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Sunday, January 12th, 2025
Jesus' Baptism / First Sunday after Epiphany
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Read the Bible

New Century Version

Proverbs 17:8

Some people think they can pay others to do anything they ask. They think it will work every time.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bribery;   Thompson Chain Reference - Precious Stones;   Stones, Precious;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Precious Stones;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Mines;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Fool, Foolishness, and Folly;   Gift, Giving;   Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Gift, Giving;   Grace;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Amulet;   Fool;   Gift;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Amulet;   Gems;  

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A rewarde is as a stone pleasant in the eyes of them that haue it: it prospereth, whithersoeuer it turneth.
Christian Standard Bible®
A bribe seems like a magic stone to its owner;wherever he turns, he succeeds.
Hebrew Names Version
A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
Easy-to-Read Version
Some people think a bribe is like a lucky charm—it seems to work wherever they go.
Amplified Bible
A bribe is like a bright, precious stone in the eyes of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
American Standard Version
A bribe is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
Contemporary English Version
A bribe works miracles like a magic charm that brings good luck.
Complete Jewish Bible
A bribe works like a charm, in the view of him who gives it — wherever it turns, it succeeds.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; whithersoever he turneth, he prospereth.
King James Version (1611)
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoeuer it turneth, it prospereth.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Instruction is to them that use it a gracious reward; and whithersoever it may turn, it shall prosper.
English Revised Version
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
Berean Standard Bible
A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
Lexham English Bible
The bribe is a stone of magic in the eyes of its owner; everywhere he will turn, he will prosper.
Literal Translation
A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who possesses it; everywhere he turns, he is prudent.
New English Translation
A bribe works like a charm for the one who offers it; in whatever he does he succeeds.
New King James Version
A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
New Living Translation
A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper!
New Life Bible
Being paid in secret for wrong-doing is like a stone of much worth to the one who has it. Wherever he turns, he does well.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A gift, in the eyes of its owner, is, a stone of beauty, whithersoever it turneth, it bringeth prosperity.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The expectation of him that expecteth is a most acceptable jewel: whithersoever he turneth himself, he understandeth wisely.
George Lamsa Translation
A precious stone is beautiful in the eyes of him who has it; wherever it turns it is admired.
Good News Translation
Some people think a bribe works like magic; they believe it can do anything.
New American Standard Bible
A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
King James Version
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
A gyft is as a precious stone vnto hym that hath it: but vnto whom soeuer it turneth, it maketh hym vnwise.
New Revised Standard
A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of those who give it; wherever they turn they prosper.
Darby Translation
A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of the possessor: whithersoever it turneth it prospereth.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A preciouse stoon moost acceptable is the abiding of hym that sekith; whidur euere he turneth hym silf, he vndurstondith prudentli.
Young's Literal Translation
A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
World English Bible
A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
Revised Standard Version
A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.
Update Bible Version
A bribe is [as] a precious stone in the eyes of him that has it; Wherever it turns, it prospers.
Webster's Bible Translation
A gift [is as] a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
Bible in Basic English
An offering of money is like a stone of great price in the eyes of him who has it: wherever he goes, he does well.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Liberalite is a precious stone vnto him that hath it, for where so euer he becometh, he prospereth.
THE MESSAGE
Receiving a gift is like getting a rare gemstone; any way you look at it, you see beauty refracted.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
Legacy Standard Bible
A bribe is a charm in the eyes of its owner;Wherever he turns, he prospers.

Contextual Overview

8 Some people think they can pay others to do anything they ask. They think it will work every time.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

gift: Proverbs 17:23, Psalms 18:16, Psalms 19:6, Psalms 21:13, Psalms 29:4, Exodus 23:8, Deuteronomy 16:19

precious stone: Heb. stone of grace

whithersoever: Genesis 33:9-11, Genesis 43:11, 1 Samuel 25:35, 2 Samuel 16:1-4, Micah 7:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 21:27 - took Genesis 24:31 - thou Genesis 32:13 - a present Proverbs 18:16 - General Proverbs 19:6 - and Proverbs 21:14 - gift Daniel 11:24 - he shall scatter Acts 24:26 - hoped

Cross-References

Genesis 13:15
All this land that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever.
Genesis 13:17
Get up! Walk through all this land because I am now giving it to you."
Genesis 17:7
And I will make an agreement between me and you and all your descendants from now on: I will be your God and the God of all your descendants.
Genesis 17:16
I will bless her and give her a son, and you will be the father. She will be the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will come from her."
Genesis 17:17
Abraham bowed facedown on the ground and laughed. He said to himself, "Can a man have a child when he is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth to a child when she is ninety?"
Genesis 17:21
But I will make my agreement with Isaac, the son whom Sarah will have at this same time next year."
Genesis 23:4
"I am only a stranger and a foreigner here. Sell me some of your land so that I can bury my dead wife."
Genesis 28:4
May he give you and your descendants the blessing of Abraham so that you may own the land where you are now living as a stranger, the land God gave to Abraham."
Genesis 48:4
He said to me, ‘I will give you many children. I will make you the father of many peoples, and I will give your descendants this land forever.'
Exodus 6:7
I will make you my own people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am the Lord your God, the One who saves you from the hard work the Egyptians force you to do.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A gift [is as] a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it,.... Or "is a stone of grace" h, the note of similitude being wanting. It is an ornament of grace, adorns the person that wears it, makes him look lovely and amiable; is very grateful and desirable in itself, attracts and dazzles the eyes, and fills the mind with pleasure; so is a gift in the eyes of him that has it, that is the owner of it; either that has it in his possession to give, is the giver of it, as Aben Ezra; which, as it is valuable in his own eyes, he judges it to be so with others, and thinks he can do what be pleases with it, and engage persons by it to do as he would have them: or that is the receiver of it, as the Targum; who, having it given him, is master of it, and is so acceptable to him, and has such an influence upon him, as to do anything for it the giver of it directs him to, as follows:

whithersoever it turneth it prospereth: to whatsoever cause, or to whatsoever persons, judge or jury, it is given and received; it succeeds far better than the most eloquent orations, or learned pleadings in law, or appeals to statutes, and the production of them. Money answers all things; a gift blinds the eyes; it is like a diamond, so sparkling and dazzling, so charming and attracting, that the person to whom it is offered cannot resist it; and it draws him to do whatever is desired of him; it carries the cause, it succeeds according to the wish of the giver: or, as the Arabic version renders it,

"he shall find his business plain;''

done as he would have it. Jarchi applies the proverb thus;

"when a man comes before the Lord, and bribes him with words, and returns unto him, it is a precious stone in his eyes; and in all that he asks of him he prospers.''

h אבן חן "lapsis gratiae", Montanus, Baynus, Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A half-satirical description of the power of bribery in palaces and among judges. The precious stone (literally as in the margin) is probably a gem, thought of as a talisman, which, “wherever it turns,” will ensure “prosperity” to him who, being the possessor, has the power to give it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 17:8. A gift is as a precious stone — It both enriches and ornaments. In the latter clause there is an evident allusion to cut stones. Whithersoever you turn them, they reflect the light, are brilliant and beautiful.


 
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