⁶ We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought:

¹⁴ But solid food is for fullgrown men, `even' those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

²⁸ and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, `yea' and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are:

¹⁵ This wisdom is not `a wisdom' that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

¹⁸ For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.

¹⁹ For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the discernment of the discerning will I bring to nought.

²⁰ Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

⁴ in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn `upon them'.

¹¹ And he gave some `to be' apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

¹² for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ:

¹³ till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

¹² Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus.

¹³ Brethren, I could not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing `I do', forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,

¹⁴ I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye are otherwise minded, this also shall God reveal unto you:

¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, establish, strengthen you.

² For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.

¹² Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.

² wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience;

¹⁰ Jehovah bringeth the counsel of the nations to nought; He maketh the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect.

¹ Why do the nations rage, And the peoples meditate a vain thing?

² The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against Jehovah, and against his anointed, `saying',

³ Let us break their bonds asunder, And cast away their cords from us.

⁴ He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh: The Lord will have them in derision.

⁵ Then will he speak unto them in his wrath, And vex them in his sore displeasure:

⁶ Yet I have set my king Upon my holy hill of Zion.

²¹ He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the belt of the strong.

¹⁹ He leadeth priests away stripped, And overthroweth the mighty.

¹ There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and turned away from evil.

¹¹ The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish; the counsel of the wisest counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?

¹² Where then are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now; and let them know what Jehovah of hosts hath purposed concerning Egypt.

¹³ The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Memphis are deceived; they have caused Egypt to go astray, that are the corner-stone of her tribes.

²³ that bringeth princes to nothing; that maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

⁴⁸ Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

²² And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

²¹ Jesus said unto him, If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that which thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

⁸ And his lord commended the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light.

²⁵ who by the Holy Spirit, `by' the mouth of our father David thy servant, didst say, Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples imagine vain things?

²⁶ The kings of the earth set themselves in array, And the rulers were gathered together, Against the Lord, and against his Anointed:

²⁷ for of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together,

²⁸ to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council foreordained to come to pass.

¹ And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.

⁸ which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory:

¹³ Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; combining spiritual things with spiritual `words'.

²⁰ Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men.

¹² For our glorifying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

¹¹ Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfected; be comforted; be of the same mind; live in peace: and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

³⁷ Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; For there is a `happy' end to the man of peace.