Now the serpent was more astute than all the animals of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Has God indeed said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

For your obedience is come abroad unto all places. I am glad therefore on your behalf, but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good and innocent concerning evil.

Brothers, be not children in understanding, howbeit in malice be ye children; but in understanding be perfect.

But I fear that as the serpent deceived Eve through his craftiness, so your senses should be corrupted in some way, and ye should fall from the simplicity that is in the Christ.

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, asking that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,

Walk in wisdom towards outsiders, winning the occasion.

Harmless

For they that are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly and by smooth words and blessings deceive the hearts of the simple.

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with carnal wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly towards you.

avoiding that anyone should blame us regarding this abundance which is ministered by us,

But I fear that as the serpent deceived Eve through his craftiness, so your senses should be corrupted in some way, and ye should fall from the simplicity that is in the Christ.

that ye may be blameless and innocent, children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world,

Ye are witnesses, and God also, of how holy and just and irreprehensible our behaviour was among you that believe,

Separate yourselves from all appearance of evil.

General references

and said, If Esau comes to the one company and smites it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

and put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, with the money of his wheat. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

David, therefore, sent out spies and understood that Saul was indeed come.

As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the virgins.

Why dost thou cause me to see iniquity and cause me to behold grievance and destruction and violence before me, in addition to those that raise up strife and contention?