9And so,from the day we heard,we have not ceased to pray for you, asking thatyou may be filled with the knowledge of his will in allspiritual wisdom and understanding,10so asto walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,fully pleasing to him:bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;11being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, forall endurance and patiencewith joy;12giving thanks[a]to the Father, who has qualified you[b]to share inthe inheritance of the saints in light.13Hehas delivered us fromthe domain of darkness and transferred us tothe kingdom ofhis beloved Son,14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

1My son,if you receive my wordsand treasure up my commandments with you,2making your ear attentive to wisdomand inclining your heart to understanding;3yes, if you call out for insightand raise your voicefor understanding,4if you seek it likesilverand search for it as forhidden treasures,5thenyou will understand the fear of theLordand find the knowledge of God.6FortheLordgives wisdom;from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;7he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;he isa shield to those whowalk in integrity,8guarding the paths of justiceandwatching over the way of hissaints.9Then you will understandrighteousness and justiceand equity, every good path;10for wisdom will come into your heart,and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;11discretion willwatch over you,understanding will guard you,12delivering you from the way of evil,from men of perverted speech,13who forsake the paths of uprightnesstowalk in the ways of darkness,14whorejoice in doing evilanddelight in the perverseness of evil,15men whosepaths are crooked,and who aredevious in their ways.

20Wisdom cries aloud in the street,in the markets she raises her voice;21at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;atthe entrance of the city gates she speaks:22How long, Osimple ones, will you love being simple?How long willscoffers delight in their scoffingand foolshate knowledge?23If you turn at my reproof,[a]behold, I willpour out my spirit to you;I will make my words known to you.24Because I have called andyou refused to listen,havestretched out my hand and no one has heeded,25because you haveignored all my counselandwould have none of my reproof,26I alsowill laugh at your calamity;I will mock whenterror strikes you,27when terror strikes you likea stormand your calamity comes like a whirlwind,when distress and anguish come upon you.28Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;they will seek me diligently but will not find me.29Because theyhated knowledgeanddid not choose the fear of theLord,30would have none of my counselanddespised all my reproof,31therefore they shall eatthe fruit of their way,and havetheir fill of their own devices.32For the simple are killed bytheir turning away,andthe complacency of fools destroys them;33butwhoever listens to me will dwell secureand will beat ease, without dread of disaster.

8Hear, my son, your father's instruction,and forsake not your mother's teaching,9for they area graceful garland for your headandpendants for your neck.10My son, if sinnersentice you,do not consent.11If they say, Come with us,let us lie in wait for blood;let us ambush the innocent without reason;12like Sheol let usswallow them alive,and whole, likethose who go down to the pit;13we shall find all precious goods,we shall fill our houses with plunder;14throw in your lot among us;we will all have one purse15my son,do not walk in the way with them;hold back your foot from their paths,16fortheir feet run to evil,and they make haste to shed blood.17For in vain is a net spreadin the sight of any bird,18but these menlie in wait for their own blood;theyset an ambush for their own lives.19Such are the ways of everyone who isgreedy for unjust gain;it takes away the life of its possessors.

1The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2To know wisdom and instruction,to understand words of insight,3to receive instruction in wise dealing,inrighteousness, justice, and equity;4to give prudence tothe simple,knowledge anddiscretion to the youth5Let the wise hear andincrease in learning,and the one who understands obtain guidance,6to understand a proverb and a saying,the words of the wise and theirriddles.

7The fear of theLordis the beginning of knowledge;fools despise wisdom and instruction.

16For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. Fornecessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!17For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted witha stewardship.18What then is my reward? That in my preachingI may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

19Forthough I am free from all,I have made myself a servant to all, that I mightwin more of them.20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.21Tothose outside the law I becameas one outside the law (not being outside the law of God butunder the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.22To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.I have become all things to all people, thatby all means I might save some.23I do it all for the sake of the gospel,that I may share with them in its blessings.

Romans 10:13-17 (ESV)

13Foreveryone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in himof whom they have never heard?[c]And how are they to hearwithout someone preaching?15And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written,How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!16Butthey have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says,Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?17Sofaith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

19Go therefore andmake disciples ofall nations,baptizing themin[a]the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20teaching themto observe all thatI have commanded you. And behold,I am with you always, tothe end of the age.

Selected Passages from 2 Samuel

John 17:14-19 (ESV)

14I have given them your word, andthe world has hated thembecause they are not of the world,just as I am not of the world.15Ido not ask that youtake them out of the world, but that youkeep them fromthe evil one.[a]16They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.17Sanctify them[b]in the truth;your word is truth.18As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.19Andfor their sakeI consecrate myself,[c]that they alsomay be sanctified[d]in truth.