^6 (A)And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he ^(B)walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You ^(C)have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. ⁷ Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a ^(D)little child; I do not know how ^(E)to go out or come in. ⁸ And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You ^(F)have chosen, a great people, ^(G)too numerous to be numbered or counted. ^9 (H)Therefore give to Your servant an ^[a]understanding heart ^(I)to judge Your people, that I may ^(J)discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

¹⁰ The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. ¹¹ Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have ^(K)not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, ^12 (L)behold, I have done according to your words; ^(M)see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. ¹³ And I have also ^(N)given you what you have not asked: both ^(O)riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. ¹⁴ So ^(P)if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, ^(Q)as your father David walked, then I will ^(R)lengthen^[b] your days.”

Living Sacrifices to God

12 I ^(A)beseech^[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies ^(B)a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your ^[b]reasonable service. ² And ^(C)do not be conformed to this world, but ^(D)be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may ^(E)prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Serve God with Spiritual Gifts

³ For I say, ^(F)through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, ^(G)not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt ^(H)to each one a measure of faith.

Walk in Wisdom

^15 (A)See then that you walk ^[a]circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, ^16 (B)redeeming the time, ^(C)because the days are evil.

^17 (D)Therefore do not be unwise, but ^(E)understand ^(F)what the will of the Lord is.

Preeminence of Christ

^9 (A)For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask ^(B)that you may be filled with ^(C)the knowledge of His will ^(D)in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; ^10 (E)that you may walk worthy of the Lord, ^(F)fully pleasing Him, ^(G)being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the ^(H)knowledge of God; ^11 (I)strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, ^(J)for all patience and longsuffering ^(K)with joy; ^12 (L)giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of ^(M)the inheritance of the saints in the light.

^5 (A)If any of you lacks wisdom, ^(B)let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and ^(C)it will be given to him. ^6 (D)But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.