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10 By insolence the empty-headed person makes strife,
    but wisdom is with those who take advice.(A)

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Friendship with the World

Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you?

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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.(A) 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.(B)

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is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions,(A)

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The Dispute about Greatness

24 A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest.(A)

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20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
    that you may gain wisdom for the future.(A)

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14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so stop before the quarrel breaks out.(A)

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15 Fools think their own way is right,
    but the wise listen to advice.(A)
16 Fools show their anger at once,
    but the prudent ignore an insult.(B)

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Diotrephes and Demetrius

I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not welcome us. 10 So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing in spreading false charges against us. And not content with those charges, he refuses to welcome the brothers and sisters and even prevents those who want to do so and expels them from the church.(A)

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Or do you suppose that the scripture speaks to no purpose? Does the spirit that God caused to dwell[a] in us desire envy?(A) But God gives all the more grace; therefore it says,

“God opposes the proud
    but gives grace to the humble.”(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 4.5 Other ancient authorities read the spirit that dwells

Seven Chosen to Serve

Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.(A) And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.[a] Therefore, brothers and sisters, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task,(B) while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.” What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 6.2 Or keep accounts

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he cannot, then while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace.

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    do not hastily bring into court,
for[a] what will you do in the end,
    when your neighbor puts you to shame?(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 25.8 Cn: Heb or else

24 The proud, haughty person, named Scoffer,
    acts with arrogant pride.(A)

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18 Plans are established by taking advice;
    wage war by following wise guidance.(A)

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10 You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Be content with your glory and stay at home, for why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you?”(A)

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16 When all Israel saw that the king would not listen to them, the people answered the king,

“What share do we have in David?
    We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.
To your tents, O Israel!
    Look now to your own house, O David.”

So Israel went away to their tents.(A)

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10 The young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus you should say to this people who spoke to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must lighten it for us’; thus you should say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. 11 Now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’ ”

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Intertribal Dissension

12 The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you!”(A) Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were engaged in conflict with the Ammonites who oppressed us[a] severely. But when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand. When I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hand and crossed over against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day, to fight against me?”(B) Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim, and the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives from Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the heart of Ephraim and Manasseh.”[b](C) Then the Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. Whenever one of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” When he said, “No,”(D) they said to him, “Then say Shibboleth,” and he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites fell at that time.

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Footnotes

  1. 12.2 Gk OL Syr H: Heb lacks who oppressed us
  2. 12.4 Meaning of Heb uncertain: Gk omits because . . . Manasseh

Gideon’s Triumph and Vengeance

Then the Ephraimites said to him, “What have you done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against the Midianites?” And they upbraided him violently.(A) So he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? God has given into your hands the captains of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; what have I been able to do in comparison with you?” When he said this, their anger against him subsided.(B)

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