Proverbs 1:16

Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil.

Mordecai went out of the presence of the king in royal clothing of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and was glad.

Pilate therefore entered again into the Praetorium, called Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

He entered into the Praetorium again, and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.

Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!

He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He doesn’t abhor evil.

but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.

a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,

The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit; and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty.

Their feet run to evil, and they hurry to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity. Desolation and destruction are in their paths.

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him.

Satan entered into Judas, who was also called Iscariot, who was counted with the twelve.

Jesus answered them, “Didn’t I choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land?

“Their feet are swift to shed blood.

I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification.

Brothers, speaking of human terms, though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void or adds to it.

This is so that innocent blood will not be shed in the middle of your land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, leaving blood guilt on you.

Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn’t kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it.

In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep, for you, Yahweh alone, make me live in safety.

arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

The words of the wicked are about lying in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.

He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.

Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice for the innocent!

But you are cast away from your tomb like an abominable branch, clothed with the slain, who are thrust through with the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit; like a dead body trodden under foot.

For wicked men are found among my people. They watch, as fowlers lie in wait. They set a trap. They catch men.

Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds! When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.

The soldiers led him away within the court, which is the Praetorium; and they called together the whole cohort.

During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,

saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men, and ate with them!”

Do I speak these things according to the ways of men? Or doesn’t the law also say the same thing?

throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter.

“Keep far from a false charge, and don’t kill the innocent and righteous; for I will not justify the wicked.

“You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.

There were certain men, who were unclean because of the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day, and they came before Moses and Aaron on that day.

He took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.

You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality. You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.

The Rock: his work is perfect, for all his ways are just. A God of faithfulness who does no wrong, just and right is he.

His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight.

So the couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment. The decree was given out in the citadel of Susa.

“If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit

But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in you.

He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper displays folly.

It isn’t good to have zeal without knowledge, nor being hasty with one’s feet and missing the way.

Don’t be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you?

A faithful man is rich with blessings; but one who is eager to be rich will not go unpunished.

A stingy man hurries after riches, and doesn’t know that poverty waits for him.

When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan.

The bloodthirsty hate a man of integrity; and they seek the life of the upright.

Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

When its boughs are withered, they will be broken off. The women will come and set them on fire, for they are a people of no understanding. Therefore he who made them will not have compassion on them, and he who formed them will show them no favor.

Therefore the Lord Yahweh says, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily.

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him, to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Because they have forsaken me, and have defiled this place, and have burned incense in it to other gods that they didn’t know, they, their fathers, and the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents,

Her princes within it are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you may be no priest to me. Because you have forgotten your God’s law, I will also forget your children.

The godly man has perished out of the earth, and there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts his brother with a net.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men.

Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

He said to them, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean.

“I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting, unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”

For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

and they may recover themselves out of the devil’s snare, having been taken captive by him to his will.

Don’t be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

Come now therefore, and let’s kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, ‘An evil animal has devoured him.’ We will see what will become of his dreams.”

They sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “You shall cast every son who is born into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”

Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.

When their hearts were merry, they said, “Call for Samson, that he may entertain us.” They called for Samson out of the prison; and he performed before them. They set him between the pillars;

David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God didn’t deliver him into his hand.

See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself, and come again to me with certainty, and I will go with you. It shall happen, if he is in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

When he had come in, he ate and drank. Then he said, “See now to this cursed woman, and bury her; for she is a king’s daughter.”

The couriers went out in haste by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given out in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Susa was perplexed.

Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority to confirm this second letter of Purim.

He lies in wait near the villages. From ambushes, he murders the innocent. His eyes are secretly set against the helpless.

in whose hands is wickedness, their right hand is full of bribes.

I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me!

For my enemies talk about me. Those who watch for my soul conspire together,

They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

If they say, “Come with us. Let’s lay in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.

For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.

Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’

For it is a day of confusion, and of treading down, and of perplexity, from the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, in the valley of vision, a breaking down of the walls, and a crying to the mountains.”

It was so, when they came into the middle of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah killed them, and cast them into the middle of the pit, he, and the men who were with him.

It is sharpened that it may make a slaughter. It is polished that it may be as lightning. Should we then make mirth? The rod of my son condemns every tree.

I saw the vision. Now it was so, that when I saw, I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam. I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai.

She, being prompted by her mother, said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer.”

She came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.”

After the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”

They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. It was early, and they themselves didn’t enter into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.