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Wisdom Calls Out

Doesn’t wisdom call out?
    Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?
At the highest point along the way,
    she takes her place where the paths meet.
Beside the gate leading into the city,
    she cries out at the entrance. She says,
“People, I call out to you.
    I raise my voice to all human beings.

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10 Choose my teaching instead of silver.
    Choose knowledge rather than fine gold.
11 Wisdom is worth more than rubies.
    Nothing you want can compare with her.

12 “I, wisdom, live together with understanding.
    I have knowledge and good sense.
13 To have respect for the Lord is to hate evil.
    I hate pride and bragging.
    I hate evil ways and twisted words.
14 I have good sense and give good advice.
    I have understanding and power.
15 By me kings rule.
    Leaders make laws that are fair.
16 By me princes and nobles govern.
    It is by me that anyone rules on earth.
17 I love those who love me.
    Those who look for me find me.

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111 Praise the Lord.

I will praise the Lord with all my heart.
    I will praise him where honest people gather for worship.

The Lord has done great things.
    All who take delight in those things think deeply about them.
What he does shows his glory and majesty.
    He will always do what is right.
The Lord causes his wonders to be remembered.
    He is kind and tender.
He provides food for those who have respect for him.
    He remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people what his power can do.
    He has given them the lands of other nations.
He is faithful and right in everything he does.
    All his rules can be trusted.
They will stand firm for ever and ever.
    They were given by the Lord.
    He is faithful and honest.
He set his people free.
    He made a covenant with them that will last forever.
    His name is holy and wonderful.

10 If you really want to become wise,
    you must begin by having respect for the Lord.
All those who follow his rules have good understanding.
    People should praise him forever.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

13 Is anyone among you wise and understanding? That person should show it by living a good life. A wise person isn’t proud when they do good deeds. 14 But suppose your hearts are jealous and bitter. Suppose you are concerned only about getting ahead. Then don’t brag about it. And don’t say no to the truth. 15 Wisdom like this doesn’t come down from heaven. It belongs to the earth. It doesn’t come from the Holy Spirit. It comes from the devil. 16 Are you jealous? Are you concerned only about getting ahead? Then your life will be a mess. You will be doing all kinds of evil things.

17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is pure. That’s the most important thing about it. And that’s not all. It also loves peace. It thinks about others. It obeys. It is full of mercy and good fruit. It is fair. It doesn’t pretend to be what it is not. 18 Those who make peace plant it like a seed. They will harvest a crop of right living.

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Jesus and John the Baptist

18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. So he chose two of them. 19 He sent them to the Lord. John told them to ask him, “Are you the one who is supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?”

20 The men came to Jesus. They said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?’ ”

21 At that time Jesus healed many people. They had illnesses, sicknesses and evil spirits. He also gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So Jesus replied to the messengers, “Go back to John. Tell him what you have seen and heard. Blind people receive sight. Disabled people walk. Those who have skin diseases are made ‘clean.’ Deaf people hear. Those who are dead are raised to life. And the good news is announced to those who are poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not give up their faith because of me.”

24 So John’s messengers left. Then Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. He said, “What did you go out into the desert to see? Tall grass waving in the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. Those who wear fine clothes and have many expensive things are in palaces. 26 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 He is the one written about in Scripture. It says,

“ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you.
    He will prepare your way for you.’ (Malachi 3:1)

28 I tell you, no one more important than John has ever been born. But the least important person in God’s kingdom is more important than John is.”

29 All the people who heard Jesus’ words agreed that God’s way was right. Even the tax collectors agreed. These people had all been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the authorities on the law did not accept for themselves God’s purpose. So they had not been baptized by John.

31 Jesus went on to say, “What can I compare today’s people to? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the market and calling out to each other. They say,

“ ‘We played the flute for you.
    But you didn’t dance.
We sang a funeral song.
    But you didn’t cry.’

33 That is how it has been with John the Baptist. When he came to you, he didn’t eat bread or drink wine. And you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 But when the Son of Man came, he ate and drank as you do. And you say, ‘This fellow is always eating and drinking far too much. He’s a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 All who follow wisdom prove that wisdom is right.”

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