11:4“The day of judgment” refers to when we die or to the time when God settles accounts with all people. On judgment day, each person will stand alone, accountable for all of his or her deeds. At that time, no amount of riches will buy reconciliation with God. Only our love for God and obedience to him will count.
Life Application Study BibleProverbsChapter 11
Proverbs 11
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1018, 1019, 1020
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
11Proverbs 11
1but he delights in accurate weights.
2Pride leads to disgrace,but with humility comes wisdom.
3Honesty guides good people;dishonesty destroys treacherous people.
4Riches won't help on the day of judgment,but right living can save you from death.
5The godly are directed by honesty;the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.
6The godliness of good people rescues them; the ambition of treacherous people traps them. 7When the wicked die, their hopes die with them, for they rely on their own feeble strength.
8The godly are rescued from trouble,and it falls on the wicked instead.
9With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous. 10The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die. 11Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.
12It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor;a sensible person keeps quiet.
13A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can Keep a confidence.
14Without wise leadership, a nation falls;there is safety in having many advisers.1S There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt;it's safer not to guarantee another person's debt.
16A gracious woman gains respect,but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17Your kindness will reward you,but your cruelty will destroy you.
18Evil people get rich for the moment,but the reward of the godly will last.
19Godly people find life;evil people find death.
20The LORD detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.
21Evil people will surely be punished,but the children of the godly will go free.
22A beautiful woman who lacks discretionis like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.
23The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment.
24Give freely and become more wealthy;be stingy and lose everything.
25The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. 26People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need. 27If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!
28Trust in your money and down you go!But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.
29Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise. 30The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.* 3 Tf the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners?* 1 2 1 To learn, you must love discipline;
Textual footnotes
- 11:30 Or and those who win souls are wise.
- 11:31 Greek version reads /f the righteous are barely saved, / happen to godless sinners? Compare 1 Pet 4:18.
Life Application Notes 9 notes
11:7,8These verses, like 10:3, contrast two paths in life but are not intended to apply universally to all people in all circumstances. God's people are not excluded from problems or struggles. If a person follows God’s wisdom, however, God can rescue
11:14A good leader needs and uses wise advisers. One person’s perspective and understanding is severely limited; he or she may not have all the facts or may be blinded by bias, emotions, or wrong impressions. To be a wise leader at home, at church, or at work, seek the counsel of others and be open to their advice. Then, after considering all the facts, make your decision. (See the chart in chapter 29, p. 1055.)
11:19“Godly people find life” because they live life more fully each day. They also find life because people usually live longer when they live right, with proper diet, exercise, and rest. In addition, they need not fear death because eternal life is God's gift to them (John 11:25). By contrast, evil people not only find eternal death but also miss out on real life on earth.
11:22Physicat attractiveness without discretion is soon discovered to be quite ugly indeed. We are to seek those character strengths that help us make wise decisions, not just those that make us look good. Not everyone who looks good is pleasant to live or work with. While taking good care of our body and appearance is not wrong, we also need to develop our ability to think and make wise decisions.
11:24,25These two verses present a paradox: We become richer by being generous. The world says to hold on to as much as possible, but God blesses those who give freely of their possessions, time, and energy. When we give, God supplies us with more so that we can give more. In addition, giving helps us gain a right perspective on our possessions. We realize they were never really ours to begin with, but they were given to us by God to be used to help others. What then do we gain by giving? Freedom from enslavement to our possessions, the joy of helping others, and God’s approval.
11:29One of the greatest resources God gives us is the family. Families provide acceptance, encouragement, guidance, and counsel. Bringing trouble on your family-—-whether through anger or through an exaggerated desire for independence—-is foolish because you cut yourself off from all they provide. In your family, strive for healing, communication, and understanding.
11:30A wise person is a mode! of a meaningful life. Like a tree attracts people to its shade, a wise person’s sense of purpose attracts others who want to know how they, too, can find meaning. Gaining wisdom yourself can be the first step in leading people to God.
11:31Contrary to popular opinion, no one sins and gets away with it. The righteous are rewarded for their faith; the wicked are punished for their sins. Don’t think for a moment that “it won't matter” or “nobody will know” or “we won’t get caught” (see also } Peter 4:18).
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
Study feature · page 1019
GOD'S ADVICE ABOUT MONEY
Proverbs gives some practical instruction on the use of money, although sometimes it is advice we would rather not hear. It’s more comfortable to continue in our habits than to learn how to use money more wisely. The advice includes
Be generous in giving........ 06... eee eee 11:24, 25; 22:9
Place people’s needs ahead of profit........... 11:26
Be cautious of countersigning for another....... 17:18; 22:26, 27
Don’t accept bribes.... 2... eee eee 17:23
Help the poor....... Store up for the future
Be careful about borrowing
Other verses to study include 11:15; 20:16; 25:14; 27:13.
Study feature · page 1020
/ what will