King Rehoboam consulted with the older advisers who had served ¹  his father Solomon when he had been alive. He asked them, ²  “How do you advise me to answer these people?”

And now, I am about to go ¹  back to my own people. Come now, and I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people in the future.” ² 

I appeal to Euodia and to Syntyche to agree in the Lord.

King Rehoboam consulted with the older advisers who had served ¹  his father Solomon when he had been alive. He asked them, ²  “How do you advise me to answer these people?”

He asked them, “How do you advise me ¹  to respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lessen the demands your father placed on us’?” ² 

He asked them, “How do you advise me to respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lessen the demands your father placed on us’?” ¹ 

My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba – in number like the sand by the sea! – be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle.

Now ¹  let me give you some advice as to how ²  you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life.

I will instruct and teach you ¹  about how you should live. ²  I will advise you as I look you in the eye. ³ 

O ¹  my son, O son of my womb, O son ²  of my vows,

Who comprehends ¹  the mind ²  of the Lord, or gives him instruction as his counselor? ³ 

But I say, live ¹  by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. ² 

So communicate these things with the sort of exhortation or rebuke ¹  that carries full authority. ²  Don’t let anyone look down ³  on you.

When you walk about, ¹  they ²  will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you wake up, ³  they will talk ⁴  to you.

Therefore be alert, ¹  remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning ²  each one of you with tears.

And now I advise ¹  you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship will be lost. ² 

Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is important ¹  for your survival. ²  For not one of you will lose a hair from his head.”

For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him? ¹  But we have the mind of Christ.

And we urge you, brothers and sisters, ¹  admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all.

So I want younger women to marry, raise children, and manage a household, in order to give the adversary no opportunity to vilify us. ¹