troublemakers

¹⁶Six things there are that the Lord hates, and the seventh, his soul detests: ¹⁷haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸a heart that devises the most wicked thoughts, feet running swiftly unto evil, ¹⁹a deceitful witness bringing forth lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.

¹⁷But I beg you, brothers, to take note of those who cause dissensions and offenses contrary to the doctrine that you have learned, and to turn away from them.

³Honor is for the man who separates himself from contentions. But all the foolish meddle in altercations.

⁴⁴But I say to you: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute and slander you.

¹⁰Avoid a man who is a heretic, after the first and second correction, ¹¹knowing that one who is like this has been subverted, and that he offends; for he has been condemned by his own judgment.

¹⁸If it is possible, in so far as you are able, be at peace with all men.

⁹Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

¹Do not imitate evil men, nor desire to be among them. ²For their mind meditates on robberies, and their lips speak deceptions. ³By wisdom shall a house be built, and by prudence shall it be strengthened. ⁴By doctrine, the storerooms shall be filled with every substance that is precious and most beautiful. ⁵A wise man is strong, and a well-taught man is robust and valiant. ⁶For war is undertaken in an orderly manner, and safety shall be where there are many counsels.

¹Therefore, set aside all malice and all deceitfulness, as well as falseness and envy and every detraction. ²Like newborn infants, desire the milk of reasonableness without guile, so that by this you may increase unto salvation, ³if it is true that you have tasted that the Lord is sweet. ⁴And approaching him as if he were a living stone, rejected by men, certainly, but elect and honored by God, ⁵be also yourselves like living stones, built upon him, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, so as to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶Because of this, Scripture asserts: “Behold, I am setting in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious. And whoever will have believed in him will not be confounded.”

²⁸A perverse man stirs up lawsuits. And one who is verbose divides leaders. ²⁹A man of iniquity entices his friend, and he leads him along a way that is not good. ³⁰Whoever, with astonished eyes, thinks up depravities, biting his lips, accomplishes evil.

¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the directors of this world of darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in high places.

¹²An apostate man, a harmful man, walks with a perverse mouth; ¹³he winks with the eyes, touches with the foot, speaks with the finger. ¹⁴With a depraved heart he devises evil, and at all times he sows conflict. ¹⁵To this one, his perdition will arrive promptly, and he shall be crushed suddenly: he will no longer have any remedy. ¹⁶Six things there are that the Lord hates, and the seventh, his soul detests: ¹⁷haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

²⁹Let no evil words proceed from your mouth, but only what is good, toward the edification of faith, so as to bestow grace upon those who listen.

²⁸A perverse man stirs up lawsuits. And one who is verbose divides leaders.

⁸Whoever does not love, does not know God. For God is love.

¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.

¹There was a man in the land of Uz named Job, and he was a simple and honest man, fearing God and withdrawing from evil.

¹It is for man to prepare the soul, and for the Lord to govern the tongue. ²All the ways of a man are open to his eyes; the Lord is the one who weighs spirits. ³Open your works to the Lord, and your intentions will be set in order. ⁴The Lord has wrought all things because of himself. Likewise the impious is for the evil day. ⁵All the arrogant are an abomination to the Lord. Even if hand will be joined to hand, he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way is to do justice. And this is more acceptable with God than to immolate sacrifices. ⁶By mercy and truth, iniquity is redeemed. And by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil.