JAIL MINISTRY BIBLE STUDY: PROVERBS 2: 10-15

We go into the city jail each week and teach a class that is part GED preparation, part Bible study, and part life skills course.  To achieve all advance all of these goals in the limited time we have, I use the traditional GED prep materials and I write lessons like the one below. 

Try the lesson for yourself.  Post your answers as comments. 

(Feel free to print and share.)

Hall Memorial CME Church

541 Seibles Road,

Montgomery, AL 36116

Montgomery City Jail Ministry 

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II, pastor/ teacher

Study #9: Seek Wisdom (Proverbs 2: 10-15)

Read Proverbs 2: 10-15.  Think about these verses.

Proverbs 2 ^{: 10} When wisdom enter your heart and knowledge is pleasant to your soul,     ¹¹ discretion will preserve you.  Then understanding will keep you, ¹² to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, and  ¹³ from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness. These is the men ¹⁴ who rejoice in doing evil and delighted in the perversity of the wicked.  ¹⁵ There ways are crooked.  They are devious in their paths.
 

A verb expresses an action.  The action may be physical, mental, or even spiritual.  The subject in a sentence is always a noun or pronoun.  The subject basically performs the action of the verb. 

For example:  

First thing in the morning the twelve sons of Israel went out into the field.

The verb/ action is went. 

Ask yourself “Who or want went?”  The answer is sons went.  Sons is the subject. 

The main verb or verbs in a sentence are called the simple predicate.  The verb and the words that describe the verb are called the complete predicate of the sentence.  The subject and the words that describe the subject are called the complete subject.  

Verbs and subjects have to agree.  The singular subjects have to have singular verbs.

Unlike most nouns, singular verbs have –s or –es added to the end.

Joseph……runs       goes     dismisses         confuses          is          was      gives    

Plural verbs do not have the added –s or –es.

The guys…. run      go        dismiss            confuse            are       were        give    

1.      The word knowledge in verse 10 is a subject.  What is it’s verb?

a.      pleasant

b.      to

c.       is

d.      enter  

2.      According to verse 10, how are you supposed to feel about learning?

3.      Which change should be made in verse 10?  If the verse is correct as written, choose D.

a.      When wisdom enters

b.      heart. Knowledge is

c.       wisdom entered your heart

d.      NO CHANGE 

4.      List the verbs in verse 11.

a.      ________________ à

b.      ________________ à 

5.      Beside the verbs above, list each verb’s subject. 

6.      Discretion means being careful and wise about what you reveal or say.  How can having discretion preserve/ protect you?

7.      Which change should be made in verse 13?  If the verse is correct as written, choose A.

a.      NO CHANGE

b.      who leaves the paths

c.       from that

d.      uprightness to walks 

8.      Verse 11 says that when you have wisdom, your understanding will keep you.  Keep you from what?  (Consider verses 12 & 13.)

9.      Which change should be made in verse 14? 

a.      evil and delights in the

b.      evil and delight in the

c.       who rejoices in doing

d.      NO CHANGE 

10.  In Matthew 5: 19, Jesus said Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.  How does this statement connect with Proverbs 2: 13 & 14?

11.  Which change should be made in verse 15?  If the verse is correct as written, choose D.

a.      Them ways are

b.      They’re ways are

c.       Their ways are

d.      NO CHANGE 

12.  From verses 12-14, list at least four kinds of people you would be wise to avoid?

a.      __________________________________________

b.      __________________________________________

c.       __________________________________________

d.      __________________________________________

e.        

13.  Choose the best restatement of this sentence from verse 15: They are devious in their paths.

a.      The road they are on is the right road for you.

b.      Follow them and you will be successful.

c.       Their way looks good, but it really isn’t.

d.      There is discretion in their paths. 

14.  In one complete sentence, state the main idea of Proverbs 2: 10-15. 

Re-read Proverbs 2: 10-15.  Think about it along with verses 16-19.

Proverbs 2: 16  Wisdom and understanding will deliver you from the strange woman, even from the stranger who flatters  with her words. 17  She forsakes  the guide of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God.  18  Her house leads down to death, and her paths to the dead.  19  None that go to  her return again, nor do they regain the paths of life.