To have knowledge, you must first have reverence for the LORD. Stupid people have no respect for wisdom and refuse to learn.

"Foolish people! How long do you want to be foolish? How long will you enjoy making fun of knowledge? Will you never learn?

You have never had any use for knowledge and have always refused to obey the LORD.

You have never wanted my advice or paid any attention when I corrected you.

It is foolish to ignore what your parents taught you; it is wise to accept their correction.

You refuse to let me correct you; you reject my commands.

I was as stupid as an animal; I did not understand you.

"But my people stubbornly refused to listen. They closed their minds

Because they did not listen when I spoke, I did not answer when they prayed.

This is how the judgment works: the light has come into the world, but people love the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds are evil.

Those who do evil things hate the light and will not come to the light, because they do not want their evil deeds to be shown up.

You have ignored all my advice and have not been willing to let me correct you.

Their instructions are a shining light; their correction can teach you how to live.

Any who love knowledge want to be told when they are wrong. It is stupid to hate being corrected.

Someone who will not learn will be poor and disgraced. Anyone who listens to correction is respected.

But they said, "Get out of our way, you foreigner! Who are you to tell us what to do? Out of our way, or we will treat you worse than them." They pushed Lot back and moved up to break down the door.

The next day he went back and saw two Hebrew men fighting. He said to the one who was in the wrong, "Why are you beating up a fellow Hebrew?"

The man answered, "Who made you our ruler and judge? Are you going to kill me just as you killed that Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and said to himself, "People have found out what I have done."

Then the spirit of God took control of Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood where the people could see him and called out, "The LORD God asks why you have disobeyed his commands and are bringing disaster on yourselves! You abandoned him, so he has abandoned you!"

The king forgot about the loyal service that Zechariah's father Jehoiada had given him, and he had Zechariah killed. As Zechariah was dying, he called out, "May the LORD see what you are doing and punish you!"

"Since when," Amaziah interrupted, "have we made you adviser to the king? Stop talking, or I'll have you killed!" The prophet stopped, but not before saying, "Now I know that God has decided to destroy you because you have done all this and have ignored my advice."

Although the LORD warned Manasseh and his people, they refused to listen.

So the LORD let the commanders of the Assyrian army invade Judah. They captured Manasseh, stuck hooks in him, put him in chains, and took him to Babylon.

But they made fun of God's messengers, ignoring his words and laughing at his prophets, until at last the LORD's anger against his people was so great that there was no escape.

I kept sending you my servants the prophets, who told you not to do this terrible thing that I hate.

Do not be like your ancestors. Long ago the prophets gave them my message, telling them not to live evil, sinful lives any longer. But they would not listen to me or obey me.

Through my servants the prophets I gave your ancestors commands and warnings, but they disregarded them and suffered the consequences. Then they repented and acknowledged that I, the LORD Almighty, had punished them as they deserved and as I had determined to do.' "