Words of Wisdom

   ¹ If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. ² Whatever your task, work heartily at it, ³ and do all things without grumbling or questioning. ⁴ Be submissive to your masters, not only the kind and gentle, but also to the overbearing. ⁵ Be subject to every human institution ⁶ and endure pain even while suffering unjustly.

   ⁷ Do not be anxious about your life, food or clothing, ⁸ but earnestly seek the higher gifts. ⁹ Associate with the lowly; never be conceited. ¹⁰ Love one another ¹¹ and give to him who begs from you.

   ¹² Faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. ¹³ Make love your aim and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts. ¹⁴ Love your neighbor as yourself. ¹⁵ Also love your enemies and do good to those who hate you.

   ¹⁶ Do not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. ¹⁷ If any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek also. ¹⁸ Be angry but do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your anger. ¹⁹ Avoid stupid arguments, for they are unprofitable and futile. ²⁰ Let your speech be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer every one. ²¹ Do not judge others; lest you be judged. ²² Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.

   ²³ The love of money is the root of all evils. ²⁴ For what does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? ²⁵ For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

   ²⁶ Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil. ²⁷ Do not get drunk with wine. ²⁸ Make straight paths for your feet ²⁹ and look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise. ³⁰ I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ³¹ For in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, you shine as lights in the world.

¹ Rom 12:18 ² Col 3:23 ³ Phil 2:14 ⁴ 1 Pet 2:18 ⁵ 1 Pet 2:13 ⁶ 1 Pet 2:19 ⁷ Lk 12:22 ⁸ 1 Cor 12:31 ⁹ Rom 12:16 ¹⁰ Jn 13:34 ¹¹ Mt 5:42 ¹² 1 Cor 13:13 ¹³ 1 Cor 14:1 ¹⁴ Gal 5:14 ¹⁵ Lk 6:27 ¹⁶ Mt 10:28 ¹⁷ Mt 5:39 ¹⁸ Eph 4:26 ¹⁹ Titus 3:9 ²⁰ Col 4:6 ²¹ Mt 7:1 ²² Rom 12:21 ²³ 1 Tim 6:10 ²⁴ Mt 16:26 ²⁵ Mt 19:24 ²⁶ 1 Pet 2:16 ²⁷ Eph 5:18 ²⁸ Heb 12:13 ²⁹ Eph 5:15 ³⁰ Mt 10:16 ³¹ Phil 2:15        RSV         KD 1990