welcome me in your homes, naked but you would not clothe me; I was sick and in prison but you would not take care of me.' 44 Then they will answer him, "When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and we would not help you?' 45 The King will reply, "I tell you, whenever you refused to help one of these least important ones, you refused to help me.' 46 These, then, will be sent off to eternal punishment, but the righteous will go to eternal life."

xiv-Malachi 2:116 "I hate divorce," says the Lord God of Israel. "I hate it when one of you does such a cruel thing to his wife. Make sure that you do not break your promise to be faithful to your wife."

xv-Ezra 10:1 While Ezra was bowing in prayer in front of the Temple, weeping and confessing these sins, a large group of Israelites - men, women, and children - gathered around him, weeping bitterly. 2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the clan of Elam, said to Ezra, "We have broken faith with God by marrying foreign women, but even so there is still hope for Israel. 3 Now we must make a solemn promise to our God that we will send these women and their children away. We will do what you and the others who honor God's commands advise us to do. We will do what God's Law demands. 4 It is your responsibility to act. We are behind you, so go ahead and get it done." 5 So Ezra began by making the leaders of the priests, of the Levites, and of the rest of the people take an oath that they would do what Shecaniah had proposed. 6 Then he went from in front of the Temple into the living quarters of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, and spent the night there grieving over the unfaithfulness of the exiles. He did not eat or drink anything. 7 A message was sent throughout Jerusalem and Judah that all those who had returned from exile were to meet in Jerusalem 8 by order of the leaders of the people. If any failed to come within three days, all their property would be confiscated, and they would lose their right to be members of the community. 9 Within the three days, on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the men living in the territory of Judah and Benjamin came to Jerusalem and assembled in the Temple square. It was raining hard, and because of the weather and the importance of the meeting everyone was trembling. 10 Ezra the priest stood up and spoke to them. He said, "You have been faithless and have brought guilt on Israel by marrying foreign women. 11 Now then, confess your sins to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do what pleases him. Separate yourselves from the foreigners living in our land and get rid of your foreign wives." 12 The people shouted in answer, "We will do whatever you say." 13 But they added, "The crowd is too big, and it's raining hard. We can't stand here in the open like this. This isn't something that can be done in one or two days, because so many of us are involved in this sin. 14 Let our officials stay in Jerusalem and take charge of the matter. Then let anyone who has a foreign wife come at a set time, together with the leaders and the judges of his city. In this way God's anger over this situation will be turned away." 15 No one was opposed to the plan except Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, who had the support of Meshullam and of Shabbethai, a Levite. 16 The returned exiles accepted the plan, so Ezra the priest appointed men from among the heads of the clans and recorded their names. On the first day of the tenth month they began their investigation, 17 and within the next three months they investigated all the cases of men with foreign wives.

Nehemiah 13:1 When the Law of Moses was being read aloud to the people, they came to the passage that said that no Ammonite or Moabite was ever to be permitted to join God's people. 2 This was because the people of Ammon and Moab did not give food and water to the Israelites on their way out of Egypt. Instead, they paid money to Balaam to curse Israel, but our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 When the people of Israel heard this law read, they excluded all foreigners from the community. 23 At that time I also discovered that many of the Jewish men had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or some other language and didn't know how to speak our language. 25 I reprimanded the men, called down curses on them, beat them, and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath in God's name that never again would they or their children intermarry with foreigners. 26 I told them, "It was foreign women that made King Solomon sin. Here was a man who was greater than any of the kings of other nations. God loved him and made him king over all of Israel, and yet he fell into this sin. 27 Are we then to follow your example and disobey our God by marrying foreign women?" 28 Joiada was the son of Eliashib the High Priest, but one of Joiada's sons married the daughter of Sanballat, from the town of Beth Horon, so I made Joiada leave Jerusalem. 29 Remember, God, how those people defiled both the office of priest and the covenant you made with the priests and the Levites. 30 I purified the people from everything foreign; I prepared regulations for the priests and the Levites so that all of them would know their duties; 31 I arranged for the wood used for burning the offerings to be brought at the proper times, and for the people to bring their offerings of the first grain and the first fruits that ripened. Remember all this, O God, and give me credit for it.

