Proverbs

Words of Truth

Lesson #9 for February 28, 2015

Scriptures: [Proverbs 22:17-29; 23; 24; Exodus 22:21-27; Ephesians 5:20; Ezekiel 33:8][i].

1.    As Christians we like to present the softer side of God. We love to talk about how He reaches out to sinners, places His arms around them, and loves them. But, what about His “justice side”? The biblical word for justice is the same as the word for righteousness. Does justice mean that we will get what is due to us? Does God administer justice? How?

2.    Read Proverbs 22:23ii. Does God “threaten” or “spoil the lives of” people? How is God’s “justice” expressed? What will God’s “justice” mean at the end of our world’s history?

3.    Read Proverbs 22:17iii. Does this verse suggest that these proverbs originated from someone else? Did Solomon collect them and add them to his “inspired” record? There are hints that some of these ideas may have originally come from some wisdom literature from Egypt. How does that impact your understanding of inspiration if Solomon actually borrowed these ideas from an uninspired source? Was that plagiarism? Is it possible for uninspired sources to utter words of true wisdom? If something is true for Egyptians, would it not be true for the rest of us as well? What is ultimate truth? Trying to determine the true authorship of a biblical passage is what some would call “higher criticism”! If we refuse to use “higher criticism,” then we cannot reject the Apocrypha or even the pseudepigrapha!

4.    What are we supposed to do with all of these wise sayings? Read Proverbs 22:17-18iv. When Solomon suggested that we are supposed to incline our ears, doesn’t that mean we are supposed to listen or perhaps read and study carefully? Does that imply that we should carefully concentrate on what we are hearing and learn it? To be honest, we must recognize that real listening implies that we do our best to integrate the truths that we are hearing into our lives. Proverbs 22:18 suggests that these wise sayings are supposed to be integrated into our deepest, innermost parts. Shouldn’t these sayings impact our behavior as well? As 21st-century Seventh-day Adventists, are we listening to and obeying God’s words?

5.    Is that the failing of the Laodicean church? What would happen if we as Seventh-day Adventists today were studying our Bibles as carefully as did William Miller and the early Adventist pioneers? Is the reason that we are still here 170 years after the Great Disappointment that we have not done this?

6.    Read Proverbs 22:19-21[v]. A careful, prayerful reading of Scripture should lead us to greater trust in the Lord, and trust is another word for faith. Realizing the impact of these words should give us conviction about the truth. How does that work? The most important truth of all is the good news about our heavenly Father.

7.    But, there is more to do than just listening and being convicted about the truth. Serious Christians will accept the responsibility of sharing what they have learned.

8.    Why are you a Christian and a Seventh-day Adventist? Have you carefully thought through that question? Could you actually list a number of reasons why you are certain that the core beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church are the right ones? What would be the top three reasons why you are a Seventh-day Adventist? How many reasons can you give?

9.    What does the world think of Seventh-day Adventists as a group? Do they look at us and praise God? (Matthew 5:16vi) The Seventh-day Adventist Church was founded on what was called “present truth.” What is present truth? Are we presenting “present truth”?

10.    Read Proverbs 22:22-23; 23:10; Matthew 25:31-46; James 1:27vii. In both the Old Testament and the New Testament, we are warned against taking advantage of widows, orphans, and the poor. These passages suggest that if we try to cheat orphans or the poor, God will act on their behalf. Do any atheists help widows and orphans? Do we want to find ourselves in opposition to God? Would it be correct to say that robbing the poor is not just a criminal act, it is a sin against the Lord? (Compare 2 Samuel 12:13viii.) What will happen to those who oppose God? Will He burn them forever? Or, just as long as they deserve? Or, not at all?

11.    Satan always wants us to focus on what appear to be immediate gains instead of looking at the long-term consequences. Why do you think that is? Are any of the long-term consequences in Satan’s favor? There are many verses in the Bible (See Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 and Revelation 20:12-13.)ix including Proverbs 23:11[x] suggesting that God will keep a precise and careful listing of not only our characters but also all our good and evil deeds throughout life. When God judges each person in the end, His judgments will be fair and complete. Moses understood that and wrote about it in Job 19:25.

