Today’s Reading :  Proverbs  20 – 23  and  James 1  (KJV)

 

 

 Proverbs 20

Pro 20:1  Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Pro 20:2  The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.

Pro 20:3  It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

Pro 20:4  The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Pro 20:5  Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

Pro 20:6  Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

Pro 20:7  The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

Pro 20:8  A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

Pro 20:9  Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Pro 20:10  Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.

Pro 20:11  Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

Pro 20:12  The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

Pro 20:13  Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

Pro 20:14  It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

Pro 20:15  There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

Pro 20:16  Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

Pro 20:17  Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

Pro 20:18  Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

Pro 20:19  He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

Pro 20:20  Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

Pro 20:21  An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

Pro 20:22  Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

Pro 20:23  Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.

Pro 20:24  Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

Pro 20:25  It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry.

Pro 20:26  A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

Pro 20:27  The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Pro 20:28  Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upheld by mercy.

Pro 20:29  The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.

Pro 20:30  The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.

 

Proverbs 21

Pro 21:1  The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

Pro 21:2  Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

Pro 21:3  To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Pro 21:4  A high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

Pro 21:5  The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

Pro 21:6  The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

Pro 21:7  The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

Pro 21:8  The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

Pro 21:9  It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

Pro 21:10  The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.

Pro 21:11  When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.

Pro 21:12  The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.

Pro 21:13  Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

Pro 21:14  A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.

Pro 21:15  It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

Pro 21:16  The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

Pro 21:17  He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

Pro 21:18  The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.

Pro 21:19  It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

Pro 21:20  There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

Pro 21:21  He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.

Pro 21:22  A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.

Pro 21:23  Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

Pro 21:24  Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.

Pro 21:25  The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

Pro 21:26  He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.

Pro 21:27  The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

Pro 21:28  A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.

Pro 21:29  A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.

Pro 21:30  There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.

Pro 21:31  The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.

 

Proverbs 22

Pro 22:1  A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Pro 22:2  The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

Pro 22:3  A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

Pro 22:4  By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

Pro 22:5  Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

Pro 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Pro 22:7  The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Pro 22:8  He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

Pro 22:9  He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Pro 22:10  Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

Pro 22:11  He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

Pro 22:12  The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

Pro 22:13  The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

Pro 22:14  The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

Pro 22:15  Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Pro 22:16  He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

Pro 22:17  Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

Pro 22:18  For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

Pro 22:19  That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

Pro 22:20  Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

Pro 22:21  That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

Pro 22:22  Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

Pro 22:23  For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

Pro 22:24  Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

Pro 22:25  Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

Pro 22:26  Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.

Pro 22:27  If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

Pro 22:28  Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

Pro 22:29  Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

 

Proverbs 23

Pro 23:1  When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:

Pro 23:2  And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

Pro 23:3  Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

Pro 23:4  Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

Pro 23:5  Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Pro 23:6  Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

Pro 23:7  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

Pro 23:8  The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

Pro 23:9  Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

Pro 23:10  Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

Pro 23:11  For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

Pro 23:12  Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

Pro 23:13  Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

Pro 23:14  Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

Pro 23:15  My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.

Pro 23:16  Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

Pro 23:17  Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

Pro 23:18  For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

Pro 23:19  Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

Pro 23:20  Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:

Pro 23:21  For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Pro 23:22  Hearken unto thy father that begot thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

Pro 23:23  Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Pro 23:24  The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

Pro 23:25  Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bore thee shall rejoice.

Pro 23:26  My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

Pro 23:27  For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

Pro 23:28  She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.

Pro 23:29  Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

Pro 23:30  They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

Pro 23:31  Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

Pro 23:32  At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

Pro 23:33  Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

Pro 23:34  Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.

Pro 23:35  They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

 

 

James 1

Jas 1:1  James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Jas 1:6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Jas 1:7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Jas 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Jas 1:9  Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

Jas 1:10  But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

Jas 1:11  For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

Jas 1:12  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Jas 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Jas 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Jas 1:16  Do not err, my beloved brethren.

Jas 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Jas 1:18  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Jas 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

Jas 1:20  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Jas 1:21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Jas 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

Jas 1:27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.