All the kings of the earth wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom.

He always remembers his covenantal decree, the promise he made to a thousand generations –

A tranquil spirit revives the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones.

Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning; it is known even in the heart of fools.

The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly.

A wise person’s heart makes his speech wise and it adds persuasiveness to his words.

The one who has a perverse heart does not find good, and the one who is deceitful in speech falls into trouble.

The discerning person acquires knowledge, and the wise person seeks knowledge.

Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my instruction.

As the heaven is high and the earth is deep so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking. Instead, be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.

In fact, if they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.

So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind!

The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has fully carried out his intended purposes. In days to come you will come to understand this.

Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus,

Sober up as you should, and stop sinning! For some have no knowledge of God – I say this to your shame!

Therefore we have been encouraged. And in addition to our own encouragement, we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus, because all of you have refreshed his spirit.

For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have.

I am confident in the Lord that you will accept no other view. But the one who is confusing you will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.