12.    Not too long ago, some atheists in London placed the following slogan on some city buses: “There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” If they claim to be atheists, shouldn’t they have stated with certainty, “There is no God”? Why did they say, “There is probably no God”? Clearly, it is their goal to “eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.” (See Ecclesiastes 8:15 and Luke 12:19.)xi Does that imply that it is perfectly okay to cheat and steal as long as we do not get caught? They obviously do not want to believe that there will be any final judgment conducted by God!

13.    Some years ago Morris Venden asked some kindergarteners whether they would choose: 1) $100 when they would be 21 years old, or 2) 25 cents now. They all chose the 25 cents now! Why? Because they could buy some gum with 25 cents right then! Is God a killjoy?

14.    How would you personally respond to the atheist’s bus slogan? Is there any reason to be afraid of God? Why are people afraid of God? Why do they want to put Him out of their thinking? Why do people want to avoid responsibilities? In our day, if we were truly Christian, could we act like one of the disciples? What would a Peter or Paul or Stephen from the New Testament do in our setting today? They took their lives in their hands and jumped right into sharing the gospel without asking anyone to pay them or even help them!

15.    How should the awareness of an end-time judgment impact the behavior of Christians? Should it impact our behavior even more than it does? Do we really believe that those who do what is right will be rewarded in the end?

16.    Read Proverbs 23:17; 24:1-2,19-20xii. What do these verses imply about the final results of evil and wickedness? Have you ever been tempted to envy the wicked? Sometimes, it seems like the righteous are losers. But, is that true in the long term?

17.    What is our attitude about our favorite sin or sins? What is a favorite sin? Do we really detest the sin itself? Or, do we, like so many other people, wish we could do the sin without experiencing the consequences? If the sin does not have bad consequences, is it a sin?

18.    How can we learn to hate sin because it is sin? Do we understand that it is destructive? Think of all the evil that has resulted from that first sin in the Garden of Eden. Think what Jesus did to answer the questions that Satan posed against God. Are we going to despise that incredible price which He paid? Or, do we choose to believe that the death of Christ will take care of everything and that we do not need to worry about our sins? So many Christians in our day think that they can go on sinning and pray and be thankful that the Lord is so forgiving! Is that God’s plan for our lives? Or, is His plan for our lives that we look at His life and death, begin to comprehend the enormous implications of that experience, and change our behavior? Does God’s forgiveness mean that we can go on sinning?

19.    One of the greatest sins in the developed world is the sin of overindulging in appetite. What we drink and what we eat can be incredibly dangerous. Read [Genesis 3:1-7; Romans 5:12; and Genesis 9:21]xiii. Some of the earliest and most important sins recorded in Scripture have to do with eating and drinking. Does the Bible say that overeating is a sin?

20.    Read Proverbs 23:29-35. What an incredible description of a hangover after drinking too much. And all the alcoholic can think about is getting another drink! But, it is doubtful that any of those who begin drinking have any notion of becoming drunkards. However, statistically, it is true that one in seven people who takes his/her first drink will end up becoming an alcoholic.

21.    Look at these words from Ellen White.

The man who has formed the habit of drinking intoxicating liquor, is in a desperate situation. He cannot be reasoned with, or persuaded to deny himself the indulgence. His stomach and brain are diseased, his will power is weakened, and his appetite uncontrollable. The prince of the powers of darkness holds him in bondage that he has no power to break.—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 1162.

22.    Read Proverbs 23:1-8xiv. Compare Proverbs 31:4-7xv. We do not have to eat or drink something that is naturally a poison such as alcohol in order to suffer the consequences. Morbid obesity-which is becoming the epidemic of the developed world-has terrible health consequences. Beyond hypertension, diabetes, and back and knee problems, those who are morbidly obese have a greatly increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, even cancer.

23.    We do not have any photographs of King Solomon. We do not know if his eating habits led to obesity or not. But, he suggested that overeating is like putting a knife to one’s throat. So, he must have had a good understood of some of these problems.

