Proverbs Chapter 1 NLT

Outline

• Prologue: Purpose and Theme (1:1-7)
• The Superiority of the Way of Wisdom (1:8;9:18)
• Appeals and Warnings Confronting Youth (1:8-33)

1.    Enticements to secure happiness by violence (1:8-19)

2.    Warnings against rejecting wisdom (1:20-33)

• Commendation of Wisdom (chs. 2-4)

1.    Benefits of accepting wisdom's instructions (ch. 2)

2.    Wisdom bestows well-being (3:1-20)

3.    Wisdom's instructions and benefits (3:21-35)

4.    Challenge to hold on to wisdom (ch. 4)

• Warnings against Folly (chs. 5-7)

1.    Warning against adultery (ch. 5)

2.    Warning against perverse ways (6:1-19)

3.    Cost of committing adultery (6:20-35)

4.    Warning against the enticements of an adulteress (ch. 7)

• Appeals Addressed to Youth (chs. 8-9)

1.    Wisdom's appeal (ch. 8)

2.    Invitations of wisdom and folly (ch. 9)

• The Main Collection of Solomon's Proverbs (10:1;22:16)
• The Thirty Sayings of the Wise (22:17;24:22)
• Additional Sayings of the Wise (24:23-34)
• Hezekiah's Collection of Solomon's Proverbs (chs. 25-29)
• The Sayings of Agur (ch. 30)
• The Sayings of King Lemuel (31:1-9)
• Epilogue: The Ideal Wife (31:10-31)

