²⁰ Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children.^(A) In regard to evil be infants,^(B) but in your thinking be adults.

² Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,^(A) so that by it you may grow up^(B) in your salvation,

¹⁹ Everyone has heard^(A) about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.^(B)

¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood^(A) behind me.

³ And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,^(A) you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.^(B)

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants,^(A) tossed back and forth by the waves,^(B) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.^{(C) 15} Instead, speaking the truth in love,^(D) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,^(E) that is, Christ.

God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

⁶ We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature,^(A) but not the wisdom of this age^(B) or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.^(C)

¹⁸ But grow in the grace^(A) and knowledge^(B) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.^(C) To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.^(D)

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love^(A) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,^(B)