Ecclesiastes 9 Cross References - WEB

¹ For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn’t know it; all is before them. ² All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn’t sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath. ³ This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. ⁴ For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. ⁵ For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for their memory is forgotten. ⁶ Also their love, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither do they any longer have a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun. ⁷ Go your way—eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works. ⁸ Let your garments be always white, and don’t let your head lack oil. ⁹ Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity, for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun. ¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going. ¹¹ I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. ¹² For man also doesn’t know his time. As the fish that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them. ¹³ I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me. ¹⁴ There was a little city, and few men within it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it. ¹⁵ Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. ¹⁶ Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. ¹⁷ The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools. ¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.

³ Yes, he loves the people. All his saints are in your hand. They sat down at your feet. Each receives your words.

⁹ He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness; for no man will prevail by strength.

²⁵ The king said to Zadok, “Carry God’s ark back into the city. If I find favor in Yahweh’s eyes, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation; ²⁶ but if he says, ‘I have no delight in you;’ behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him.”

⁸ “But as for me, I would seek God. I would commit my cause to God,

¹⁰ in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?

¹⁴ But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless.

⁵ Into your hand I commend my spirit. You redeem me, Yahweh, God of truth.

⁵ Commit your way to Yahweh. Trust also in him, and he will do this: ⁶ he will make your righteousness shine out like light, and your justice as the noon day sun.

³ For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

¹¹ They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” ¹² Behold, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches. ¹³ Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence,

³ Commit your deeds to Yahweh, and your plans shall succeed.

¹⁷ I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.

¹⁵ All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.

²⁵ I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.

¹⁴ There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

¹⁶ When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (even though eyes see no sleep day or night),

¹⁴ A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?

⁹ Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs. ¹⁰ The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.

¹² Yahweh, you will ordain peace for us, for you have also done all our work for us.

¹ Listen, islands, to me. Listen, you peoples, from afar: Yahweh has called me from the womb; from the inside of my mother, he has mentioned my name. ² He has made my mouth like a sharp sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand. He has made me a polished shaft. He has kept me close in his quiver. ³ He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” ⁴ But I said, “I have labored in vain. I have spent my strength in vain for nothing; yet surely the justice due to me is with Yahweh, and my reward with my God.”

¹⁸ For, behold, I have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land. ¹⁹ They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says Yahweh, “to rescue you.”

¹⁵ Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape.’ ¹⁶ Then those who feared Yahweh spoke one with another; and Yahweh listened, and heard, and a book of memory was written before him, for those who feared Yahweh, and who honored his name. ¹⁷ They shall be mine,” says Yahweh of Armies, “my own possession in the day that I make, and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. ¹⁸ Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who doesn’t serve him.

²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

⁵ Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed, and each as the Lord gave to him? ⁶ I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase. ⁷ So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. ⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. ⁹ For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building. ¹⁰ According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble, ¹³ each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is. ¹⁴ If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.

¹² For this cause I also suffer these things. Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.

⁵ who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

³ I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.

⁸ If the woman isn’t willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this oath to me. Only you shall not bring my son there again.” ⁹ The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

¹⁷ The men said to her, “We will be guiltless of this your oath which you’ve made us to swear. ¹⁸ Behold, when we come into the land, tie this line of scarlet thread in the window which you used to let us down. Gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. ¹⁹ It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him. ²⁰ But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you’ve made us to swear.”

²⁶ When the people had come to the forest, behold, honey was dripping, but no one put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath.

²² “It is all the same. Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.

⁷ “Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power? ⁸ Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes. ⁹ Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. ¹⁰ Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don’t miscarry. ¹¹ They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance. ¹² They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe. ¹³ They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol. ¹⁴ They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we don’t want to know about your ways. ¹⁵ What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’ ¹⁶ Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me. ¹⁷ “How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger? ¹⁸ How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away? ¹⁹ You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it. ²⁰ Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty. ²¹ For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off? ²² “Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high? ²³ One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet. ²⁴ His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened. ²⁵ Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good. ²⁶ They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them. ²⁷ “Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me. ²⁸ For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’ ²⁹ Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences, ³⁰ that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, That they are led out to the day of wrath? ³¹ Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done? ³² Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over the tomb. ³³ The clods of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him. ³⁴ So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”

¹⁴ The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all. ¹⁵ Then I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity. ¹⁶ For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory forever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool!

