Ecclesiastes 10:10
New King James Version
10 If the ax is dull,
And one does not sharpen the edge,
Then he must use more strength;
But wisdom [a]brings success.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 10:10 Lit. is a successful advantage
James 1:5
New King James Version
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.
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Ecclesiastes 10:15
New King James Version
15 The labor of fools wearies them,
For they do not even know how to go to the city!
Colossians 4:5
New King James Version
5 (A)Walk in (B)wisdom toward those who are outside, (C)redeeming the time.
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1 Corinthians 14:20
New King James Version
Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers
20 Brethren, (A)do not be children in understanding; however, in malice (B)be babes, but in understanding be mature.
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Ephesians 5:15-17
New King James Version
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.
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- Ephesians 5:15 carefully
1 Kings 3:9
New King James Version
9 (A)Therefore give to Your servant an [a]understanding heart (B)to judge Your people, that I may (C)discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
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- 1 Kings 3:9 Lit. hearing
Romans 16:19
New King James Version
19 For (A)your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be (B)wise in what is good, and [a]simple concerning evil.
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- Romans 16:19 innocent
Acts 6:1-9
New King James Version
Seven Chosen to Serve
6 Now in those days, (A)when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the (B)Hellenists,[a] because their widows were neglected (C)in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, (D)“It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, (E)seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this (F)business; 4 but we (G)will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, (H)a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and (I)Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and (J)Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and (K)when they had prayed, (L)they laid hands on them.
7 Then (M)the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many (N)of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Stephen Accused of Blasphemy
8 And Stephen, full of [b]faith and power, did great (O)wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen.
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Matthew 10:16
New King James Version
Persecutions Are Coming(A)
16 (B)“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. (C)Therefore be wise as serpents and (D)harmless[a] as doves.
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- Matthew 10:16 innocent
Ecclesiastes 9:15-17
New King James Version
15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.
16 Then I said:
“Wisdom is better than (A)strength.
Nevertheless (B)the poor man’s wisdom is despised,
And his words are not heard.
17 Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard
Rather than the shout of a ruler of fools.
2 Chronicles 23:4-11
New King James Version
4 This is what you shall do: One-third of you (A)entering on the Sabbath, of the priests and the Levites, shall be keeping watch over the doors; 5 one-third shall be at the king’s house; and one-third at the Gate of the Foundation. All the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord. 6 But let no one come into the house of the Lord except the priests and (B)those of the Levites who serve. They may go in, for they are holy; but all the people shall keep the watch of the Lord. 7 And the Levites shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the house, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”
8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each man took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed (C)the divisions. 9 And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small (D)shields which had belonged to King David, that were in the temple of God. 10 Then he set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and by the temple, all around the king. 11 And they brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, (E)gave him the [a]Testimony, and made him king. Then Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, “Long live the king!”
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- 2 Chronicles 23:11 Law, Ex. 25:16, 21; 31:18
Exodus 18:19-23
New King James Version
19 Listen now to my voice; I will give you [a]counsel, and God will be with you: Stand (A)before God for the people, so that you may (B)bring the difficulties to God. 20 And you shall (C)teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and (D)the work they must do. 21 Moreover you shall select from all the people (E)able men, such as (F)fear God, (G)men of truth, (H)hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22 And let them judge the people at all times. (I)Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for (J)they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their (K)place in peace.”
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- Exodus 18:19 advice
Genesis 41:33-39
New King James Version
33 “Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint [a]officers over the land, (A)to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. 35 And (B)let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the [b]authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36 Then that food shall be as a [c]reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land (C)may not [d]perish during the famine.”
Joseph’s Rise to Power
37 So (D)the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man (E)in whom is the Spirit of God?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.
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- Genesis 41:34 overseers
- Genesis 41:35 Lit. hand
- Genesis 41:36 Lit. supply
- Genesis 41:36 be cut off
1 Chronicles 12:32
New King James Version
32 of the sons of Issachar (A)who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;
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Acts 15:2-21
New King James Version
2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that (A)Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.
3 So, (B)being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, (C)describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. 4 And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. 5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
The Jerusalem Council
6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. 7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: (D)“Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 So God, (E)who knows the heart, [a]acknowledged them by (F)giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 9 (G)and made no distinction between us and them, (H)purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore, why do you test God (I)by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But (J)we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus [b]Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had (K)worked through them among the Gentiles. 13 And after they had [c]become silent, (L)James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me: 14 (M)Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:
16 ‘After(N) this I will return
And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down;
I will rebuild its ruins,
And I will set it up;
17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name,
Says the [d]Lord who does all these things.’
18 [e]“Known to God from eternity are all His works. 19 Therefore (O)I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who (P)are turning to God, 20 but that we (Q)write to them to abstain (R)from things polluted by idols, (S)from [f]sexual immorality, (T)from things strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, (U)being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
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- Acts 15:8 bore witness to
- Acts 15:11 NU, M omit Christ
- Acts 15:13 stopped speaking
- Acts 15:17 NU Lord, who makes these things
- Acts 15:18 NU (continuing v. 17) known from eternity (of old).’
- Acts 15:20 Or fornication
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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