Do not boast about tomorrow,
        for you do not know what a day may bring.
    Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
        a stranger, and not your own lips.
    A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
        but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
    Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,
        but who can stand before jealousy?
    Better is open rebuke
        than hidden love.
    Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
        profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
    One who is full loathes honey,
        but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
    Like a bird that strays from its nest
        is a man who strays from his home.
    Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
        and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.
    Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend,
        and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity.
    Better is a neighbor who is near
        than a brother who is far away.
    Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
        that I may answer him who reproaches me.
    The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
        but the simple go on and suffer for it.
    Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
        and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.
    Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
        rising early in the morning,
        will be counted as cursing.
    A continual dripping on a rainy day
        and a quarrelsome wife are alike;
    to restrain her is to restrain the wind
        or to grasp oil in one’s right hand.
    Iron sharpens iron,
        and one man sharpens another.
    Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
        and he who guards his master will be honored.
    As in water face reflects face,
        so the heart of man reflects the man.
    Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
        and never satisfied are the eyes of man.
    The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
        and a man is tested by his praise.
    Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
        along with crushed grain,
        yet his folly will not depart from him.
    
    
    Know well the condition of your flocks,
        and give attention to your herds,
    for riches do not last forever;
        and does a crown endure to all generations?
    When the grass is gone and the new growth appears
        and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,
    the lambs will provide your clothing,
        and the goats the price of a field.
    There will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
        for the food of your household
        and maintenance for your girls.
    The wicked flee when no one pursues,
        but the righteous are bold as a lion.
    When a land transgresses, it has many rulers,
        but with a man of understanding and knowledge,
        its stability will long continue.
    A poor man who oppresses the poor
        is a beating rain that leaves no food.
    Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
        but those who keep the law strive against them.
    Evil men do not understand justice,
        but those who seek the LORD understand it completely.
    Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
        than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.
    The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding,
        but a companion of gluttons shames his father.
    Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit
        gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.
    If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,
        even his prayer is an abomination.
    Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way
        will fall into his own pit,
        but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.
    A rich man is wise in his own eyes,
        but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.
    When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
        but when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.
    Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
        but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
    Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always,
        but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
    Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
        is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
    A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
        but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
    If one is burdened with the blood of another,
        he will be a fugitive until death;
        let no one help him.
    Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered,
        but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
    Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
        but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
    A faithful man will abound with blessings,
        but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
    To show partiality is not good,
        but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
    A stingy man hastens after wealth
        and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
    Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
        than he who flatters with his tongue.
    Whoever robs his father or his mother
        and says, “That is no transgression,”
        is a companion to a man who destroys.
    A greedy man stirs up strife,
        but the one who trusts in the LORD will be enriched.
    Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool,
        but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
    Whoever gives to the poor will not want,
        but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
    When the wicked rise, people hide themselves,
        but when they perish, the righteous increase. (ESV)

Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” But Peter began and explained it to them in order: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

  Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

  Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. (ESV)