Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”

for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.

For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.

Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the

knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders,

making the most of the opportunity.

Harmless

For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.

taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift;

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you

appear as lights in the world,

You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers;

abstain from every form of evil.

General references

for he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the company which is left will escape.”

Put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph had told him.

David sent out spies, and he knew that Saul was definitely coming.

“Like a lily among the thorns,
So is my darling among the maidens.”

Why do You make me see iniquity,
And cause me to look on wickedness?
Yes, destruction and violence are before me;

Strife exists and contention arises.