5 If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him.

14 This is the [remarkable degree of] confidence which we [as believers are entitled to] have before Him: that *if we ask anything according to His will, [that is, consistent with His plan and purpose] He hears us.

9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].

5 Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart

And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

6 *In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,

And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].

6 *In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,

And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].

11 For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

14 Where there is no [wise, intelligent] guidance, the people fall [and go off course like a ship without a helm],

But in the abundance of [wise and godly] counselors there is victory.

33 The lot is cast into the lap,

*But its every decision is from the Lord.

1 He who [willfully] separates himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire,

He quarrels against all sound wisdom.

2 A [closed-minded] fool does not delight in understanding,

But only in revealing his personal opinions [unwittingly displaying his self-indulgence and his stupidity].

3 When the wicked man comes [to the depth of evil], contempt [of all that is pure and good] also comes,

And with inner baseness (dishonor) comes outer shame (scorn).

4 The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters [copious and difficult to fathom];

The fountain of [mature, godly] wisdom is like a bubbling stream [sparkling, fresh, pure, and life-giving].

5 To show respect to the wicked person is not good,

Nor to push aside and deprive the righteous of justice.

6 A fool’s lips bring contention and strife,

And his mouth invites a beating.

7 A fool’s mouth is his ruin,

And his lips are the snare of his soul.

8 The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten];

They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon].

9 He who is careless in his work

Is a brother to him who destroys.

10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

The righteous runs to it and is safe and set on high [far above evil].

11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,

And like a high wall [of protection] in his own imagination and conceit.

12 Before disaster the heart of a man is haughty and filled with self-importance,

But humility comes before honor.

13 He who answers before he hears [the facts]—

It is folly and shame to him. [John 7:51]

14 The spirit of a man sustains him in sickness,

But as for a broken spirit, who can bear it?

16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage];

17 so that the *man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

7 and after they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them;

1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets [who spoke a new message of God to the people] and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called *Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with *Herod [Antipas] the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them." 3 Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them [in approval and dedication] and sent them away [on their first journey].

31 So then, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of [our great] God.

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of *witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us,

5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, "Ask [Me] what I shall give you."

6 Then Solomon said, "You have shown Your servant David my father great lovingkindness, because he walked before You in faithfulness and righteousness and with uprightness of heart toward You; and You have kept for him this great lovingkindness, in that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today. 7 So now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of David my father; and as for me, I am but a little boy [*in wisdom and experience]; I do not know how to go out or come in [that is, how to conduct business as a king]. 8 Your servant is among Your people whom You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. 9 So give Your servant an understanding mind and a hearing heart [with which] to judge Your people, so that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge and rule this great people of Yours?" [James 1:5]

10 Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 God said to him, "Because you have asked this and have not asked for yourself a long life nor for wealth, nor for the lives of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to recognize justice, 12 behold, I have done as you asked. I have given you a wise and discerning heart (mind), so that no one before you was your equal, nor shall anyone equal to you arise after you.

9 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still cling to your integrity [and your faith and trust in God, without blaming Him]? Curse God and die!" 10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the [spiritually] foolish women speaks [ignorant and oblivious to God’s will]. Shall we indeed accept [only] good from God and not [also] accept adversity and disaster?" In [spite of] all this Job did not sin with [words from] his lips.