Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way; whoever hates reproof will die.
He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.
and you say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.
because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you,
See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?
Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.
he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.
would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,
But as he was speaking, the king said to him, “Have we made you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. That your trust may be in the Lord, I have made them known to you today, even to you.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.