²⁶ For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

⁶ Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don’t all go to one place?

² It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.

¹⁸ It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also don’t withdraw your hand from that; for he who fears God will come out of them all.

¹² Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him. ¹³ But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow, because he doesn’t fear God. ¹⁴ There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

¹⁸ For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things. He won’t escape. ¹⁹ “Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: ‘As I live, I will surely bring on his own head my oath that he has despised and my covenant that he has broken.

³ Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the surface of the whole land; for everyone who steals shall be cut off according to it on the one side; and everyone who swears falsely shall be cut off according to it on the other side. ⁴ I will cause it to go out,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who swears falsely by my name; and it will remain in the middle of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones.”

⁵ I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and don’t fear me,” says Yahweh of Armies.

¹⁵ Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape.’

¹⁸ Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who doesn’t serve him.

⁵ Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil.

²¹ Yahweh smelled the pleasant aroma. Yahweh said in his heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake because the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. I will never again strike every living thing, as I have done.

¹⁶ how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!

⁵ Behold, I was born in iniquity. My mother conceived me in sin.

³² The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge.

¹¹ Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

² All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn’t sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath.

⁷ and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

⁹ The heart is deceitful above all things and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it?

¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. ²⁰ These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”

²¹ For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, ²² covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. ²³ All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”

¹¹ But they were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Jesus.

¹⁷ But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger!

²³ Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn’t give God the glory. Then he was eaten by worms and died.

¹¹ Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

²⁴ As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”

²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers, ³⁰ backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹ without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;

³ For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

¹⁶ but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet.

⁷ “For there is hope for a tree if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease. ⁸ Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground, ⁹ yet through the scent of water it will bud, and sprout boughs like a plant. ¹⁰ But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he? ¹¹ As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes and dries up, ¹² so man lies down and doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.

⁸ For what is the hope of the godless, when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

¹⁸ For Sheol can’t praise you. Death can’t celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit can’t hope for your truth.

²¹ This I recall to my mind; therefore I have hope. ²² It is because of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail.

²⁶ Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’ ²⁷ “He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house; ²⁸ for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’ ²⁹ “But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’

⁸ The eye of him who sees me will see me no more. Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be. ⁹ As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more. ¹⁰ He will return no more to his house, neither will his place know him any more.

²¹ His sons come to honor, and he doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.

²³ For I know that you will bring me to death, To the house appointed for all living.

⁵ For in death there is no memory of you. In Sheol, who shall give you thanks?

¹⁰ Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and praise you? Selah. ¹¹ Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction? ¹² Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

¹⁵ Let them be before Yahweh continually, that he may cut off their memory from the earth;

¹¹ There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.

¹⁶ For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory forever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool!

¹⁰ So I saw the wicked buried. Indeed they came also from holiness. They went and were forgotten in the city where they did this. This also is vanity.

¹⁴ The dead shall not live. The departed spirits shall not rise. Therefore you have visited and destroyed them, and caused all memory of them to perish.

¹⁶ For you are our Father, though Abraham doesn’t know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, Yahweh, are our Father. Our Redeemer from everlasting is your name.

²⁷ Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,

⁸ Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph.

¹⁷ There the wicked cease from troubling. There the weary are at rest. ¹⁸ There the prisoners are at ease together. They don’t hear the voice of the taskmaster.

³ Don’t put your trust in princes, in a son of man in whom there is no help. ⁴ His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth. In that very day, his thoughts perish.

²⁸ The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hope of the wicked will perish.

¹⁸ I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. ¹⁹ Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. ²⁰ Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun. ²¹ For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. ²² For what does a man have of all his labor and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun? ²³ For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

¹² For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

²⁰ “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.”

⁴ Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering, ⁵ but he didn’t respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell.

¹⁹ Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.”

⁸ Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Look, this is the blood of the covenant, which Yahweh has made with you concerning all these words.” ⁹ Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up. ¹⁰ They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was like a paved work of sapphire stone, like the skies for clearness. ¹¹ He didn’t lay his hand on the nobles of the children of Israel. They saw God, and ate and drank.

⁷ There you shall eat before Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households, in which Yahweh your God has blessed you.

