Discernment

Beloved, every spirit believe not, but prove the spirits, if of God they are, because many false prophets have gone forth to the world;

and of perfect men is the strong food, who because of the use are having the senses exercised, unto the discernment both of good and of evil.

and this I pray, that your love yet more and more may abound in full knowledge, and all judgment, — read the full passage →

for the reckoning of God is living, and working, and sharp above every two-edged sword, and piercing unto the dividing asunder both of soul and spirit, of joints also and marrow, and a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart;

and be not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for your proving what <FI>is<Fi> the will of God--the good, and acceptable, and perfect.

and Thou hast given to Thy servant an understanding heart, to judge Thy people, to discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this Thy great people?'

and if any of you do lack wisdom, let him ask from God, who is giving to all liberally, and not reproaching, and it shall be given to him;

and the natural man doth not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for to him they are foolishness, and he is not able to know <FI>them<Fi> , because spiritually they are discerned;

judge not according to appearance, but the righteous judgment judge.'

all things prove; that which is good hold fast;

for God is not <FI>a God<Fi> of tumult, but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints.

for those such <FI>are<Fi> false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ, — read the full passage →

See that no one shall be carrying you away as spoil through the philosophy and vain deceit, according to the deliverance of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ,

`Lo, I do send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, be ye therefore wise as the serpents, and simple as the doves.

Thy servant <FI>am<Fi> I--cause me to understand, And I know Thy testimonies.

and to another in-workings of mighty deeds; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits; and to another <FI>divers<Fi> kinds of tongues; and to another interpretation of tongues:

if any one be teaching otherwise, and do not consent to sound words--those of our Lord Jesus Christ--and to the teaching according to piety, — read the full passage →

Who <FI>is<Fi> wise, and doth understand these? Prudent, and knoweth them? For upright are the ways of Jehovah, And the righteous go on in them, And the transgressors stumble therein!

My son, if thou dost accept my sayings, And my commands dost lay up with thee, — read the full passage →

My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep, — read the full passage →

And the Spirit expressly speaketh, that in latter times shall certain fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and teachings of demons,

And prophets--let two or three speak, and let the others discern,

and the wisdom from above, first, indeed, is pure, then peaceable, gentle, easily entreated, full of kindness and good fruits, uncontentious, and unhypocritical: --

The heart of the intelligent seeketh knowledge, And the mouth of fools enjoyeth folly.

The heart of the intelligent getteth knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

and God saith unto him, `Because that thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thee many days, nor asked for thee riches, nor asked the life of thine enemies, and hast asked for thee discernment to understand judgment,

And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, `Look not unto his appearance, and unto the height of his stature, for I have rejected him; for <FI>it is<Fi> not as man seeth--for man looketh at the eyes, and Jehovah looketh at the heart.'

Folly is joy to one lacking heart, And a man of intelligence directeth <FI>his<Fi> going.

for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and they shall give great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, also the chosen.

A rich man is wise in his own eyes, And the intelligent poor searcheth him.

and this I pray, that your love yet more and more may abound in full knowledge, and all judgment,

The goodness of reason and knowledge teach me, For in Thy commands I have believed.

and when He may come--the Spirit of truth--He will guide you to all the truth, for He will not speak from Himself, but as many things as He will hear He will speak, and the coming things He will tell you;

and you, the anointing that ye did receive from him, in you it doth remain, and ye have no need that any one may teach you, but as the same anointing doth teach you concerning all, and is true, and is not a lie, and even as was taught you, ye shall remain in him.

The beginning of wisdom <FI>is<Fi> fear of Jehovah, Good understanding have all doing them, His praise <FI>is<Fi> standing for ever!

draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you; cleanse hands, ye sinners! and purify hearts, ye two-souled!

(The wise doth hear and increaseth learning, And the intelligent doth obtain counsels.)

And the brethren immediately, through the night, sent forth both Paul and Silas to Berea, who having come, went to the synagogue of the Jews; — read the full passage →

and these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, they received the word with all readiness of mind, every day examining the Writings whether those things were so;

but, according as it hath been written, `What eye did not see, and ear did not hear, and upon the heart of man came not up, what God did prepare for those loving Him--' — read the full passage →

and thy maid-servant saith, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be for ease; for as a messenger of God so <FI>is<Fi> my lord the king, to understand the good and the evil; and Jehovah thy God is with thee.'

and this I pray, that your love yet more and more may abound in full knowledge, and all judgment, — read the full passage →

`And when the Comforter may come, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth, who from the Father doth come forth, he will testify of me;

And He is changing times and seasons, He is causing kings to pass away, and He is raising up kings; He is giving wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those possessing understanding.

beloved, now, children of God are we, and it was not yet manifested what we shall be, and we have known that if he may be manifested, like him we shall be, because we shall see him as he is;

and because from a babe the Holy Writings thou hast known, which are able to make thee wise--to salvation, through faith that <FI>is<Fi> in Christ Jesus;

but to us did God reveal <FI>them<Fi> through His Spirit, for the Spirit all things doth search, even the depths of God, — read the full passage →

Whoso is keeping the law is an intelligent son, And a friend of gluttons, Doth cause his father to blush.

For, if for intelligence thou callest, For understanding givest forth thy voice, — read the full passage →

for who of men hath known the things of the man, except the spirit of the man that <FI>is<Fi> in him? so also the things of God no one hath known, except the Spirit of God.

