Proverbs 18:9

Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.

This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John.

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot.

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

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.

For this I will lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked; I will howl like the jackals, and moan like the daughters of owls.

The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.

For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.

He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.

As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.

He who robs his father and drives away his mother, is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, “It’s not wrong,” is a partner with a destroyer.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.

He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears—behold, the silver is with me. I took it.” His mother said, “May Yahweh bless my son!”

When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to nothing, all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work.

All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His offspring is blessed.

I am like a pelican of the wilderness. I have become as an owl of the waste places.

How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?

The hands of the diligent ones shall rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.

Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger.

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.

Whoever keeps the law is a wise son; but he who is a companion of gluttons shames his father.

Whoever loves wisdom brings joy to his father; but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls.

“But his lord answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where I didn’t scatter.

Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let’s have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,

And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.

“ ‘If your brother has become poor, and his hand can’t support himself among you, then you shall uphold him. He shall live with you like an alien and a temporary resident.

After him, Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired another portion, from the turning of the wall to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.

So you may walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;

There is one who scatters, and increases yet more. There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty.

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.

so your poverty will come as a robber and your want as an armed man.

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

The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.

I chattered like a swallow or a crane. I moaned like a dove. My eyes weaken looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed. Be my security.”

Yahweh says, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’ and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?

Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.

He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.

The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times?

But when this your son came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

“Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.

‘For I tell you that to everyone who has, will more be given; but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.

serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews;

to those who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life;

For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die.

Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.

Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing.

that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises.

Thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath,

Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently,

and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control perseverance; and in perseverance godliness;

For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life.

You have perseverance and have endured for my name’s sake, and have not grown weary.

If anyone is to go into captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.

“Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are weapons of violence.

The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously.

It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgment.

For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;

A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.

The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!”

The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel doesn’t know. My people don’t consider.”

But he who received the one talent went away and dug in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living.

He also said to his disciples, “There was a certain rich man who had a manager. An accusation was made to him that this man was wasting his possessions.

“The manager said within himself, ‘What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking away the management position from me? I don’t have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg.

When they were filled, he said to his disciples, “Gather up the broken pieces which are left over, that nothing be lost.”

Don’t work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him.”

not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

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

I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.