KEEP GOD'S COMMANDS AND YOU WILL LIVE

Passage: Proverbs 4:1-9

Key verse: 4

NIV

Get Wisdom at Any Cost

4 Listen, my sons,(A) to a father’s instruction;(B)
    pay attention and gain understanding.(C)
2 I give you sound learning,
    so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
    still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
    “Take hold(D) of my words with all your heart;
    keep my commands, and you will live.(E)
5 Get wisdom,(F) get understanding;
    do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;(G)
    love her, and she will watch over you.(H)
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom.
    Though it cost all(I) you have,[b] get understanding.(J)
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
    embrace her, and she will honor you.(K)
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
    and present you with a glorious crown.(L)”

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Footnotes
  1. Proverbs 4:7 Or Wisdom is supreme; therefore get
  2. Proverbs 4:7 Or wisdom. / Whatever else you get
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

A Father's Wise Instruction

4 (A)Hear, O sons, a father's instruction,
    and be attentive, that you may (B)gain[a] insight,
2 for I give you good (C)precepts;
    do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father,
    (D)tender, (E)the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 he (F)taught me and said to me,
(G)“Let your heart hold fast my words;
    (H)keep my commandments, and live.
5 (I)Get wisdom; get (J)insight;
    do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
    (K)love her, and she will guard you.
7 (L)The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
    and whatever you get, get (M)insight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
    she will (N)honor you (O)if you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head (P)a graceful garland;
    she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

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Footnotes
  1. Proverbs 4:1 Hebrew know
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Take hold of my words (1-6) Parents love their children and want to give everything they have. But the best way is to teach them the word of God to get wisdom. Solomon reveals how his father David taught him day and night to seek God first (1 Kings 2:1-9) till he asked God to give him wisdom more than anything else. Wisdom comes from the word of God. If we take hold of the words of God with all our heart and keep his commands, we will live. If we do not forget his words and do not forsake wisdom, God will protect us and watch over us. 2. Second, wisdom is supreme (7-9) But wisdom is not easy to get. Therefore, we should do our best to get wisdom (1 Kings 3:9) though it may cost all we have. If we esteem wisdom, she will exalt us. If we embrace her, she will honor us. Wisdom eventually will present us with a crown of splendor, eternal life if we accept it. Paul considered everything as garbage to earn Jesus, for to know Christ was supreme. Jesus is the source of wisdom.

Prayer: Lord, let me lay hold of your word with all my heart and get wisdom, Jesus Christ.

One Word: Jesus is supreme