The Wise Man According to Proverbs: An Outline

• His Character
• He Is Teachable, Not Intractable

1.    He receives and loves instruction (18:15;19:20)

2.    He grows in wisdom (1:5;9:9;10:14)

• He Is Righteous, Not Wicked

1.    He fears the Lord (1:7; 14:16; see below under relationship to the Lord)

2.    He hates what is false (13:5)

3.    He shuns evil (3:7;14:16;16:6)

4.    He does what is righteous (2:20)

5.    He speaks the truth (22:21)

• He Is Humble, Not Proud (15:33)
• He Is Self-controlled, Not Rash

1.    His temperament

1.    He is self-controlled (29:11)

2.    He has a calm spirit (17:27)

3.    He is slow to become angry (29:8,11)

2.    2. His actions

1.    He is cautious, not hasty (19:2)

2.    He thinks before he acts (13:16; 14:8)

3.    He thinks before he speaks (12:23; 15:2)

• He Is Forgiving, Not Vindictive

1.    He is patient (19:11)

2.    He is concerned about goodwill/peace (14:9)

3.    He forgives those who wrong him (10:12;17:9)

4.    He is not vindictive (20:22;24:29)

• His Relationships
• To the Lord

1.    He fears the Lord (9:10;14:16;15:33)

2.    He trusts in the Lord (3:5;16:3,20)

3.    He is ever mindful of the Lord (3:6)

4.    He chooses the Lord's way/wisdom (8:10-11;17:24)

5.    He submits to the Lord's discipline (1:2-3;3:11)

6.    He confesses his sin (28:13)

• To His Family

1.    To his parents

1.    Respects them (17:6; contrast 30:17)

2.    Listens to them (23:22; cf. 1:8; 4:1)

3.    Seeks to bring them honor and joy

1.    By being wise (10:1;15:20;29:3)

2.    By being righteous (23:24)

3.    By being diligent (10:5)

2.    To his wife

1.    He appreciates her

1.    As a gift from the Lord (18:22;19:14)

2.    As his crowning glory (12:4;31:10-31)

2.    He praises her (31:28)

3.    He trusts her (31:11)

4.    He is faithful to her (5:15-20)

3.    To his children

1.    He loves them (3:12;13:24)

2.    He is concerned about them (1:8-9:18)

3.    He trains them (22:6)

1.    Reasons for training them

1.    Own peace of mind and joy (29:17)

2.    Child's honor and well-being (1:8-9;4:9;19:18;23:13-14)

2.    By teaching/instructing them (1:10; chs. 5-7; 28:7; cf. 4:1-9)

3.    By disciplining them

1.    By verbal correction (13:1)

2.    By physical discipline (13:24;23:13-14)

4.    He provides for their

1.    Physical needs (21:20;27:23-27)

2.    Spiritual heritage (14:26;20:7)

• To His Friends and Neighbors

1.    To his friends

1.    He values them (27:10)

2.    He is constant to them (17:17; 18:24)

3.    He gives them counsel (27:9,17; cf. 27:6; 28:23)

2.    To his neighbors

1.    He fulfills his obligations (3:27-28)

2.    He strives for peace (3:29-30)

3.    He does not outstay his welcome (25:17)

4.    He does not deceive or mislead them (16:29;26:18-19)

• His Words
• The Power of His Words

1.    Their power

1.    The power of life and death (12:6;13:14;15:4;18:21)

2.    The power to heal or to wound (11:9,11;12:18;15:4,30;16:24)

2.    Their limitation

1.    No substitute for deeds (14:23)

2.    Cannot alter the facts (26:23-26)

3.    Cannot compel response (29:19)

• The Character of His Words

1.    They are honest, not false (12:22;16:13)

2.    They are few, not many (10:19)

1.    Not boastful (27:2)

2.    Not argumentative (17:14)

3.    Not contentious (29:9)

4.    Not a gossip

1.    Revealing secrets (11:13;20:19)

2.    Spreading slander (10:18;26:20-22)

3.    They are calm, not emotional

1.    Rational (15:28;17:27)

2.    Gentle and peaceable (15:1,18)

3.    Yet persuasive (25:15)

4.    They are apt, not untimely (15:23;25:11)

• The Source of His Words

1.    His heart/character (compare 4:23 with Mt 12:33-35)

1.    Positively, he is righteous (10:11;13:14)

2.    Negatively, he is not

1.    Proud (13:10;6:16-19)

2.    Hateful (26:24,28)

2.    His companions (13:20;27:17)

3.    Reflections (15:28)

Proverbs Chapter 1 NLT

The Purpose of Proverbs

1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.

2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,

    to help them understand the insights of the wise.

3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,

    to help them do what is right, just, and fair.

4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple,

    knowledge and discernment to the young.

5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.

    Let those with understanding receive guidance

6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,

    the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge,

    but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

A Father’s Exhortation: Acquire Wisdom

8 My child,[a] listen when your father corrects you.

    Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.

9 What you learn from them will crown you with grace

    and be a chain of honor around your neck.

10 My child, if sinners entice you,

    turn your back on them!

11 They may say, “Come and join us.

    Let’s hide and kill someone!

    Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!

12 Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave[b];

    let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.

13 Think of the great things we’ll get!

    We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.

14 Come, throw in your lot with us;

    we’ll all share the loot.”

15 My child, don’t go along with them!

    Stay far away from their paths.

16 They rush to commit evil deeds.

    They hurry to commit murder.

17 If a bird sees a trap being set,

    it knows to stay away.

18 But these people set an ambush for themselves;

    they are trying to get themselves killed.

19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money;

    it robs them of life.

Wisdom Shouts in the Streets

20 Wisdom shouts in the streets.

    She cries out in the public square.

21 She calls to the crowds along the main street,

    to those gathered in front of the city gate:

22 “How long, you simpletons,

    will you insist on being simpleminded?

How long will you mockers relish your mocking?

    How long will you fools hate knowledge?

23 Come and listen to my counsel.

I’ll share my heart with you

    and make you wise.

24 “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come.

    I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.

25 You ignored my advice

    and rejected the correction I offered.

26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble!

    I will mock you when disaster overtakes you—

27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,

    when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone,

    and anguish and distress overwhelm you.

28 “When they cry for help, I will not answer.

    Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.

29 For they hated knowledge

    and chose not to fear the LORD.

30 They rejected my advice

    and paid no attention when I corrected them.

31 Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way,

    choking on their own schemes.

32 For simpletons turn away from me—to death.

    Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.

33 But all who listen to me will live in peace,

    untroubled by fear of harm.”