Yetwe do speakwisdomamongthosewho are mature;a wisdom,however,not of thisagenorof the rulersof thisage,who are passing away;
But solidfoodis for the mature,who becauseof practicehavetheir sensestrainedto discerngoodand evil.
Thiswisdomis not that which comes downfrom above,but is earthly,natural,demonic.
in whosecasethe godof thisworldhas blindedthe mindsof the unbelievingsothat they might not seethe lightof the gospelof the gloryof Christ,whois the imageof God.
After you have sufferedfor a little while,the Godof allgrace,who calledyou to His eternalgloryin Christ,will Himselfperfect,confirm,strengthen[and] establishyou.
[the wisdom] whichnoneof the rulersof thisagehas understood;for ifthey had understoodit they would not have crucifiedthe Lordof glory;
and the base thingsof the worldand the despisedGodhas chosen,the things that are not, sothat He may nullifythe things that are,
Epaphras,whois one of your number,a bondslaveof JesusChrist,sends you his greetings,alwayslaboring earnestlyfor you in his prayers,that you may standperfectand fully assuredin allthe willof God.
in whichyou formerlywalkedaccordingto the courseof thisworld,accordingto the princeof the powerof the air,of the spiritthat is nowworkingin the sonsof disobedience.
"Thereforeyou are to be perfect,as your heavenlyFatheris perfect.
For our proud confidenceis this:the testimonyof our conscience,that in holinessand godlysincerity,not in fleshlywisdombut in the graceof God,we have conductedourselves in the world,and especiallytowardyou.
The LORDnullifiesthe counselof the nations;He frustratesthe plansof the peoples.
"He pourscontempton noblesAnd loosensthe beltof the strong.
"He makes priestswalkbarefootAnd overthrowsthe secureones.
There was a manin the landof Uzwhose namewas Job;and that manwas blameless,upright,fearingGodand turningawayfrom evil.
For we allstumblein many[ways]. Ifanyonedoes not stumblein what he says,he is a perfectman,ableto bridlethe wholebodyas well.
Finally,brethren,rejoice,be made complete,be comforted,be like-minded,live in peace;and the Godof loveand peacewill be with you.
Brethren,do not be childrenin your thinking;yetin evilbe infants,but in your thinkingbe mature.
whichthings we alsospeak,not in wordstaughtby humanwisdom,but in those taughtby the Spirit,combiningspiritual[thoughts] with spiritual[words].
And when I cameto you, brethren,I did not comewith superiorityof speechorof wisdom,proclaimingto you the testimonyof God.
"And his masterpraisedthe unrighteousmanagerbecausehe had actedshrewdly;for the sonsof thisageare more shrewdin relationto their ownkindthanthe sonsof light.
Jesussaidto him, "Ifyou wishto be complete,go[and] sellyour possessionsand giveto [the] poor,and you will havetreasurein heaven;and come,followMe."
"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.
He [it is] who reducesrulersto nothing,Who makesthe judgesof the earthmeaningless.
Markthe blamelessman,and beholdthe upright;For the manof peacewill have a posterity.
His spiritdeparts,he returnsto the earth;In that very dayhis thoughtsperish.
And I, brethren,couldnot speakto you as to spiritual men,but as to men of flesh,as to infantsin Christ.
For to oneis giventhe wordof wisdomthroughthe Spirit,and to anotherthe wordof knowledgeaccordingto the sameSpirit;
And evenifour gospelis veiled,it is veiledto thosewho are perishing,
We proclaimHim, admonishingeverymanand teachingeverymanwith allwisdom,sothat we may presenteverymancompletein Christ.
Thereforeleavingthe elementaryteachingabout the Christ,let us presson to maturity,not layingagaina foundationof repentancefrom deadworksand of faithtowardGod,
