Through the Bible – Day 255

Bible text(s)

Proverbs 23

—6—

₁When you are invited

to eat with a king,

use your best manners.

₂Don't go and stuff yourself!

That would be just the same

as cutting your throat.

₃Don't be greedy for all

that fancy food!

It may not be so tasty.

—7—

₄Give up trying so hard

to get rich.

₅Your money flies away

before you know it,

just like an eagle

suddenly taking off.

—8—

₆Don't accept an invitation

to eat a selfish person's food,

no matter how good it is.

₇People like that take note

of how much you eat.

They say, “Take all you want!”

But they don't mean it.

₈Each bite will come back up,

and all your kind words

will be wasted.

—9—

₉Don't talk to fools—

they will just make fun of you.

—10—

₁₀Don't move a boundary marker

or take the land

that belongs to orphans.

₁₁God All-Powerful is there

to defend them against you.

—11—

₁₂Listen to instruction

and do your best to learn.

—12—

₁₃Don't fail to correct

your children.

You won't kill them

by being firm,

₁₄and it may even

save their lives.

—13—

₁₅My children,

if you show good sense,

I will be happy,

₁₆and if you are truthful,

I will really be glad.

—14—

₁₇Don't be jealous of sinners,

but always honour the LORD.

₁₈Then you will truly have hope

for the future.

—15—

₁₉Listen to me, my children!

Be wise and have enough sense

to follow the right path.

₂₀Don't be a heavy drinker

or stuff yourself with food.

₂₁It will make you feel drowsy,

and you will end up poor

with only rags to wear.

—16—

₂₂Pay attention to your father,

and don't neglect your mother

when she grows old.

₂₃Invest in truth and wisdom,

discipline and good sense,

and don't part with them.

₂₄Make your father truly happy

by living right and showing

sound judgment.

₂₅Make your parents proud,

especially your mother.

—17—

₂₆My son, pay close attention,

and gladly follow

my example.

₂₇Bad women and unfaithful wives

are like a deep pit—

₂₈they are waiting to attack you

like a gang of robbers

with victim after victim.

—18—

₂₉Who is always in trouble?

Who argues and fights?

Who has cuts and bruises?

Whose eyes are red?

₃₀Everyone who stays up late,

having just one more drink.

₃₁Don't even look

at that colourful stuff

bubbling up in the glass!

It goes down so easily,

₃₂but later it bites

like a poisonous snake.

₃₃You will see weird things,

and your mind

will play tricks on you.

₃₄You will feel tossed about

like someone trying to sleep

on a ship in a storm.

₃₅You will be bruised all over,

without even remembering

how it all happened.

And you will lie awake asking,

“When will morning come,

so I can drink some more?”

Proverbs 23:1-35CEVOpen in Bible reader

2 Corinthians 8

Gifts for the poor

Generous giving

₁My friends, we want you to know that the churches in Macedonia have shown others how kind God is. ₂Although they were going through hard times and were very poor, they were glad to give generously. ₃They gave as much as they could afford and even more, simply because they wanted to. ₄They even asked and begged us to let them have the joy of giving their money for God's people. ₅And they did more than we had hoped. They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, just as God wanted them to do.

₆Titus was the one who got you started doing this good thing, so we begged him to help you finish what you had begun. ₇You do everything better than anyone else. You have stronger faith. You speak better and know more. You are eager to give, and you love us better. Now you must give more generously than anyone else.

₈I am not ordering you to do this. I am simply testing how real your love is by comparing it with the concern that others have shown. ₉You know that our Lord Jesus Christ was kind enough to give up all his riches and become poor, so that you could become rich.

₁₀A year ago you were the first ones to give, and you gave because you wanted to. So listen to my advice. ₁₁I think you should finish what you started. If you give according to what you have, you will prove that you are as eager to give as you were to think about giving. ₁₂It doesn't matter how much you have. What matters is how much you are willing to give from what you have.

₁₃I am not trying to make life easier for others by making life harder for you. But it is only fair ₁₄for you to share with them when you have so much, and they have so little. Later, when they have more than enough, and you are in need, they can share with you. Then everyone will have a fair share, ₁₅just as the Scriptures say,

“Those who gathered

too much

had nothing left.

Those who gathered

only a little

had all they needed.”

Titus and his friends

₁₆I am grateful that God made Titus care as much about you as we do. ₁₇When we begged Titus to visit you, he said he would. He wanted to because he cared so much for you. ₁₈With Titus we are also sending one of the Lord's followers who is well known in every church for spreading the good news. ₁₉The churches chose this follower to travel with us while we carry this gift that will bring praise to the Lord and show how much we hope to help. ₂₀We don't want anyone to find fault with the way we handle your generous gift. ₂₁But we want to do what pleases the Lord and what people think is right.

₂₂We are also sending someone else with Titus and the other follower. We approve of this man. In fact, he has already shown us many times that he wants to help. And now he wants to help even more than ever, because he trusts you so much. ₂₃Titus is my partner, who works with me to serve you. The other two followers are sent by the churches, and they bring honour to Christ. ₂₄Treat them in such a way that the churches will see your love and will know why we boasted about you.

2 Corinthians 8:1-24CEVOpen in Bible reader