Single lesson
Sirach 7: Avoid wrongdoing, ambition, and empty religious confidence
Sirach 7:1–17; Sirach 7:18–28; Sirach 7:29–36
Sirach 7:1–17 is a set of wisdom sayings that warns against wrongdoing, proud ambition, careless speech, and false religious confidence. It calls the reader to truthfulness, perseverance in prayer, generosity, and deep humility. This lesson also brings together Act faithfully toward friends, servants, and family, Honor God’s ministers and accompany people in need.
Before you teach
This passage comes from Sirach, a Catholic additional book, and speaks as wisdom instruction addressed to “My son”. It is not a story. The sayings move in order through evil and its consequences, ambition and public honour, prayer and offerings, then speech, work, and humility under coming wrath.
Explain the central teaching of Sirach 7: Avoid wrongdoing, ambition, and empty religious confidence, using two details from the reading. Sirach 7:1–17 teaches that wise living turns from evil, refuses self-exalting confidence, and walks humbly before God. This passage teaches that wisdom shows itself in loyal, fair, and honouring treatment of the people under our care and closest to our lives. This passage teaches that reverence for the Lord should be seen in both honouring his ministers and showing timely mercy to people in need.
Welcome: Sirach 7: Avoid wrongdoing, ambition, and empty religious confidence
5 minIntroduce “Avoid wrongdoing, ambition, and empty religious confidence”, “Act faithfully toward friends, servants, and family”, “Honor God’s ministers and accompany people in need” and locate Sirach 7:1–17; Sirach 7:18–28; Sirach 7:29–36. Sirach 7:1–17 teaches that wise living turns from evil, refuses self-exalting confidence, and walks humbly before God. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Sirach 7:1, Sirach 7:9, Sirach 7:17
Read and explain the passage
12 minAvoid wrongdoing, ambition, and empty religious confidence (Sirach 7:1–17): The passage opens with repeated warnings: do no evil, depart from wrong, and do not sow unrighteousness. Sirach uses harvest language to show consequences. Evil is pictured as something that overtakes, while unrighteousness is like seed that brings a multiplied crop.
Act faithfully toward friends, servants, and family (Sirach 7:18–28): The opening sayings warn against trading away a friend or true brother for wealth. They also say not to deprive yourself of a wise and good wife, because her grace is better than gold. The comparison shows the higher value of faithful relationships.
Honor God’s ministers and accompany people in need (Sirach 7:29–36): The passage begins with whole-hearted reverence: “Fear the Lord with all your soul” and “revere his priests.” It then adds love for “him who made you” and says, “Don’t forsake his ministers.” In this wisdom teaching, honour for God is closely linked with respect for those who serve in his worship.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Avoid wrongdoing, ambition, and empty religious confidence”, “Act faithfully toward friends, servants, and family”, “Honor God’s ministers and accompany people in need”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Sirach 7:1, Sirach 7:2, Sirach 7:3, Sirach 7:18, Sirach 7:19, Sirach 7:29, Sirach 7:30
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “How does Sirach describe the results of wrongdoing in the opening verses?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. This passage teaches that reverence for the Lord should be seen in both honouring his ministers and showing timely mercy to people in need. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Sirach 7:1, Sirach 7:2, Sirach 7:3, Sirach 7:20, Sirach 7:21, Sirach 7:36
Make and respond: Wisdom comparison cards
12 minWork on “Sirach 7: Avoid wrongdoing, ambition, and empty religious confidence: Wisdom comparison cards”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Avoid wrongdoing, ambition, and empty religious confidence”, “Act faithfully toward friends, servants, and family”, “Honor God’s ministers and accompany people in need” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Sirach 7:1, Sirach 7:19, Sirach 7:36
Closing: return to Honor God’s ministers and accompany people in need
3 minRevisit Sirach 7:29–36. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Honor God’s ministers and accompany people in need and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Sirach 7:29, Sirach 7:33, Sirach 7:36
Questions to explore
How does Sirach describe the results of wrongdoing in the opening verses?
Notice the pictures of evil overtaking, wrong turning away, and unrighteousness being sown and reaped.
Sirach 7:1, Sirach 7:2, Sirach 7:3
What actions toward servants are forbidden, and what actions are commanded?