24.    Do you know anyone whose life has been ruined by alcohol or morbid obesity? How many people’s lives are being cut short by alcohol or gluttony?

25.    Read Ezekiel 33:8. What is implied by that verse? Compare [1 John 3:4; Romans 14:23; and James 4:17]xvi. We all know that it is easy to sin by doing what is wrong. Is it also possible to commit sin by failing to do what is right? We called those sins of omission.

26.    A terrible example of the sin of omission took place several years ago in New York City.

Years ago, in a big Western city, a woman was being attacked at night on a street. She cried out for help; dozens heard her, yet not one person even bothered to call the police. Most people looked out the window and then went back to whatever they were doing. Soon the woman’s cries stopped. Later, she was found dead, stabbed numerous times.

Were the people who heard her cries but did nothing responsible for her death? Though they hadn’t attacked her themselves, did their inaction kill her? (Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide p. 77 for Thursday, February 26, 2015.)

27.    Read Proverbs 24:11-12,23-28xvii. Do these verses extend our responsibilities? Are we now responsible not only for what we do, but also for what we could have done and what we did not report even though we knew? In Leviticus 5:1xviii, Moses warned us about inaccurate reporting or failure to report something that we know happened.

28.    Have you ever known of a case of someone who misrepresented the truth in court? Why is that considered to be such a serious crime?

29.    It is easy for us as Christians to isolate ourselves in our small cocoons and pretend that everything is okay. In light of our expanded definition of sin, is it our responsibility to do anything about world hunger, war, injustice, racism, or economic oppression? What is God expecting of us?

Souls around us must be aroused and saved, or they perish. Not a moment have we to lose. We all have an influence that tells for the truth or against it. I desire to carry with me unmistakable evidences that I am one of Christ’s disciples. We want something besides Sabbath religion. We need the living principle, and to daily feel individual responsibility. This is shunned by many, and the fruit is carelessness, indifference, a lack of watchfulness and spirituality.—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 99.1; 2Spiritual Gifts 200.1-2 (1860).

Talk faith, live faith, cultivate love to God; evidence to the world all that Jesus is to you. Magnify His holy name. Tell of His goodness; talk of His mercy, and tell of His power.—Ellen G. White, Manuscript 42, 1890; Our High Calling, p. 20.4; Christ Triumphant 127.5.

30.    How good are we doing at witnessing? Remember that Bible study, prayer, and witnessing are the three things that we are absolutely told to do!

31.    What is your understanding about God’s omniscience? Do you really live as if you believe that God sees, hears, and understands everything we think, say, and do in addition to understanding our motives behind each of those things? Does that worry you? Should it? What would happen if we were to practice the presence of God every day? Are we to think of God as just waiting for a chance to punish us? What attitude should we have toward God?

Everything that Christians do should be as transparent as the sunlight. Truth is of God; deception, in every one of its myriad forms, is of Satan; and whoever in any way departs from the straight line of truth is betraying himself into the power of the wicked one. Yet it is not a light or an easy thing to speak the exact truth.

We cannot speak the truth unless we know the truth; and how often preconceived opinions, mental bias, imperfect knowledge, errors of judgment, prevent a right understanding of matters with which we have to do! We cannot speak the truth unless our minds are continually guided by Him who is truth. (Mount of Blessing 68.3; RC 71.5. Compare Review and Herald, November 18, 1890 par. 8.)

32.    What do you think about the fact that Christ is to be our Judge as well as our Savior? Or, is it the Father who is the Judge? How do you understand [John 3:17-21; John 5:27-29; and 12:47-48xix]?

33.    Are there times when it is appropriate to keep quiet about something that we may know very well? Is there a difference between openly telling everything you know and unnecessarily disclosing or volunteering information? Is there a time not to tell something we know? What about Rahab? What about those who hid Jews from the Nazis? Think of all the things that God knows that He does not talk about! (Jeremiah 31:31-34)xx Why is truth the only safe way to live one’s life? What happens to us if we are caught telling a lie?