¹² You shall rejoice before Yahweh your God—you, and your sons, your daughters, your male servants, your female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you.

¹⁴ You shall rejoice in your feast, you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates. ¹⁵ You shall keep a feast to Yahweh your God seven days in the place which Yahweh chooses, because Yahweh your God will bless you in all your increase and in all the work of your hands, and you shall be altogether joyful.

⁶⁶ On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad in their hearts for all the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David his servant, and to Israel his people.

¹ They brought in God’s ark, and set it in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. ² When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in Yahweh’s name. ³ He gave to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

²¹ They sacrificed sacrifices to Yahweh, and offered burnt offerings to Yahweh, on the next day after that day, even one thousand bulls, one thousand rams, and one thousand lambs, with their drink offerings and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel, ²² and ate and drank before Yahweh on that day with great gladness. They made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him before Yahweh to be prince, and Zadok to be priest. ²³ Then Solomon sat on the throne of Yahweh as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.

²³ The whole assembly took counsel to keep another seven days, and they kept another seven days with gladness. ²⁴ For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly for offerings one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. ²⁵ All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly who came out of Israel, and the foreigners who came out of the land of Israel, and who lived in Judah, rejoiced. ²⁶ So there was great joy in Jerusalem; for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was nothing like this in Jerusalem. ²⁷ Then the Levitical priests arose and blessed the people. Their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even to heaven.

¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for today is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.” ¹¹ So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Hold your peace, for the day is holy. Don’t be grieved.” ¹² All the people went their way to eat, to drink, to send portions, and to celebrate, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

²⁴ There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God. ²⁵ For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I? ²⁶ For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

¹² I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live. ¹³ Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.

¹⁸ Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

¹⁵ Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.

²⁹ He said to her, “For this saying, go your way. The demon has gone out of your daughter.”

⁴¹ But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.

⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.

³⁵ but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.

³ Therefore wash yourself, anoint yourself, get dressed, and go down to the threshing floor; but don’t make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.

² Joab sent to Tekoa, and brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, “Please act like a mourner, and put on mourning clothing, please, and don’t anoint yourself with oil, but be as a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead.

²⁴ Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.

¹⁵ Mordecai went out of the presence of the king in royal clothing of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and was glad.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over.

³ I ate no pleasant bread. No meat or wine came into my mouth. I didn’t anoint myself at all, until three whole weeks were fulfilled.

⁶ who drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the best oils; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

¹⁷ But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face;

⁴⁶ You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.

⁴ Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that didn’t defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵ He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

⁹ After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.

¹³ One of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and where did they come from?” ¹⁴ I told him, “My lord, you know.” He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great suffering.They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb’s blood.

¹⁵ “Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his clothes, so that he doesn’t walk naked, and they see his shame.”

⁸ It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

¹⁴ The armies which are in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in white, pure, fine linen.

⁵ Behold, you have made my days hand widths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.” Selah.

⁴ Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.

¹⁸ Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. ¹⁹ A loving doe and a graceful deer— let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated always with her love.

²² Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of Yahweh.

¹⁴ House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh.

¹⁰ Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

²⁴ There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

¹³ Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.

²² Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

¹⁵ Did he not make you one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? Why one? He sought godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

³⁰ Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, “Let’s go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it!”

¹⁹ Now set your heart and your soul to follow Yahweh your God. Arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, to bring the ark of Yahweh’s covenant and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for Yahweh’s name.”

²⁰ David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed; for Yahweh God, even my God, is with you. He will not fail you, nor forsake you, until all the work for the service of Yahweh’s house is finished.

² Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, the bronze for the things of bronze, iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood; also onyx stones, stones to be set, stones for inlaid work, of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. ³ In addition, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, since I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, I give it to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house,

²⁰ Hezekiah did so throughout all Judah; and he did that which was good, right, and faithful before Yahweh his God. ²¹ In every work that he began in the service of God’s house, in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

¹⁴ The elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. ¹⁵ This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

¹² I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There wasn’t any animal with me, except the animal that I rode on. ¹³ I went out by night by the valley gate, even toward the jackal’s well, then to the dung gate, and inspected the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and its gates were consumed with fire. ¹⁴ Then I went on to the spring gate and to the king’s pool, but there was no place for the animal that was under me to pass. ¹⁵ Then I went up in the night by the brook, and inspected the wall; and I turned back, and entered by the valley gate, and so returned. ¹⁶ The rulers didn’t know where I went, or what I did. I had not as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest who did the work.

