^15 (A)Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

^5 (A)Walk in wisdom toward ^(B)outsiders, making the best use of the time.

Wisdom from Above

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? ^(A)By his good conduct let him show his works ^(B)in the meekness of wisdom.

⁹ But ^(A)those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, ^(B)into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that ^(C)plunge people into ruin and destruction.

²⁷ Only ^(A)let your manner of life be ^(B)worthy^[a] of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you ^(C)that you are standing firm in one spirit, with ^(D)one mind ^(E)striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

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

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.

¹⁰ Then ^(A)I fell down at his feet to worship him, ^(B)but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to ^(C)the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

²² Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for ^(A)a sincere brotherly love, ^(B)love one another earnestly from a pure heart,