So you must follow the example of good people and live a righteous life.

I am a friend of all who serve you, of all who obey your laws.

Tell me, my love, Where will you lead your flock to graze? Where will they rest from the noonday sun? Why should I need to look for you among the flocks of the other shepherds?

Don't you know the place, loveliest of women? Go and follow the flock; find pasture for your goats near the tents of the shepherds.

Then the people who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard what they said. In his presence, there was written down in a book a record of those who feared the LORD and respected him.

They spent their time in learning from the apostles, taking part in the fellowship, and sharing in the fellowship meals and the prayers.

Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good.

Suppose they say, "Come on; let's find someone to kill! Let's attack some innocent people for the fun of it!

We'll find all kinds of riches and fill our houses with loot!

My child, don't go with people like that. Stay away from them.

It does no good to spread a net when the bird you want to catch is watching,

Robbery always claims the life of the robber---this is what happens to anyone who lives by violence.

and prevent you from doing the wrong thing. They will keep you away from people who stir up trouble by what they say---

those who find pleasure in doing wrong and who enjoy senseless evil,

You will be able to resist any immoral woman who tries to seduce you with her smooth talk,

If you go to her house, you are traveling the road to death. To go there is to approach the world of the dead.

Suddenly he was going with her like an ox on the way to be slaughtered, like a deer prancing into a trap

where an arrow would pierce its heart. He was like a bird going into a net---he did not know that his life was in danger.

If you go to her house, you are on the way to the world of the dead. It is a shortcut to death.

Leave the company of ignorant people, and live. Follow the way of knowledge."

Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, and Lot settled among the cities in the valley and camped near Sodom,

whose people were wicked and sinned against the LORD.

Lot, Abram's nephew, was living in Sodom, so they took him and all his possessions.

But he ignored the advice of the older men and went instead to the young men who had grown up with him and who were now his advisers.

They replied, "This is what you should tell them: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist!'

And Ahab asked Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to attack Ramoth?" "I am ready when you are," Jehoshaphat answered, "and so are my soldiers and my cavalry.

So when they saw King Jehoshaphat, they all thought that he was the king of Israel, and they turned to attack him. But when he cried out,

A prophet, Jehu son of Hanani, went to meet the king and said to him, "Do you think it is right to help those who are wicked and to take the side of those who hate the LORD? What you have done has brought the LORD's anger on you.

Do not be fooled. "Bad companions ruin good character."

Come back to your right senses and stop your sinful ways. I declare to your shame that some of you do not know God.

Do not try to work together as equals with unbelievers, for it cannot be done. How can right and wrong be partners? How can light and darkness live together?

How can God's temple come to terms with pagan idols? For we are the temple of the living God! As God himself has said, "I will make my home with my people and live among them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

Then I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out, my people! Come out from her! You must not take part in her sins; you must not share in her punishment!