Choosing Friends

Be not led astray; evil communications corrupt good manners;

A man with friends <FI>is<Fi> to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!

Whoso is walking with wise men is wise, And a companion of fools suffereth evil.

Iron by iron is sharpened, And a man sharpens the face of his friend.

At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.

The righteous searcheth his companion, And the way of the wicked causeth them to err.

Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in, — read the full passage →

The two <FI>are<Fi> better than the one, in that they have a good reward by their labour. — read the full passage →

A froward man sendeth forth contention, A tale-bearer is separating a familiar friend.

Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, And the sweetness of one's friend--from counsel of the soul.

greater love than this hath no one, that any one his life may lay down for his friends;

wherefore, comfort ye one another, and build ye up, one the one, as also ye do.

Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.

Faithful are the wounds of a lover, And abundant the kisses of an enemy.

Adulterers and adulteresses! have ye not known that friendship of the world is enmity with God? whoever, then, may counsel to be a friend of the world, an enemy of God he is set.

Without counsels do a people fall, And deliverance <FI>is<Fi> in a multitude of counsellors.

Better <FI>is<Fi> open reproof than hidden love. — read the full passage →

Hear counsel and receive instruction, So that thou art wise in thy latter end.

Mighty <FI>is<Fi> the wise in strength, And a man of knowledge is strengthening power,

Better <FI>is<Fi> open reproof than hidden love.

And three of the friends of Job hear of all this evil that hath come upon him, and they come in each from his place--Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite--and they are met together to come in to bemoan him, and to comfort him;

The two <FI>are<Fi> better than the one, in that they have a good reward by their labour.

Thine own friend, and the friend of thy father, forsake not, And the house of thy brother enter not In a day of thy calamity, Better <FI>is<Fi> a near neighbour than a brother afar off.

no more do I call you servants, because the servant hath not known what his lord doth, and you I have called friends, because all things that I heard from my Father, I did make known to you.

and as ye wish that men may do to you, do ye also to them in like manner;

and Elijah saith unto Elisha, `Abide, I pray thee, here, for Jehovah hath sent me unto Beth-El;' and Elisha saith, `Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, if I leave thee;' and they go down to Beth-El.

and now, I did write to you not to keep company with <FI>him<Fi> , if any one, being named a brother, may be a whoremonger, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--with such a one not even to eat together;

Become not yoked with others--unbelievers, for what partaking <FI>is there<Fi> to righteousness and lawlessness?

Here is endurance of the saints: here <FI>are<Fi> those keeping the commands of God, and the faith of Jesus.'

Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,

A violent man enticeth his neighbour, And hath causeth him to go in a way not good.

For if they fall, the one raiseth up his companion, but woe to the one who falleth and there is not a second to raise him up!

To a despiser of his friends <FI>is<Fi> shame, And the fear of the Mighty he forsaketh.

have ye not known that the unrighteous the reign of God shall not inherit? be not led astray; neither whoremongers, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor sodomites, — read the full passage →

Without counsel <FI>is<Fi> the making void of purposes, And in a multitude of counsellors it is established.

`This is my command, that ye love one another, according as I did love you; — read the full passage →

in the love of brethren, to one another kindly affectioned: in the honour going before one another;

O the happiness of that one, who Hath not walked in the counsel of the wicked. And in the way of sinners hath not stood, And in the seat of scorners hath not sat;

For by plans thou makest for thyself war, And deliverance <FI>is<Fi> in a multitude of counsellors.

A Song of the Ascents, by David. Lo, how good and how pleasant The dwelling of brethren--even together!

And there was given to me a reed like to a rod, and the messenger stood, saying, `Rise, and measure the sanctuary of God, and the altar, and those worshipping in it; — read the full passage →

And a great sign was seen in the heaven, a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars, — read the full passage →

Put on, therefore, as choice ones of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humble-mindedness, meekness, long-suffering, — read the full passage →

forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any one with any one may have a quarrel, as also the Christ did forgive you--so also ye;

I have not sat with vain men, And with dissemblers I enter not. — read the full passage →

A revelation of Jesus Christ, that God gave to him, to shew to his servants what things it behoveth to come to pass quickly; and he did signify <FI>it<Fi> , having sent through his messenger to his servant John,

The two <FI>are<Fi> better than the one, in that they have a good reward by their labour. — read the full passage →

`This is my command, that ye love one another, according as I did love you;

he who is not loving did not know God, because God is love.

of one another the burdens bear ye, and so fill up the law of the Christ,

and, before all things, to one another having the earnest love, because the love shall cover a multitude of sins; — read the full passage →

draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you; cleanse hands, ye sinners! and purify hearts, ye two-souled!

