One Year Bible.

A Father’s Discipline

¹A wise son heeds his father’s discipline,

but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.

²From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things,

but the desire of the faithless is violence.

³He who guards his mouth protects his life,

but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.

⁴The slacker craves yet has nothing,

but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied.

⁵The righteous hate falsehood,

but the wicked bring shame and disgrace.

⁶Righteousness guards the man of integrity,

but wickedness undermines the sinner.

⁷One pretends to be rich, but has nothing;

another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

⁸Riches may ransom a man’s life,

but a poor man hears no threat.

⁹The light of the righteous shines brightly,

but the lamp of the wicked is extinguished.

¹⁰Arrogance leads only to strife,

but wisdom is with the well-advised.

¹¹Dishonest wealth will dwindle,

but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied.

¹²Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

¹³He who despises instruction will pay the penalty,

but the one who respects a command will be rewarded.

¹⁴The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,

turning one from the snares of death.

¹⁵Good understanding wins favor,

but the way of the faithless is difficult.

¹⁶Every prudent man acts with knowledge,

but a fool displays his folly.

¹⁷A wicked messenger falls into trouble,

but a faithful envoy brings healing.

¹⁸Poverty and shame come to him who ignores discipline,

but whoever heeds correction is honored.

¹⁹Desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,

but turning from evil is detestable to fools.

²⁰He who walks with the wise will become wise,

but the companion of fools will be destroyed.

²¹Disaster pursues sinners,

but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

²²A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,

but the sinner’s wealth is passed to the righteous.

²³Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor,

but without justice it is swept away.

²⁴He who spares the rod hates his son,

but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

²⁵A righteous man eats to his heart’s content,

but the stomach of the wicked is empty.

The Wise Woman

¹Every wise woman builds her house,

but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

²He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD,

but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.

³The proud speech of a fool brings a rod to his back,

but the lips of the wise protect them.

⁴Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,

but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox.

⁵An honest witness does not deceive,

but a dishonest witness pours forth lies.

⁶A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,

but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

⁷Stay away from a foolish man;

you will gain no knowledge from his speech.

⁸The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,

but the folly of fools deceives them.

⁹Fools mock the making of amends,

but goodwill is found among the upright.

¹⁰The heart knows its own bitterness,

and no stranger shares in its joy.

¹¹The house of the wicked will be destroyed,

but the tent of the upright will flourish.

¹²There is a way that seems right to a man,

but its end is the way of death.

¹³Even in laughter the heart may ache,

and joy may end in sorrow.

¹⁴The backslider in heart receives the fill of his own ways,

but a good man is rewarded for his ways.

¹⁵The simple man believes every word,

but the prudent man watches his steps.

¹⁶A wise man fears and turns from evil,

but a fool is careless and reckless.

¹⁷A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,

and a devious man is hated.

¹⁸The simple inherit folly,

but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

¹⁹The evil bow before the good,

and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

²⁰The poor man is hated even by his neighbor,

but many are those who love the rich.

²¹He who despises his neighbor sins,

but blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor.

²²Do not those who contrive evil go astray?

But those who plan goodness find loving devotion and faithfulness.

²³There is profit in all labor,

but mere talk leads only to poverty.

²⁴The crown of the wise is their wealth,

but the effort of fools is folly.

²⁵A truthful witness saves lives,

but one who utters lies is deceitful.

²⁶He who fears the LORD is secure in confidence,

and his children shall have a place of refuge.

²⁷The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,

turning a man from the snares of death.

²⁸A large population is a king’s splendor,

but a lack of subjects is a prince’s ruin.

²⁹A patient man has great understanding,

but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.

³⁰A tranquil heart is life to the body,

but envy rots the bones.

³¹Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker,

but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.

³²The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin,

but the righteous man has a refuge even in death.

³³Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning;

even among fools she is known.

³⁴Righteousness exalts a nation,

but sin is a disgrace to any people.

³⁵A king delights in a wise servant,

but his anger falls on the shameful.

Put On the New Self

¹Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

⁵Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶Because of these, the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. ⁷When you lived among them, you also used to walk in these ways. ⁸But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

⁹Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices, ¹⁰and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. ¹¹Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.

¹²Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity. ¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.

¹⁶Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Christian Households

¹⁸Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

¹⁹Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

²⁰Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.

²¹Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged.

Serving with Honor

²²Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord.

²³Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. ²⁵Whoever does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.

Prayerful Speech and Actions

¹Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

²Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful, ³as you pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. ⁴Pray that I may declare it clearly, as I should.

⁵Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time. ⁶Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Greetings from Paul’s Fellow Workers

⁷Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord. ⁸I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about us, and that he may encourage your hearts. ⁹With him I am sending Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

¹⁰My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you greetings, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas. You have already received instructions about him: If he comes to you, welcome him. ¹¹Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

¹²Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in the full will of God. ¹³For I testify about him that he goes to great pains for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.

¹⁴Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas send you greetings.

Signature and Final Instructions

¹⁵Greet the brothers in Laodicea, as well as Nympha and the church that meets at her house.

¹⁶After this letter has been read among you, make sure that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.

¹⁷Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”

¹⁸This greeting is in my own hand — Paul.

Remember my chains.

Grace be with you.