'Useless' in the Bible

For it is written and forever remains written,“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise [the philosophy of the philosophers],And the cleverness of the clever [who do not know Me] I will nullify.”

And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing.

For you know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you has not been ineffective (fruitless, in vain),

nor to pay attention to legends (fables, myths) and endless genealogies, which give rise to useless speculation and meaningless arguments rather than advancing God’s program of instruction which is grounded in faith [and requires surrendering the entire self to God in absolute trust and confidence].

But those who [are not financially ethical and] crave to get rich [with a compulsive, greedy longing for wealth] fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction [leading to personal misery].

But avoid all irreverent babble and godless chatter [with its profane, empty words], for it will lead to further ungodliness,

For you know that you were not redeemed from your useless [spiritually unproductive] way of life inherited [by tradition] from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold,