Weekly Readings

14 Do not stray onto the path of wicked people.

Do not walk in the way of evil people.

15 Avoid it.

Do not walk near it.

Turn away from it,

and keep on walking.

16 Wicked people cannot sleep

unless they do wrong,

and they are robbed of their sleep

unless they make someone stumble.

17 They eat food obtained through wrongdoing

and drink wine obtained through violence.

18 But the path of righteous people is like the light of dawn

that becomes brighter and brighter until it reaches midday.

19 The way of wicked people is like deep darkness.

They do not know what makes them stumble.

12 There is a way that seems right to a person,

but eventually it ends in death.

13 Do any of you have wisdom and insight? Show this by living the right way with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and filled with self-centered ambition, don’t brag. Don’t say that you are wise when it isn’t true. 15 That kind of wisdom doesn’t come from above. It belongs to this world. It is self-centered and demonic. 16 Wherever there is jealousy and rivalry, there is disorder and every kind of evil.

17 However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure. Then it is peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good deeds, impartial, and sincere. 18 A harvest that has God’s approval comes from the peace planted by peacemakers.

24 “Therefore, everyone who hears what I say and obeys it will be like a wise person who built a house on rock. 25 Rain poured, and floods came. Winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not collapse, because its foundation was on rock.

26 “Everyone who hears what I say but doesn’t obey it will be like a foolish person who built a house on sand. 27 Rain poured, and floods came. Winds blew and struck that house. It collapsed, and the result was a total disaster.”