⁵ I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one person wise enough to decide between brothers and sisters?

³⁴ Sober up, as you rightly ought to, and sin no more, for some people have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.^(A)

Fatherly Admonition

¹⁴ I am not writing this to make you ashamed but to admonish you as my beloved children.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

¹³ Who is wise and knowledgeable among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.^{(A) 14} But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be arrogant and lie about the truth. ¹⁵ This is not wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.^{(B) 16} For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.^{(C) 17} But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.^{(D) 18} And the fruit of righteousness^[a] is sown in peace by those who make peace.^(E)

⁵ If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.^(A)

¹⁴ Does not nature itself teach you that, if a man wears long hair, it is dishonoring to him,

¹⁰ We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are sensible people in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.^(A)

¹⁸ Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise.^(A)

¹⁵ In those days Peter stood up among the brothers and sisters (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said,