Whereis the wise man?Whereis the scribe?Whereis the debaterof thisage?Has not Godmade foolishthe wisdomof the world?
Professingto be wise,they became fools,
"He makes counselorswalkbarefootAnd makesfoolsof judges.
For the wisdomof thisworldis foolishnessbeforeGod.For it is written,"[He is] THE ONE WHO CATCHESTHE WISEIN THEIR CRAFTINESS";
For it is written,"I WILL DESTROYTHE WISDOMOF THE WISE,AND THE CLEVERNESSOF THE CLEVERI WILL SET ASIDE."
Causing the omensof boastersto fail,Makingfoolsout of diviners,Causing wisemento drawbackAnd turningtheir knowledgeinto foolishness,
"He deprivesof intelligencethe chiefsof the earth'speopleAnd makes them wanderin a pathlesswaste.
Yetwe do speakwisdomamongthosewho are mature;a wisdom,however,not of thisagenorof the rulersof thisage,who are passing away;
Whohas believedour message?And to whomhas the armof the LORDbeen revealed?
Your heartwill meditateon terror:"Whereis he who counts?Whereis he who weighs?Whereis he who countsthe towers?"
"He deprivesthe trustedones of speechAnd takesaway the discernmentof the elders.
Now whenAhithophelsawthat his counselwas not followed,he saddled[his] donkeyand aroseand wentto his home,to his city,and sethis housein order,and strangledhimself; thus he diedand was buriedin the graveof his father.
Then Absalomand allthe menof Israelsaid,"The counselof Hushaithe Architeis betterthanthe counselof Ahithophel."For the LORDhad ordainedto thwartthe goodcounselof Ahithophel,sothat the LORDmight bringcalamityon Absalom.
The adviceof Ahithophel,whichhe gavein thosedays,[was] as ifone inquiredof the wordof God;sowas allthe adviceof Ahithophel[regarded] by bothDavidand Absalom.
Now someone toldDavid,saying,"Ahithophelis among the conspiratorswith Absalom."And Davidsaid,"O LORD,I pray,makethe counselof Ahithophelfoolishness."
Whowould not fearYou, O Kingof the nations?Indeedit is Your due!For among allthe wisemenof the nationsAnd in alltheir kingdoms,Thereis nonelikeYou.
"And the one on whom seed was sownamongthe thorns,thisis the man who hearsthe word,and the worryof the worldand the deceitfulnessof wealthchokethe word,and it becomesunfruitful.
"Nowjudgmentis upon thisworld;nowthe rulerof thisworldwill be castout.
And alsosomeof the Epicureanand Stoicphilosopherswere conversingwith him. Somewere saying,"Whatwould thisidle babblerwishto say?"Others,"He seemsto be a proclaimerof strangedeities,"--becausehe was preachingJesusand the resurrection.
For sincethe creationof the worldHis invisibleattributes, His eternalpowerand divine nature,have been clearly seen,being understoodthrough what has been made,sothat they are without excuse.
For consideryour calling,brethren,that there were not manywiseaccordingto the flesh,not manymighty,not manynoble;
but Godhas chosenthe foolish thingsof the worldto shamethe wise,and Godhas chosenthe weak thingsof the worldto shamethe things which are strong,
and the base thingsof the worldand the despisedGodhas chosen,the things that are not, sothat He may nullifythe things that are,
[the wisdom] whichnoneof the rulersof thisagehas understood;for ifthey had understoodit they would not have crucifiedthe Lordof glory;
Let no mandeceivehimself.Ifany manamongyou thinksthat he is wisein thisage,he must becomefoolish,sothat he may becomewise.
Ordo you not knowthat the saintswill judgethe world?Ifthe worldis judgedby you, are you not competent[to] [constitute] the smallestlaw courts?
But when we are judged,we are disciplinedby the Lordsothat we will not be condemnedalongwith the world.
You adulteresses,do you not knowthat friendshipwith the worldis hostilitytoward God?Thereforewhoeverwishesto be a friendof the worldmakeshimself an enemyof God.