Look for the words against abuse and defrauding, and the instruction to love a wise servant.
Sirach 7:20, Sirach 7:21
What does the final instruction add to the rest of the passage?
Notice that it speaks about “all your words” and remembering eternity, which gives a wider frame for the earlier commands.
Sirach 7:36
Make, think or respond
Sirach 7: Avoid wrongdoing, ambition, and empty religious confidence: Wisdom comparison cards
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “What the passage commends”, “What it warns against”, “The reason or outcome stated”.
- Read Sirach 7:1–17; Sirach 7:18–28; Sirach 7:29–36. Use “Avoid wrongdoing, ambition, and empty religious confidence”, “Act faithfully toward friends, servants, and family”, “Honor God’s ministers and accompany people in need” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Write a proposed everyday example beside one teaching. Label it as your example and explain which words in the text guided it.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Sirach 7: Avoid wrongdoing, ambition, and empty religious confidence connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “Avoid wrongdoing, ambition, and empty religious confidence”, “Act faithfully toward friends, servants, and family”, “Honor God’s ministers and accompany people in need” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of Sirach 7:1–17; Sirach 7:18–28; Sirach 7:29–36. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Sirach 7:1–17; Sirach 7:18–28; Sirach 7:29–36. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Sirach 7
1 Do no evil, so no evil will overtake you.
2 Depart from wrong, and it will turn away from you.
3 My son, don’t sow upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and you won’t reap them sevenfold.
4 Don’t seek preeminence from the Lord, nor the seat of honor from the king.
5 Don’t justify yourself in the presence of the Lord, and don’t display your wisdom before the king.
6 Don’t seek to be a judge, lest you not be able to take away iniquities, lest perhaps you fear the person of a mighty man, and lay a stumbling block in the way of your uprightness.
7 Don’t sin against the multitude of the city. Don’t disgrace yourself in the crowd.
8 Don’t commit a sin twice, for even in one you will not be unpunished.
9 Don’t say, “He will look upon the multitude of my gifts. When I make an offering to the Most High God, he will accept it.”
10 Don’t be faint-hearted in your prayer. Don’t neglect to give alms.
11 Don’t laugh a man to scorn when he is in the bitterness of his soul, for there is one who humbles and exalts.
12 Don’t devise a lie against your brother, or do the same to a friend.
13 Refuse to utter a lie, for that habit results in no good.
14 Don’t babble in the assembly of elders. Don’t repeat your words in your prayer.
15 Don’t hate hard labor or farm work, which the Most High has created.
16 Don’t number yourself among the multitude of sinners. Remember that wrath will not wait.
17 Humble your soul greatly, for the punishment of the ungodly man is fire and the worm.
18 Don’t exchange a friend for something, neither a true brother for the gold of Ophir.
19 Don’t deprive yourself of a wise and good wife, for her grace is worth more than gold.
20 Don’t abuse a servant who works faithfully, or a hireling who gives you his life.
21 Let your soul love a wise servant. Don’t defraud him of liberty.
22 Do you have cattle? Look after them. If they are profitable to you, let them stay by you.
23 Do you have children? Correct them, and make them obedient from their youth.
24 Do you have daughters? Take care of their bodies, and don’t be overly indulgent toward them.
25 Give your daughter in marriage, and you will have accomplished a great matter. Give her to a man of understanding.
26 Do you have a wife who pleases you? Don’t cast her out. But don’t trust yourself to one who is hateful.
27 Honor your father with your whole heart, and don’t forget the birth pangs of your mother.
28 Remember that you were born of them. What will you repay them for the things that they have done for you?
29 Fear the Lord with all your soul; and revere his priests.
30 With all your strength love him who made you. Don’t forsake his ministers.
31 Fear the Lord and honor the priest. Give him his portion, even as it is commanded you: the first fruits, the trespass offering, the gift of the shoulders, the sacrifice of sanctification, and the first fruits of holy things.
32 Also stretch out your hand to the poor man, that your blessing may be complete.
33 A gift has grace in the sight of every living man. Don’t withhold grace for a dead man.
34 Don’t avoid those who weep, and mourn with those who mourn.
35 Don’t be slow to visit a sick man, for by such things you will gain love.
36 In all your words, remember eternity, and you will never sin.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.