Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Be not wise in thine own eyes (Romans 12:16): fear the Lord, and depart from evil. Do not think so highly of thine own wisdom as to think thou canst stand by it independently of the wisdom of God (Isaiah 5:21; contrast Psalms 131:1; 1 Corinthians 8:1-2; Galatians 6:3; 1 Corinthians 3:18, "If any man seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise"). "Fear the Lord:" the true antidote to "being wise in one's own eyes" (cf. Romans 11:20, "Be not high-minded, but fear;" cf. the apocryphal Sir 25:12-13 , 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of His love, and faith is the beginning of cleaving unto Him: give me any plague but the plague of the heart'). It is "by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil" (Proverbs 16:6), as Job did (Job 1:1). These two, fearing the Lord and departing from evil, are the true way of obtaining the free gift of salvation from Him.