2 Corinthians 2:16

Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. He who is wise wins souls.

Then David the king went in, and sat before Yahweh; and he said, “Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far?

but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks,

in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

Moses spoke before Yahweh, saying, “Behold, the children of Israel haven’t listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, when I have uncircumcised lips?”

David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?”

An evil man is trapped by sinfulness of lips, but the righteous shall come out of trouble.

He will be a sanctuary, but for both houses of Israel, he will be a stumbling stone and a rock that makes them fall. For the people of Jerusalem, he will be a trap and a snare.

for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again; and I would heal them.’

“He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and would turn, and I would heal them.”

What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,

for he who worked through Peter in the apostleship with the circumcised also worked through me with the Gentiles—

For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.

He said to him, “O Lord, how shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

Then your servant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king bring rest; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. May Yahweh, your God, be with you.’ ”

Yahweh has made everything for its own end— yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.

I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near,” says Yahweh; “and I will heal them.”

‘Hear this now, foolish people without understanding, who have eyes, and don’t see, who have ears, and don’t hear:

Therefore I have cut them to pieces with the prophets; I killed them with the words of my mouth. Your judgments are like a flash of lightning.

He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it will fall, it will scatter him as dust.”

and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.

This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.

So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.

For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

But from those who were reputed to be important—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God doesn’t show partiality to man—they, I say, who were respected imparted nothing to me,

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don’t obey the Good News of God?

For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error;

For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.

I will reach out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do among them, and after that he will let you go.

Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken to Moses.

But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go.

Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go out of his land.

Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; for the children of Israel went out with a high hand.

You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone.

who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in, that the congregation of Yahweh may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.”

But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him; for Yahweh your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into your hand, as it is today.

But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked. You have grown fat. You have grown thick. You have become sleek. Then he abandoned God who made him, and rejected the Rock of his salvation.

But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain you; how much less this house that I have built!

“But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain you; how much less this house which I have built!

Now therefore, take to yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept him, that I not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.”

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom.

Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for Yahweh holds him up with his hand.

He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.

Behold, I and the children whom Yahweh has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yahweh of Armies, who dwells in Mount Zion.

O Yahweh, why do you make us wander from your ways, and harden our heart from your fear? Return for your servants’ sake, the tribes of your inheritance.

Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.”

Therefore Yahweh, the God of Armies says, “Because you speak this word, behold, I will make my words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it will devour them.

For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son,

Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, that those who don’t see may see; and that those who see may become blind.”

I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

For this people’s heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, then I would heal them.’

For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.

For I say through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.

Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?

It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself.) I am more so: in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, and in deaths often.

For if a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.

But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.

Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.

Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn’t let the people go.

For it was of Yahweh to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Their heart is as callous as the fat, but I delight in your law.

You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them.

through whom we received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations for his name’s sake;

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

How can I myself alone bear your problems, your burdens, and your strife?

If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you.

not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God,

Yahweh said to Moses, “When you go back into Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.

When he has made her drink the water, then it shall happen, if she is defiled and has committed a trespass against her husband, that the water that causes the curse will enter into her and become bitter, and her body will swell, and her thigh will fall away; and the woman will be a curse among her people.

I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.

Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of yours?”

When God helped the Levites who bore the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of yours?”

But who is able to build him a house, since heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain him? Who am I then, that I should build him a house, except just to burn incense before him?

Make the heart of this people fat. Make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed.”

Therefore Yahweh’s word will be to them precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, fall backward, be broken, be snared, and be taken.

“Isn’t my word like fire?” says Yahweh; “and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was given to me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

I now rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you were grieved to repentance. For you were grieved in a godly way, that you might suffer loss by us in nothing.

I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”

and, “a stumbling stone and a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.