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Jeremiah 9:23
New Living Translation
Jeremiah 9:23
New Living Translation
23 This is what the Lord says:
“Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom,
or the powerful boast in their power,
or the rich boast in their riches.
Jeremiah 9:23
New International Version
Jeremiah 9:23
New International Version
23 This is what the Lord says:
1 Corinthians 1:27-29
New Living Translation
1 Corinthians 1:27-29
New Living Translation
27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world,[a] things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
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- 1:28 Or God chose those who are low born.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29
New International Version
1 Corinthians 1:27-29
New International Version
27 But God chose(A) the foolish(B) things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not(C)—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.(D)
Ecclesiastes 9:11
New Living Translation
Ecclesiastes 9:11
New Living Translation
11 I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.
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Ecclesiastes 9:11
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 9:11
New International Version
11 I have seen something else under the sun:
Isaiah 5:21
New Living Translation
Isaiah 5:21
New Living Translation
21 What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes
and think themselves so clever.
Isaiah 5:21
New International Version
Isaiah 5:21
New International Version
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes(A)
and clever in their own sight.
Romans 1:22
New Living Translation
Romans 1:22
New Living Translation
22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.
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Romans 1:22
New International Version
Romans 1:22
New International Version
22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools(A)
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
New Living Translation
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
New Living Translation
18 Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say,
“He traps the wise
in the snare of their own cleverness.”[a]
20 And again,
“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise;
he knows they are worthless.”[b]
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
New International Version
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
New International Version
18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise(A) by the standards of this age,(B) you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness(C) in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”[a];(D) 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”[b](E)
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 3:19 Job 5:13
- 1 Corinthians 3:20 Psalm 94:11
Psalm 49:6-13
New Living Translation
Psalm 49:6-13
New Living Translation
6 They trust in their wealth
and boast of great riches.
7 Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death[a]
by paying a ransom to God.
8 Redemption does not come so easily,
for no one can ever pay enough
9 to live forever
and never see the grave.
10 Those who are wise must finally die,
just like the foolish and senseless,
leaving all their wealth behind.
11 The grave[b] is their eternal home,
where they will stay forever.
They may name their estates after themselves,
12 but their fame will not last.
They will die, just like animals.
13 This is the fate of fools,
though they are remembered as being wise.[c] Interlude
Psalm 49:6-13
New International Version
Psalm 49:6-13
New International Version
6 those who trust in their wealth(A)
and boast(B) of their great riches?(C)
7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom(D) for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—(E)
9 so that they should live on(F) forever
and not see decay.(G)
10 For all can see that the wise die,(H)
that the foolish and the senseless(I) also perish,
leaving their wealth(J) to others.(K)
11 Their tombs(L) will remain their houses[a] forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,(M)
though they had[b] named(N) lands after themselves.
Footnotes
- Psalm 49:11 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain
- Psalm 49:11 Or generations, / for they have
- Psalm 49:13 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.
James 3:14-16
New Living Translation
James 3:14-16
New Living Translation
14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
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James 3:14-16
New International Version
James 3:14-16
New International Version
14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition(A) in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.(B) 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven(C) but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.(D) 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition,(E) there you find disorder and every evil practice.
1 Corinthians 1:19-21
New Living Translation
1 Corinthians 1:19-21
New Living Translation
19 As the Scriptures say,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”[a]
20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.
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1 Corinthians 1:19-21
New International Version
1 Corinthians 1:19-21
New International Version
19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[a](A)
20 Where is the wise person?(B) Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?(C) Has not God made foolish(D) the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world(E) through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save(F) those who believe.(G)
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 1:19 Isaiah 29:14
Ezekiel 7:19
New Living Translation
Ezekiel 7:19
New Living Translation
19 “They will throw their money in the streets,
tossing it out like worthless trash.
Their silver and gold won’t save them
on that day of the Lord’s anger.
It will neither satisfy nor feed them,
for their greed can only trip them up.
Ezekiel 7:19
New International Version
Ezekiel 7:19
New International Version
19 “‘They will throw their silver into the streets,(A)
and their gold will be treated as a thing unclean.
Their silver and gold
will not be able to deliver them
in the day of the Lord’s wrath.(B)
It will not satisfy(C) their hunger
or fill their stomachs,
for it has caused them to stumble(D) into sin.(E)
Job 31:24-25
New Living Translation
Job 31:24-25
New Living Translation
24 “Have I put my trust in money
or felt secure because of my gold?
25 Have I gloated about my wealth
and all that I own?
Job 31:24-25
New International Version
Job 31:24-25
New International Version
Proverbs 11:4
New Living Translation
Proverbs 11:4
New Living Translation
4 Riches won’t help on the day of judgment,
but right living can save you from death.
Proverbs 11:4
New International Version
Proverbs 11:4
New International Version
1 Kings 20:10-11
New Living Translation
1 Kings 20:10-11
New Living Translation
10 Then Ben-hadad sent this message to Ahab: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if there remains enough dust from Samaria to provide even a handful for each of my soldiers.”
11 The king of Israel sent back this answer: “A warrior putting on his sword for battle should not boast like a warrior who has already won.”
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1 Kings 20:10-11
New International Version
1 Kings 20:10-11
New International Version
10 Then Ben-Hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if enough dust(A) remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful.”
11 The king of Israel answered, “Tell him: ‘One who puts on his armor should not boast(B) like one who takes it off.’”
New Living Translation (NLT)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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