xvi-Genesis 6:1 When people had spread all over the world, and daughters were being born, 2 some of the heavenly beings saw that these young women were beautiful, so they took the ones they liked. 3 Then the Lord said, "I will not allow people to live forever; they are mortal. From now on they will live no longer than 120 years." 4 In those days, and even later, there were giants on the earth who were descendants of human women and the heavenly beings. They were the great heroes and famous men of long ago.

xvii-Proverbs 193 Some people ruin themselves by their own stupid actions and then blame the Lord.

xviii-Luke 8:1 Some time later Jesus traveled through towns and villages, preaching the Good News about the Kingdom of God. The twelve disciples went with him, 2 and so did some women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (who was called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had been driven out; 3 Joanna, whose husband Chuza was an officer in Herod's court; and Susanna, and many other women who used their own resources to help Jesus and his disciples.

xix-Matthew 8:20 Jesus answered him, "Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lie down and rest."

xx-Proverbs 18:1 People who do not get along with others are interested only in themselves; they will disagree with what everyone else knows is right. 2 A fool does not care whether he understands a thing or not; all he wants to do is show how smart he is. 3 Sin and shame go together. Lose your honor, and you will get scorn in its place. 4 A person's words can be a source of wisdom, deep as the ocean, fresh as a flowing stream. 5 It is not right to favor the guilty and keep the innocent from receiving justice. 6 When some fool starts an argument, he is asking for a beating. 7 When a fool speaks, he is ruining himself; he gets caught in the trap of his own words. 8 Gossip is so tasty - how we love to swallow it! 9 A lazy person is as bad as someone who is destructive. 10 The Lord is like a strong tower, where the righteous can go and be safe. 11 Rich people, however, imagine that their wealth protects them like high, strong walls around a city. 12 No one is respected unless he is humble; arrogant people are on the way to ruin. 13 Listen before you answer. If you don't, you are being stupid and insulting. 14 Your will to live can sustain you when you are sick, but if you lose it, your last hope is gone. 15 Intelligent people are always eager and ready to learn. 16 Do you want to meet an important person? Take a gift and it will be easy. 17 The first person to speak in court always seems right until his opponent begins to question him. 18 If two powerful people are opposing each other in court, casting lots can settle the issue. 19 Help your relatives and they will protect you like a strong city wall, but if you quarrel with them, they will close their doors to you. 20 You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say. 21 What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words. 22 Find a wife and you find a good thing; it shows that the Lord is good to you. 23 When the poor speak, they have to be polite, but when the rich answer, they are rude. 24 Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than brothers.

xxi-Proverbs 18:10 The Lord is like a strong tower, where the righteous can go and be safe. 11 Rich people, however, imagine that their wealth protects them like high, strong walls around a city. 12 No one is respected unless he is humble; arrogant people are on the way to ruin.

xxii-Revelation 13:16 The beast forced all the people, small and great, rich and poor, slave and free, to have a mark placed on their right hands or on their foreheads. 17 No one could buy or sell without this mark, that is, the beast's name or the number that stands for the name. 18 This calls for wisdom. Whoever is intelligent can figure out the meaning of the number of the beast, because the number stands for the name of someone. Its number is 666.

14:9 A third angel followed the first two, saying in a loud voice, "Those who worship the beast and its image and receive the mark on their forehead or on their hand 10 will themselves drink God's wine, the wine of his fury, which he has poured at full strength into the cup of his anger! All who do this will be tormented in fire and sulfur before the holy angels and the Lamb. 11 The smoke of the fire that torments them goes up forever and ever. There is no relief day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, for anyone who has the mark of its name."

xxiii-Matthew 16:26 Will you gain anything if you win the whole world but lose your life? Of course not! There is nothing you can give to regain your life.

Mark 8:37 There is nothing you can give to regain your life.

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