¹⁶ "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

³ Go your ways. Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

²⁹ For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

¹⁵ that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,

²⁰ Brothers, don't be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.

⁵ Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.

³ But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

¹ Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, "Yes, has God said, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'"

¹⁸ For those who are such don't serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.

¹⁹ For your obedience has become known to all. I rejoice therefore over you. But I desire to have you wise in that which is good, but innocent in that which is evil.

¹⁵ Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise;

¹⁶ redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

¹⁷ Therefore don't be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

¹⁵ for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict.

¹³ Yahweh God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

¹⁰ You are witnesses with God, how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.

⁹ For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don't cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

¹⁴ And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

²⁰ We are avoiding this, that any man should blame us concerning this abundance which is administered by us.

¹² For our boasting 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 toward you.

²² Abstain from every form of evil.