Serve God with Spiritual Gifts

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

Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom

^13 (A)Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have ^(B)bitter envy and ^[a]self-seeking in your hearts, ^(C)do not boast and lie against the truth. ^15 (D)This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For ^(E)where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But ^(F)the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, ^(G)without partiality ^(H)and without hypocrisy.

¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’

³ forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

^23 (A)These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and ^[a]neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

¹⁸ Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has ^[a]not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

⁶ concerning zeal, ^(A)persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

²⁰ and again, ^(A)“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”