See ye what love the Father hath given to us, that children of God we may be called; because of this the world doth not know us, because it did not know Him;

A fool delighteth not in understanding, But--in uncovering his heart.

Beloved, may we love one another, because the love is of God, and every one who is loving, of God he hath been begotten, and doth know God;

because nothing shall be impossible with God.'

A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver <FI>with<Fi> his lips make not thyself surety.

The good bringeth forth favour from Jehovah, And the man of wicked devices He condemneth.

Wealth addeth many friends, And the poor from his neighbour is separated.

A scorner hath sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge to the intelligent <FI>is<Fi> easy. — read the full passage →

Be not led astray; evil communications corrupt good manners; — read the full passage →

And it cometh to pass, when he finisheth to speak unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan hath been bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loveth him as his own soul. — read the full passage →

The slothful roasteth not his hunting, And the wealth of a diligent man is precious.

Jesus saith to him, `I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one doth come unto the Father, if not through me;

for God did so love the world, that His Son--the only begotten--He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during. — read the full passage →

Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.

and this <FI>is<Fi> the command we have from Him, that he who is loving God, may also love his brother.

sanctify them in Thy truth, Thy word is truth;

his own house leading well, having children in subjection with all gravity,

And we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw yourselves from every brother disorderly walking, and not after the deliverance that ye received from us,

And I call upon you, brethren, to mark those who the divisions and the stumbling-blocks, contrary to the teaching that ye did learn, are causing, and turn ye away from them;

look to the dogs, look to the evil-workers, look to the concision;

A scorner hath sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge to the intelligent <FI>is<Fi> easy.

and the great dragon was cast forth--the old serpent, who is called `Devil,' and `the Adversary,' who is leading astray the whole world--he was cast forth to the earth, and his messengers were cast forth with him.

The thoughts of the righteous <FI>are<Fi> justice, The counsels of the wicked--deceit.

My son, if sinners entice thee be not willing.

awake up, as is right, and sin not; for certain have an ignorance of God; for shame to you I say <FI>it<Fi> .

greater love than this hath no one, that any one his life may lay down for his friends; — read the full passage →

and may we consider one another to provoke to love and to good works, — read the full passage →

And Ruth saith, `Urge me not to leave thee--to turn back from after thee; for whither thou goest I go, and where thou lodgest I lodge; thy people <FI>is<Fi> my people, and thy God my God. — read the full passage →

Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace <FI>are<Fi> his lips, a king <FI>is<Fi> his friend.

Seek ye Jehovah and His strength, Seek His face continually.

To the Overseer. --A Psalm by David. Jehovah, Thou hast searched me, and knowest. — read the full passage →

An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.

ye desire, and ye have not; ye murder, and are zealous, and are not able to attain; ye fight and war, and ye have not, because of your not asking;

From the fruit of the mouth a man eateth good, And the soul of the treacherous--violence.

`This is my command, that ye love one another, according as I did love you; — read the full passage →

of the hospitality be not forgetful, for through this unawares certain did entertain messengers;

For I wish you to know how great a conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, — read the full passage →

My son, if sinners entice thee be not willing. — read the full passage →

A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?

Many entreat the face of the noble, And all have made friendship to a man of gifts. — read the full passage →

but I--I say to you, that every one who is angry at his brother without cause, shall be in danger of the judgment, and whoever may say to his brother, Empty fellow! shall be in danger of the sanhedrim, and whoever may say, Rebel! shall be in danger of the gehenna of the fire.

A companion I <FI>am<Fi> to all who fear Thee, And to those keeping Thy precepts.

A revelation of Jesus Christ, that God gave to him, to shew to his servants what things it behoveth to come to pass quickly; and he did signify <FI>it<Fi> , having sent through his messenger to his servant John, — read the full passage →

And three of the friends of Job hear of all this evil that hath come upon him, and they come in each from his place--Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite--and they are met together to come in to bemoan him, and to comfort him; — read the full passage →

Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers. — read the full passage →

For, lo, the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, Is turning aside from Jerusalem, And from Judah, stay and staff, Every stay of bread, and every stay of water. — read the full passage →

that in joy I may come unto you, through the will of God, and may be refreshed with you,

if we may confess our sins, stedfast He is and righteous that He may forgive us the sins, and may cleanse us from every unrighteousness;