1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor is not seemly for a fool.
2 As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, So the curse that is causeless alighteth not.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, And a rod for the back of fools.
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own conceit.
6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool Cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh in damage.
7 The legs of the lame hang loose: So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 As one that bindeth a stone in a sling, So is he that giveth honor to a fool.
9 As a thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, So is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 As an archer that woundeth all, So is he that hireth a fool and he that hireth them that pass by.
11 As a dog that returneth to his vomit, So is a fool that repeateth his folly.
12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion in the way; A lion is in the streets.
14 As the door turneth upon its hinges, So doth the sluggard upon his bed.
15 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish; It wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit Than seven men that can render a reason.
17 He that passeth by, and vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, Is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 As a madman who casteth firebrands, Arrows, and death,
19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbor, And saith, Am not I in sport?
20 For lack of wood the fire goeth out; And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
21 As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to inflame strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts.
23 Fervent lips and a wicked heart Are like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips; But he layeth up deceit within him:
25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not; For there are seven abominations in his heart:
26 Though his hatred cover itself with guile, His wickedness shall be openly showed before the assembly.
27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; And he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
28 A lying tongue hateth those whom it hath wounded; And a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
You Must Hear the Gospel
Romans 10:17
You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
You Must Believe
Hebrews 11:6
You must believe and have faith in God because “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)
You Must Repent
Acts 3:19
You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called “Sinner’s Prayer” that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the “Sinner’s Prayer” to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)
You Must Confess
Romans 10:9
You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus “Lord of your life.” Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just “accept Jesus as your personal savior.” We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)
You Must Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!
You Must Be Faithful Unto Death
Revelation 2:10
Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God’s grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God’s grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)