¹² Next to him, Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters, made repairs. ¹³ Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the valley gate. They built it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and one thousand cubits of the wall to the dung gate. ¹⁴ Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth Haccherem repaired the dung gate. He built it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. ¹⁵ Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of the district of Mizpah repaired the spring gate. He built it, and covered it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and the wall of the pool of Shelah by the king’s garden, even to the stairs that go down from David’s city. ¹⁶ After him, Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of half the district of Beth Zur, made repairs to the place opposite the tombs of David, and to the pool that was made, and to the house of the mighty men.

² He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burned?”

⁶ So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its height: for the people had a mind to work.

⁹ But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night because of them. ¹⁰ Judah said, “The strength of the bearers of burdens is fading, and there is much rubble; so that we are not able to build the wall.” ¹¹ Our adversaries said, “They will not know or see, until we come in among them and kill them, and cause the work to cease.” ¹² When the Jews who lived by them came, they said to us ten times from all places, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” ¹³ Therefore I set guards in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places. I set the people by family groups with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

¹⁷ Those who built the wall, and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands did the work, and with the other held his weapon. ¹⁸ Among the builders, everyone wore his sword at his side, and so built. He who sounded the trumpet was by me. ¹⁹ I said to the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and large, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. ²⁰ Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally there to us. Our God will fight for us.” ²¹ So we did the work. Half of the people held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared. ²² Likewise at the same time I said to the people, “Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in the day.” ²³ So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes. Everyone took his weapon to the water.

⁸ It grieved me severely. Therefore I threw all Tobiah’s household stuff out of the room. ⁹ Then I commanded, and they cleansed the rooms. I brought into them the vessels of God’s house, with the meal offerings and the frankincense again. ¹⁰ I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had each fled to his field. ¹¹ Then I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is God’s house forsaken?” I gathered them together, and set them in their place. ¹² Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil to the treasuries. ¹³ I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was to distribute to their brothers. ¹⁴ Remember me, my God, concerning this, and don’t wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances. ¹⁵ In those days I saw some men treading wine presses on the Sabbath in Judah, bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys; also with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I testified against them in the day in which they sold food. ¹⁶ Some men of Tyre also lived there, who brought in fish and all kinds of wares, and sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. ¹⁷ Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day? ¹⁸ Didn’t your fathers do this, and didn’t our God bring all this evil on us, and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.” ¹⁹ It came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day. ²⁰ So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice. ²¹ Then I testified against them, and said to them, “Why do you stay around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they didn’t come on the Sabbath. ²² I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me for this also, my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness. ²³ In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab; ²⁴ and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people. ²⁵ I contended with them, and cursed them, and struck certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves. ²⁶ Didn’t Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin. ²⁷ Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?” ²⁸ One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I chased him from me. ²⁹ Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites. ³⁰ Thus I cleansed them from all foreigners, and appointed duties for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work; ³¹ and for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.

¹⁵ My mouth will tell about your righteousness, and of your salvation all day, though I don’t know its full measure. ¹⁶ I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Yahweh. I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone. ¹⁷ God, you have taught me from my youth. Until now, I have declared your wondrous works. ¹⁸ Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don’t forsake me, until I have declared your strength to the next generation, your might to everyone who is to come.

⁵ For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for their memory is forgotten. ⁶ Also their love, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither do they any longer have a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.

³ If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth; and if a tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there shall it be.

⁶ In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening don’t withhold your hand; for you don’t know which will prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both will be equally good.

¹⁸ For Sheol can’t praise you. Death can’t celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit can’t hope for your truth. ¹⁹ The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do today. The father shall make known your truth to the children.

¹³ You shall seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart.

³³ But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.

³⁴ Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

⁴ I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work.

²⁵ “Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching God’s Kingdom, will see my face no more. ²⁶ Therefore I testify to you today that I am clean from the blood of all men, ²⁷ for I didn’t shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. ²⁸ Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood. ²⁹ For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.

¹¹ not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, ¹⁹ in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ; ²⁰ yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation.

