The Words of Agur
1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle.1
The man declares, I am weary, O God;
I am weary, O God, and worn out.2
2 Surely I am too stupid to be a man.
I have not the understanding of a man.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I uknowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has vascended to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind in his fists?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
wWhat is his name, and what is his son’s name?
Surely you know!
5 xEvery word of God proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words,
lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
7 Two things I ask of you;
deny them not to me before I die:
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
yfeed me with the food that is needful for me,
9 lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or lest I be poor and zsteal
and profane the name of my God.
18 Three things are gtoo wonderful for me;
four I do not understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a serpent on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a virgin.
20 This is the way of an hadulteress:
she eats and wipes her mouth
and says, “I have done no wrong.”
21 Under three things the earth trembles;
under four it cannot bear up:
22 a slave when he becomes king,
and a fool when he is filled with food;
23 ian unloved woman when she jgets a husband,
and ka maidservant when she displaces her mistress.
24 Four things on earth are small,
but they are exceedingly wise:
25 the lants are a people not strong,
yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 the rock badgers are a people not mighty,
yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
27 mthe locusts have no king,
yet all of them nmarch in rank;
28 the lizard you can take in your hands,
yet it is in kings’ palaces.
29 Three things are stately in their tread;
four are stately in their stride:
30 the lion, which is mightiest among beasts
and does not turn back before any;
31 the strutting rooster,1 the he-goat,
and a king whose army is with him.2
32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,
or if you have been devising evil,
oput your hand on your mouth.
33 For pressing milk produces curds,
pressing the nose produces blood,
and pressing anger produces strife.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
19 vOn the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were wfor fear of the Jews,1 Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, x“Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he yshowed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples zwere glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. aAs the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, b“Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 cIf you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Jesus and Thomas
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the dTwin,2 was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” eBut he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will fnever believe.”
26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, g“Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, h“My Lord and imy God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have jseen me? Blessed are those who have knot seen and yet have believed.”
The Purpose of This Book
30 lNow Jesus did many other msigns in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written nso that you may believe that oJesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that pby believing you may have life in his name.
