Fear God

5 ^{[a] (A)}Guard your steps when you go to ^(B)the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to ^(C)offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. ^2 [b] Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore ^(D)let your words be few. ³ For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with ^(E)many words.

⁴ When ^(F)you vow a vow to God, ^(G)do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. ^(H)Pay what you vow. ^5 (I)It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. ⁶ Let not your mouth lead you^[c] into sin, and do not say before ^(J)the messenger^[d] that it was ^(K)a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? ⁷ For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity;^[e] but^{[f] (L)}God is the one you must fear.

^16 (A)Do you not know that you^[a] are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For ^(B)God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

^18 (C)Let no one deceive himself. ^(D)If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. ¹⁹ For ^(E)the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, ^(F)“He catches the wise in their craftiness,” ²⁰ and again, ^(G)“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” ²¹ So ^(H)let no one boast in men. For ^(I)all things are yours, ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, ²³ and ^(J)you are Christ's, and ^(K)Christ is God's.

²⁸ Therefore let us be grateful for receiving ^(A)a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus ^(B)let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, ²⁹ for our ^(C)God is a consuming fire.