34.    Truth means more than giving intellectual consent to known facts. Truth means acting with compassion and fairness and doing our best to prevent others from using money and power to overrule compassion and justice.

35.    How well do we know God? Why do some of us talk so much about the “truth about God”? How many Christians have been deceived by Satan’s lies? How many Christians are actually preaching Satan’s lies as “gospel truth”?

36.    Is there a time for keeping a secret? Sometimes, secrecy is essential for security. Is it all right to keep a secret? Like Rahab? Like those who hid Jews?

37.    How would we like to have all the intimate details of our lives openly available on the Internet for anyone who wanted to read them? How would that impact our behavior? Sometimes, the truth hurts. How can we practice being truthful without hurting people? Or, can we? Is it easier to lie about our feelings than it is to lie about facts? Why is that?

38.    Read Proverbs 22:17-29xxi. This passage is a link between the discussion about judgment in Proverbs 20-22:16 and the passages about truth in Proverbs 23 and 24. Proverbs 23 is clearly intended to teach us to be truthful even when it is difficult to do so. Proverbs 24 goes on to suggest that we know in our inmost beings whether or not we have done what is right. Is that our conscience? Does everyone have a conscience? A reasonable one?

39.    When talking about the “truth about God,” what does that include? One of the most comprehensive and best brief definitions of the truth about God is as follows: “The good news is that God is not the kind of Person His enemies have made Him out to be.”

40.    But, in addition to that core truth, there is a second truth suggesting that sinners will end up in ruin. Deceit and arrogance will eventually produce their results.

41.    There is a third truth that is hard for some people to accept. Hard work and perseverance will be rewarded. Isn’t that what we are talking about when we discuss the endurance of the saints as described in Revelation 14:12xxii?

42.    Are we ever guilty of envying the world? What is it about the world that we envy? Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the children of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. (Hebrews 11:25)xxiii Would you do the same? Or, are the pleasures of sin too attractive?

© 2015, 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.    Info@.theox.org

i-Proverbs 22:17 Listen, and I will teach you what the wise have said. Study their teachings, 18 and you will be glad if you remember them and can quote them. 19 I want you to put your trust in the Lord; that is why I am going to tell them to you now. 20 I have written down thirty sayings for you. They contain knowledge and good advice, 21 and will teach you what the truth really is. Then when you are sent to find it out, you will bring back the right answer. 22 Don't take advantage of the poor just because you can; don't take advantage of those who stand helpless in court. 23 The Lord will argue their case for them and threaten the life of anyone who threatens theirs. 24 Don't make friends with people who have hot, violent tempers. 25 You might learn their habits and not be able to change. 26 Don't promise to be responsible for someone else's debts. 27 If you should be unable to pay, they will take away even your bed. 28 Never move an old property line that your ancestors established. 29 Show me someone who does a good job, and I will show you someone who is better than most and worthy of the company of kings.

