¹⁶ Do not be too righteous, and do not act too wise; why should you destroy yourself?^(A)

³ For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.^(A)

¹² Of anything beyond these, my child, beware. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

¹⁸ Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, initiatory visions,^[a] puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking,^[b]

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)

²³ These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.^[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)

¹² I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’^(A)

⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.^(A)