September 12: Proverbs 13–14; Psalm 68:19–35; John 9

Proverbs 13–14 (Listen)

13A wise son hears his father’s instruction,
but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good,
but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.
3Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
4The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
5The righteous hates falsehood,
but the wicked brings shame^{Or stench“>1} and disgrace.
6Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless,
but sin overthrows the wicked.
7One pretends to be rich,^{Or One makes himself rich“>2} yet has nothing;
another pretends to be poor,^{Or another makes himself poor“>3} yet has great wealth.
8The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
but a poor man hears no threat.
9The light of the righteous rejoices,
but the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
10By insolence comes nothing but strife,
but with those who take advice is wisdom.
11Wealth gained hastily^{Or by fraud“>4} will dwindle,
but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
12Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
13Whoever despises the word^{Or a word“>5} brings destruction on himself,
but he who reveres the commandment^{Or a commandment“>6} will be rewarded.
14The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
15Good sense wins favor,
but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.^{Probable reading (compare Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate); Hebrew is rugged, or is an enduring rut“>7}
16Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
but a fool flaunts his folly.
17A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
but a faithful envoy brings healing.
18Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction,
but whoever heeds reproof is honored.
19A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
20Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
21Disaster^{Or Evil“>8} pursues sinners,
but the righteous are rewarded with good.
22A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
23The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,
but it is swept away through injustice.
24Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.^{Or who loves him disciplines him early“>9}
25The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
but the belly of the wicked suffers want.
14The wisest of women builds her house,
but folly with her own hands tears it down.
2Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD,
but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
3By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,^{Or In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride“>10}
but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5A faithful witness does not lie,
but a false witness breathes out lies.
6A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
8The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.
9Fools mock at the guilt offering,
but the upright enjoy acceptance.^{Hebrew but among the upright is acceptance“>11}
10The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares 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 to death.^{Hebrew ways of death“>12}
13Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and the end of joy may be grief.
14The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
15The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
16One who is wise is cautious^{Or fears [the Lord]“>13} and turns away from evil,
but a fool is reckless and careless.
17A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
and a man of evil devices is hated.
18The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
but the rich has many friends.
21Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
22Do they not go astray who devise evil?
Those who devise good meet^{Or show“>14} steadfast love and faithfulness.
23In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
24The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the folly of fools brings folly.
25A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
26In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
27The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
28In a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
but without people a prince is ruined.
29Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
30A tranquil^{Or healing“>15} heart gives life to the flesh,
but envy^{Or jealousy“>16} makes the bones rot.
31Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
32The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
but the righteous finds refuge in his death.
33Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.^{Or Wisdom rests quietly in the heart of a man of understanding, but makes itself known in the midst of fools“>17}
34Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.
35A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor,
but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

(ESV)

Psalm 68:19–35 (Listen)

19Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah
20Our God is a God of salvation,
and to GOD, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
21But God will strike the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
22The Lord said,
“I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23that you may strike your feet in their blood,
that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”


24Your procession is^{Or has been“>1} seen, O God,
the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25the singers in front, the musicians last,
between them virgins playing tambourines:
26“Bless God in the great congregation,
the LORD, O you^{The Hebrew for you is plural here“>2} who are of Israel’s fountain!”
27There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
the princes of Judah in their throng,
the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.


28Summon your power, O God,^{By revocalization (compare Septuagint); Hebrew Your God has summoned your power“>3}
the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
29Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings shall bear gifts to you.
30Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;
scatter the peoples who delight in war.^{The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain“>4}
31Nobles shall come from Egypt;
Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.


32O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34Ascribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
and whose power is in the skies.
35Awesome is God from his^{Septuagint; Hebrew your“>5} sanctuary;
the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!

(ESV)

John 9 (Listen)

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

9As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud 7and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

8The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

18The Jews^{Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time; also verse 22“>1} did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22(His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus^{Greek him“>2} to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

35Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”^{Some manuscripts the Son of God“>3} 36He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt;^{Greek you would not have sin“>4} but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

(ESV)