Proverbs 23:1 When you sit down to eat with someone important, keep in mind who he is. 2 If you have a big appetite, restrain yourself. 3 Don't be greedy for the fine food he serves; he may be trying to trick you. 4 Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying to get rich 5 Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle. 6 Don't eat at the table of a stingy person or be greedy for the fine food he serves. 7 "Come on and have some more," he says, but he doesn't mean it. What he thinks is what he really is. 8 You will vomit up what you have eaten, and all your flattery will be wasted. 9 Don't try to talk sense to a fool; he can't appreciate it. 10 Never move an old property line or take over land owned by orphans. 11 The Lord is their powerful defender, and he will argue their case against you. 12 Pay attention to your teacher and learn all you can. 13 Don't hesitate to discipline children. A good spanking won't kill them. 14 As a matter of fact, it may save their lives 15 My child, if you become wise, I will be very happy. 16 I will be proud when I hear you speaking words of wisdom. 17 Don't be envious of sinful people; let reverence for the Lord be the concern of your life. 18 If it is, you have a bright future. 19 Listen, my child, be wise and give serious thought to the way you live 20 Don't associate with people who drink too much wine or stuff themselves with food. 21 Drunkards and gluttons will be reduced to poverty. If all you do is eat and sleep, you will soon be wearing rags 22 Listen to your father; without him you would not exist. When your mother is old, show her your appreciation. 23 Truth, wisdom, learning, and good sense - these are worth paying for, but too valuable for you to sell. 24 A righteous person's parents have good reason to be happy. You can take pride in a wise child. 25 Let your father and mother be proud of you; give your mother that happiness. 26 Pay close attention, son, and let my life be your example. 27 Prostitutes and immoral women are a deadly trap. 28 They wait for you like robbers and cause many men to be unfaithful. 29 Show me people who drink too much, who have to try out fancy drinks, and I will show you people who are miserable and sorry for themselves, always causing trouble and always complaining. Their eyes are bloodshot, and they have bruises that could have been avoided. 31 Don't let wine tempt you, even though it is rich red, and it sparkles in the cup, and it goes down smoothly. 32 The next morning you will feel as if you had been bitten by a poisonous snake. 33 Weird sights will appear before your eyes, and you will not be able to think or speak clearly. 34 You will feel as if you were out on the ocean, seasick, swinging high up in the rigging of a tossing ship. 35 "I must have been hit," you will say; "I must have been beaten up, but I don't remember it. Why can't I wake up? I need another drink

Proverbs 24:1 Don't be envious of evil people, and don't try to make friends with them. 2 Causing trouble is all they ever think about; every time they open their mouth someone is going to be hurt. 3 Homes are built on the foundation of wisdom and understanding. 4 Where there is knowledge, the rooms are furnished with valuable, beautiful things. 5 Being wise is better than being strong; yes, knowledge is more important than strength. 6 After all, you must make careful plans before you fight a battle, and the more good advice you get, the more likely you are to win. 7 Wise sayings are too deep for stupid people to understand. They have nothing to say when important matters are being discussed. 8 If you are always planning evil, you will earn a reputation as a troublemaker. 9 Any scheme a fool thinks up is sinful. People hate a person who has nothing but scorn for others. 10 If you are weak in a crisis, you are weak indeed. 11 Don't hesitate to rescue someone who is about to be executed unjustly. 12 You may say that it is none of your business, but God knows and judges your motives. He keeps watch on you; he knows. And he will reward you according to what you do. 13 My child, eat honey; it is good. And just as honey from the comb is sweet on your tongue, 14 you may be sure that wisdom is good for the soul. Get wisdom and you have a bright future. 15 Don't be like the wicked who scheme to rob honest people or to take away their homes. 16 No matter how often honest people fall, they always get up again; but disaster destroys the wicked. 17 Don't be glad when your enemies meet disaster, and don't rejoice when they stumble. 18 The Lord will know if you are gloating, and he will not like it; and then maybe he won't punish them. 19 Don't let evil people worry you; don't be envious of them. 20 A wicked person has no future - nothing to look forward to. 21 Have reverence for the Lord, my child, and honor the king. Have nothing to do with people who rebel against them; 22 such people could be ruined in a moment. Do you realize the disaster that God or the king can cause? 23 The wise have also said these things: It is wrong for judges to be prejudiced. 24 If they pronounce a guilty person innocent, they will be cursed and hated by everyone. 25 Judges who punish the guilty, however, will be prosperous and enjoy a good reputation. 26 An honest answer is a sign of true friendship. 27 Don't build your house and establish a home until your fields are ready, and you are sure that you can earn a living. 28 Don't give evidence against others without good reason, or say misleading things about them. 29 Don't say, "I'll do to them just what they did to me! I'll get even with them!" 30 I walked through the fields and vineyards of a lazy, stupid person. 31 They were full of thorn bushes and overgrown with weeds. The stone wall around them had fallen down. 32 I looked at this, thought about it, and learned a lesson from it: 33 Go ahead and take your nap; go ahead and sleep. Fold your hands and rest awhile, 34 but while you are asleep, poverty will attack you like an armed robber.

