1 These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of King Hezekiah of Judah copied:
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
and it is the glory of a king to search out a matter.
3 As the heaven is high and the earth is deep
so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
4 Remove the dross from the silver,
and material for the silversmith will emerge;
5 remove the wicked from before the king,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Do not honor yourself before the king,
and do not stand in the place of great men;
7 for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”
than to put you lower before a prince,
whom your eyes have seen.
8 Do not go out hastily to litigation,
or what will you do afterward
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
9 When you argue a case with your neighbor,
do not reveal the secret of another person,
10 lest the one who hears it put you to shame
and your infamy will never go away.
11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver,
so is a word skillfully spoken.
12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold,
so is a wise reprover to the ear of the one who listens.
13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest,
so is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
for he refreshes the heart of his masters.
14 Like cloudy skies and wind that produce no rain,
so is the one who boasts of a gift not given.
15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a soft tongue can break a bone.
16 You have found honey—eat only what is sufficient for you,
lest you become stuffed with it and vomit it up.
17 Don’t set foot too frequently in your neighbor’s house,
lest he become weary of you and hate you.
18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow,
so is the one who testifies against his neighbor as a false witness.
19 Like a bad tooth or a foot out of joint,
so is confidence in an unfaithful person at the time of trouble.
20 Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,
or like vinegar poured on soda,
so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
22 for you will heap coals of fire on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
and a gossiping tongue brings forth an angry look.
24 It is better to live on a corner of the housetop
than in a house in company with a quarrelsome wife.
25 Like cold water to a weary person,
so is good news from a distant land.
26 Like a muddied spring and a polluted well,
so is a righteous person who gives way before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey,
nor is it honorable for people to seek their own glory.
28 Like a city that is broken down and without a wall,
so is a person who cannot control his temper.
1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites is for their salvation. 2 For I can testify that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not in line with the truth. 3 For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes.
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.” 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 or “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we preach), 9 because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. 11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.” 16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ.
18 But I ask, have they not heard? Yes, they have: Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. 19 But again I ask, didn’t Israel understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; with a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.” 20 And Isaiah is even bold enough to say, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I became well known to those who did not ask for me.” 21 But about Israel he says, “All day long I held out my hands to this disobedient and stubborn people!”