10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
    he must use more strength,
    but wisdom helps one to succeed.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:10 Or wisdom is an advantage for success

(A)If any of you lacks wisdom, (B)let him ask God, (C)who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

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15 The toil of a fool wearies him,
    for he does not know (A)the way to the city.

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15 (A)Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 (B)making the best use of the time, because (C)the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what (D)the will of the Lord is.

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(A)Walk in wisdom toward (B)outsiders, making the best use of the time.

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20 Brothers, (A)do not be children in your thinking. (B)Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be (C)mature.

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15 But there was found in it (A)a poor, wise man, and he by his (B)wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16 But I say that (C)wisdom is better than might, though (D)the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.

17 The words of the wise heard in (E)quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

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This is the thing that you shall do: (A)of you priests and Levites who come off duty on the Sabbath, one third shall be gatekeepers, and one third shall be at the king's house and one third at the Gate of the Foundation. And all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord. Let no one enter the house of the Lord except the priests (B)and ministering Levites. They may enter, for they are holy, but all the people shall keep the charge of the Lord. The Levites shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever enters the house shall be put to death. Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

The Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they each brought his men, who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss (C)the divisions. And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains the spears and the large and small shields that had been King David's, which were in the house of God. 10 And he set all the people as a guard for the king, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house. 11 Then they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him and gave him (D)the testimony. And they proclaimed him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and they said, (E)“Long live the king.”

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Seven Chosen to Serve

Now in these days (A)when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists[a] arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in (B)the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. (C)Therefore, brothers,[b] pick out from among you seven men (D)of good repute, (E)full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But (F)we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, (G)a man full of faith and (H)of the Holy Spirit, and (I)Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, (J)a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and (K)they prayed and (L)laid their hands on them.

And (M)the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests (N)became obedient to (O)the faith.

Stephen Is Seized

And Stephen, full of grace and (P)power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 6:1 That is, Greek-speaking Jews
  2. Acts 6:3 Or brothers and sisters

Persecution Will Come

16 (A)“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be (B)wise as serpents and (C)innocent as doves.

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(A)Give your servant therefore an understanding mind (B)to govern your people, that I may (C)discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

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19 Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall (A)represent the people before God and (B)bring their cases to God, 20 and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know (C)the way in which they must walk and (D)what they must do. 21 Moreover, look for (E)able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 22 And (F)let them judge the people at all times. (G)Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will (H)bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be (I)able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”

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33 Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land[a] of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. 35 And (A)let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”

Joseph Rises to Power

37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, (B)in whom is the Spirit of God?”[b] 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 41:34 Or over the land and organize the land
  2. Genesis 41:38 Or of the gods

19 For (A)your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you (B)to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.

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And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and (A)debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and (B)some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to (C)the apostles and the elders about this question. So, (D)being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, (E)describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and (F)brought great joy to all (G)the brothers.[a] (H)When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and (I)the apostles and the elders, and (J)they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to (K)the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, (L)“It is necessary (M)to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

(N)The (O)apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much (P)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, (Q)that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear (R)the word of (S)the gospel and believe. And God, (T)who knows the heart, (U)bore witness to them, (V)by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and (W)he made no distinction between us and them, (X)having cleansed their hearts (Y)by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why (Z)are you putting God to the test (AA)by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples (AB)that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we (AC)believe that we will be (AD)saved through (AE)the grace of the Lord Jesus, (AF)just as they will.”

12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul (AG)as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, (AH)James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 (AI)Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them (AJ)a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

16 (AK)“‘After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
     and I will restore it,
17 that the remnant[b] of mankind (AL)may seek the Lord,
    and all the Gentiles (AM)who are called by my name,
     says the Lord, who makes these things 18 (AN)known from of old.’

19 Therefore (AO)my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who (AP)turn to God, 20 but should write to them (AQ)to abstain from (AR)the things polluted by idols, and from (AS)sexual immorality, and from (AT)what has been strangled, and from (AU)blood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, (AV)for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 15:3 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 22
  2. Acts 15:17 Or rest

32 Of Issachar, men who (A)had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command.

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