Exodus 22:23 If you do, I, the Lord, will answer them when they cry out to me for help, 24 and I will become angry and kill you in war. Your wives will become widows, and your children will be fatherless. 25 "If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay interest. 26 If you take someone's cloak as a pledge that he will pay you, you must give it back to him before the sun sets, 27 because it is the only covering he has to keep him warm. What else can he sleep in? When he cries out to me for help, I will answer him because I am merciful. 28 "Do not speak evil of God, and do not curse a leader of your people. 29 "Give me the offerings from your grain, your wine, and your olive oil when they are due. "Give me your first-born sons.

Ephesians 5:20 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, always give thanks for everything to God the Father.

Ezekiel 33:8 If I announce that an evil person is going to die but you do not warn him to change his ways so that he can save his life, then he will die, still a sinner, and I will hold you responsible for his death.

ii-Proverbs 22:23 The Lord will argue their case for them and threaten the life of anyone who threatens theirs

iii-Proverbs 22:17 Listen, and I will teach you what the wise have said. Study their teachings

iv-Proverbs 22:17 Listen, and I will teach you what the wise have said. Study their teachings, 18 and you will be glad if you remember them and can quote them

v-Proverbs 22:19 I want you to put your trust in the Lord; that is why I am going to tell them to you now. 20 I have written down thirty sayings for you. They contain knowledge and good advice, 21 and will teach you what the truth really is. Then when you are sent to find it out, you will bring back the right answer

vi-Matthew 5:16 In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

vii-Proverbs 22:22 Don't take advantage of the poor just because you can; don't take advantage of those who stand helpless in court. 23 The Lord will argue their case for them and threaten the life of anyone who threatens theirs.

Proverbs 23:10 Never move an old property line or take over land owned by orphans.

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."

James 1:27 True devotion, the kind that is pure and faultless before God the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their difficulties and to keep the world from contaminating us.

viii-2 Samuel 12:13 "I have sinned against the Lord," David said. Nathan replied, "The Lord forgives you; you will not die.

ix-Ecclesiastes 12:13 After all this, there is only one thing to say: Have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that we were created for. 14 God is going to judge everything we do, whether good or bad, even things done in secret.

Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small alike, standing before the throne. Books were opened, and then another book was opened, the book of the living. The dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 Then the sea gave up its dead. Death and the world of the dead also gave up the dead they held. And all were judged according to what they had done.

x-Proverbs 23:11 The Lord is their powerful defender, and he will argue their case against you.

xi-Ecclesiastes 8:15 So I am convinced that we should enjoy ourselves, because the only pleasure we have in this life is eating and drinking and enjoying ourselves. We can at least do this as we labor during the life that God has given us in this world.

Luke 12:19 Then I will say to myself, Lucky man! You have all the good things you need for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!'

xii-Proverbs 23:17 Don't be envious of sinful people; let reverence for the Lord be the concern of your life.

Proverbs 24:1 Don't be envious of evil people, and don't try to make friends with them. 2 Causing trouble is all they ever think about; every time they open their mouth someone is going to be hurt.

Proverbs 24:19 Don't let evil people worry you; don't be envious of them. 20 A wicked person has no future - nothing to look forward to.

xiii-Genesis 3:1 Now the snake was the most cunning animal that the Lord God had made. The snake asked the woman, "Did God really tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?" 2 "We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden," the woman answered, 3 "except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die." 4 The snake replied, "That's not true; you will not die. 5 God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad." 6 The woman saw how beautiful the tree was and how good its fruit would be to eat, and she thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, and he also ate it. 7 As soon as they had eaten it, they were given understanding and realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and covered themselves.

Romans 5:12 Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned.

