²⁰ My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings.

²¹ Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart.

²² For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.

²³ Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

⁶ But the righteousness based on faith [imputed by God and bringing right relationship with Him] says, Do not say in your heart, Who will ascend into Heaven? that is, to bring Christ down;

⁷ Or who will descend into the abyss? that is, to bring Christ up from the dead [as if we could be saved by our own efforts].^(A)

⁸ But what does it say? The Word (God’s message in Christ) is near you, on your lips and in your heart; that is, the Word (the message, the basis and object) of faith which we preach,^(B)