O the happiness of a man <FI>who<Fi> hath found wisdom, And of a man <FI>who<Fi> bringeth forth understanding.

A scorner smite, and the simple acts prudently, And give reproof to the intelligent, He understandeth knowledge.

My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,

A scorner hath sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge to the intelligent <FI>is<Fi> easy.

Is there in my tongue perverseness? Discerneth not my palate desirable things?

and He gave some <FI>as<Fi> apostles, and some <FI>as<Fi> prophets, and some <FI>as<Fi> proclaimers of good news, and some <FI>as<Fi> shepherds and teachers, — read the full passage →

`And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray;

preach the word; be earnest in season, out of season, convict, rebuke, exhort, in all long-suffering and teaching,

and the things that thou didst hear from me through many witnesses, these things be committing to stedfast men, who shall be sufficient also others to teach;

The Spirit himself doth testify with our spirit, that we are children of God;

Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.

but, according as it hath been written, `What eye did not see, and ear did not hear, and upon the heart of man came not up, what God did prepare for those loving Him--' — read the full passage →

The face of the intelligent <FI>is<Fi> to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool--at the end of the earth.

The first thing <FI>is<Fi> wisdom--get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.

`And My people they direct between holy and common, and between unclean and clean they cause them to discern.

sanctify them in Thy truth, Thy word is truth;

Lo, he doth come with the clouds, and see him shall every eye, even those who did pierce him, and wail because of him shall all the tribes of the land. Yes! Amen!

and those having believing masters, let them not slight <FI>them<Fi> , because they are brethren, but rather let them serve, because they are stedfast and beloved, who of the benefit are partaking. These things be teaching and exhorting;

it behoveth, therefore, the overseer to be blameless, of one wife a husband, vigilant, sober, decent, a friend of strangers, apt to teach,

and because ye are sons, God did send forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, `Abba, Father!'

Having, then, these promises, beloved, may we cleanse ourselves from every pollution of flesh and spirit, perfecting sanctification in the fear of God;

A Psalm of David. Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> my shepherd, I do not lack, — read the full passage →

Be obedient to those leading you, and be subject, for these do watch for your souls, as about to give account, that with joy they may do this, and not sighing, for this <FI>is<Fi> unprofitable to you.

and they shall see His face, and His name <FI>is<Fi> upon their foreheads,

for who did know the mind of the Lord that he shall instruct Him? and we--we have the mind of Christ.

And I, having come unto you, brethren, came--not in superiority of discourse or wisdom--declaring to you the testimony of God, — read the full passage →

Charge these things, and teach;

and all these doth work the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each severally as he intendeth.

and at morning, Foul weather to-day, for the heaven is red--gloomy; hypocrites, the face of the heavens indeed ye do know to discern, but the signs of the times ye are not able!

for we see now through a mirror obscurely, and then face to face; now I know in part, and then I shall fully know, as also I was known;

I call upon you, therefore, become ye followers of me; — read the full passage →

for if, indeed, he who is coming doth preach another Jesus whom we did not preach, or another Spirit ye receive which ye did not receive, or other good news which ye did not accept--well were ye bearing <FI>it<Fi> ,

but, according as it hath been written, `What eye did not see, and ear did not hear, and upon the heart of man came not up, what God did prepare for those loving Him--' — read the full passage →

And a messenger of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, `Arise, and go on toward the south, on the way that is going down from Jerusalem to Gaza,' --this is desert. — read the full passage →

He saith to him the third time, `Simon, <FI>son<Fi> of Jonas, dost thou dearly love me?' Peter was grieved that he said to him the third time, `Dost thou dearly love me?' and he said to him, `Lord, thou hast known all things; thou dost know that I dearly love thee.' Jesus saith to him, `Feed my sheep;

Followers of me become ye, as I also <FI>am<Fi> of Christ.

`Who, then, is the servant, faithful and wise, whom his lord did set over his household, to give them the nourishment in season?

for walking in the flesh, not according to the flesh do we war, — read the full passage →

`And from the fig-tree learn ye the simile: When already its branch may have become tender, and the leaves it may put forth, ye know that summer <FI>is<Fi> nigh, — read the full passage →

`The lamp of the body is the eye, if, therefore, thine eye may be perfect, all thy body shall be enlightened,

`Then if any one may say to you, Lo, here <FI>is<Fi> the Christ! or here! ye may not believe; — read the full passage →

For a nation lost to counsels <FI>are<Fi> they, And there is no understanding in them. — read the full passage →

And Jesus answering said to them, `Take heed that no one may lead you astray, — read the full passage →

`Happy the clean in heart--because they shall see God.

But your iniquities have been separating Between you and your God, And your sins have hidden The Presence from you--from hearing.

Lo, days are coming--an affirmation of Jehovah, And I have raised to David a righteous shoot, And a king hath reigned and acted wisely, And done judgment and righteousness in the earth.

To refresh him in the fear of Jehovah, And by the sight of his eyes he judgeth not, Nor by the hearing of his ears decideth.

Butter and honey he doth eat, When he knoweth to refuse evil, and to fix on good.

Every one who is doing the sin, the lawlessness also he doth do, and the sin is the lawlessness,

A revelation of Jesus Christ, that God gave to him, to shew to his servants what things it behoveth to come to pass quickly; and he did signify <FI>it<Fi> , having sent through his messenger to his servant John,