Genesis 9:21 After he drank some of the wine, he became drunk, took off his clothes, and lay naked in his tent.

xiv-Proverbs 23:1 When you sit down to eat with someone important, keep in mind who he is.[a] 2 If you have a big appetite, restrain yourself. 3 Don't be greedy for the fine food he serves; he may be trying to trick you. 4 Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying to get rich. 5 Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle. 6 Don't eat at the table of a stingy person or be greedy for the fine food he serves. 7 “Come on and have some more,” he says, but he doesn't mean it. What he thinks is what he really is. 8 You will vomit up what you have eaten, and all your flattery will be wasted.

xv-Proverbs 31:4 Listen, Lemuel. Kings should not drink wine or have a craving for alcohol. 5 When they drink, they forget the laws and ignore the rights of people in need. 6 Alcohol is for people who are dying, for those who are in misery. 7 Let them drink and forget their poverty and unhappiness.

xvi-1 John 3:4 Whoever sins is guilty of breaking God's law, because sin is a breaking of the law.

Romans 14:23 But if they have doubts about what they eat, God condemns them when they eat it, because their action is not based on faith. And anything that is not based on faith is sin.

James 4:17 So then, if we do not do the good we know we should do, we are guilty of sin.

xvii-Proverbs 24:11 Don't hesitate to rescue someone who is about to be executed unjustly. 12 You may say that it is none of your business, but God knows and judges your motives. He keeps watch on you; he knows. And he will reward you according to what you do.

Proverbs 24:23 The wise have also said these things: It is wrong for judges to be prejudiced. 24 If they pronounce a guilty person innocent, they will be cursed and hated by everyone. 25 Judges who punish the guilty, however, will be prosperous and enjoy a good reputation. 26 An honest answer is a sign of true friendship. 27 Don't build your house and establish a home until your fields are ready, and you are sure that you can earn a living. 28 Don't give evidence against others without good reason, or say misleading things about them.

xviii-Leviticus 5:1 Sin offerings are required in the following cases. If you are officially summoned to give evidence in court and do not give information about something you have seen or heard, you must suffer the consequences.

xix-John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior. 18 Those who believe in the Son are not judged; but those who do not believe have already been judged, because they have not believed in God's only Son. 19 This is how the judgment works: the light has come into the world, but people love the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds are evil. 20 Those who do evil things hate the light and will not come to the light, because they do not want their evil deeds to be shown up. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light in order that the light may show that what they did was in obedience to God.

John 5:28 Do not be surprised at this; the time is coming when all the dead will hear his voice 29 and come out of their graves: those who have done good will rise and live, and those who have done evil will rise and be condemned. 30 "I can do nothing on my own authority; I judge only as God tells me, so my judgment is right, because I am not trying to do what I want, but only what he who sent me wants.

John 12:47 If people hear my message and do not obey it, I will not judge them. I came, not to judge the world, but to save it. 48 Those who reject me and do not accept my message have one who will judge them. The words I have spoken will be their judge on the last day!

xx-Jeremiah 31:31 The LORD says, “The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. Although I was like a husband to them, they did not keep that covenant. 33 The new covenant that I will make with the people of Israel will be this: I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 None of them will have to teach a neighbor to know the LORD, because all will know me, from the least to the greatest. I will forgive their sins and I will no longer remember their wrongs. I, the LORD, have spoken.”

xxi-Proverbs 22:17 Listen, and I will teach you what the wise have said. Study their teachings, 18 and you will be glad if you remember them and can quote them. 19 I want you to put your trust in the Lord; that is why I am going to tell them to you now. 20 I have written down thirty sayings for you. They contain knowledge and good advice, 21 and will teach you what the truth really is. Then when you are sent to find it out, you will bring back the right answer. 22 Don't take advantage of the poor just because you can; don't take advantage of those who stand helpless in court. 23 The Lord will argue their case for them and threaten the life of anyone who threatens theirs. 24 Don't make friends with people who have hot, violent tempers. 25 You might learn their habits and not be able to change. 26 Don't promise to be responsible for someone else's debts. 27 If you should be unable to pay, they will take away even your bed. 28 Never move an old property line that your ancestors established. 29 Show me someone who does a good job, and I will show you someone who is better than most and worthy of the company of kings.

xxii-Revelation 14:12 This calls for endurance on the part of God's people, those who obey God's commandments and are faithful to Jesus.

xxiii-Hebrews 11:25 He preferred to suffer with God's people rather than to enjoy sin for a little while.

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