²⁴ Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win.

²⁶ I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air,

¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was given to me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

¹⁰ Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without fear, for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.

¹⁶ redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

²³ And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men,

¹² Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth. ¹³ I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, ¹⁴ knowing that the putting off of my tent comes swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. ¹⁵ Yes, I will make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things even after my departure.

¹⁸ But you shall remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as it is today.

³ “Don’t keep talking so exceedingly proudly. Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouth, for Yahweh is a God of knowledge. By him actions are weighed. ⁴ “The bows of the mighty men are broken. Those who stumbled are armed with strength. ⁵ Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread. Those who were hungry are satisfied. Yes, the barren has borne seven. She who has many children languishes. ⁶ “Yahweh kills and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol and brings up. ⁷ Yahweh makes poor and makes rich. He brings low, he also lifts up. ⁸ He raises up the poor out of the dust. He lifts up the needy from the dunghill to make them sit with princes and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s. He has set the world on them. ⁹ He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness; for no man will prevail by strength. ¹⁰ Those who strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in the sky. “Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

⁵⁰ So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine, and killed him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

¹⁸ The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle. ¹⁹ Asahel pursued Abner; and in going he didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner. ²⁰ Then Abner looked behind him, and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is.” ²¹ Abner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor.” But Asahel would not turn away from following him. ²² Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?” ²³ However he refused to turn away. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

¹⁴ Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For Yahweh had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Yahweh might bring evil on Absalom.

²³ When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, arose, and went home, to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.

¹⁵ and he said, “Listen, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, king Jehoshaphat. Yahweh says to you, ‘Don’t be afraid, and don’t be dismayed because of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

¹¹ so that he sets up on high those who are low, those who mourn are exalted to safety. ¹² He frustrates the plans of the crafty, So that their hands can’t perform their enterprise. ¹³ He takes the wise in their own craftiness; the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong. ¹⁴ They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope at noonday as in the night.

²⁹ When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? He is over a nation or a man alike,

¹⁶ There is no king saved by the multitude of an army. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. ¹⁷ A horse is a vain thing for safety, neither does he deliver any by his great power.

⁶ Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment. ⁷ Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.

¹⁰ He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. ¹¹ Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.

³⁰ There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Yahweh. ³¹ The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but victory is with Yahweh.

¹² I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

¹⁴ The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all. ¹⁵ Then I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

¹⁴ I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.

¹⁷ I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

¹ Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

⁴ Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

¹³ Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?

²³ Yahweh says, “Don’t let the wise man glory in his wisdom. Don’t let the mighty man glory in his might. Don’t let the rich man glory in his riches.

⁶ “Don’t let the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape. In the north by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen.

³⁷ Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn’t command it? ³⁸ Doesn’t evil and good come out of the mouth of the Most High?

³⁵ All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and no one can stop his hand, or ask him, “What are you doing?”

¹⁴ Flight will perish from the swift; and the strong won’t strengthen his force; neither shall the mighty deliver himself; ¹⁵ neither shall he stand who handles the bow; and he who is swift of foot won’t escape; neither shall he who rides the horse deliver himself; ¹⁶ and he who is courageous among the mighty will flee away naked on that day,” says Yahweh.

¹¹ We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will,

⁸ For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he wanders into its mesh. ⁹ A snare will take him by the heel. A trap will catch him. ¹⁰ A noose is hidden for him in the ground, a trap for him on the path.

⁶ On the wicked he will rain blazing coals; fire, sulfur, and scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

¹⁸ Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction. ¹⁹ How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors. ²⁰ As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.

¹⁵ Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.

²² He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose. ²³ Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.

⁶ An evil man is snared by his sin, but the righteous can sing and be glad.

⁵ Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure. ⁶ For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him. ⁷ For he doesn’t know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be?

¹³ therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking comes suddenly in an instant.

¹⁴ and make men like the fish of the sea, like the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? ¹⁵ He takes up all of them with the hook. He catches them in his net, and gathers them in his dragnet. Therefore he rejoices and is glad. ¹⁶ Therefore he sacrifices to his net, and burns incense to his dragnet, because by them his life is luxurious, and his food is good. ¹⁷ Will he therefore continually empty his net, and kill the nations without mercy?

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’

³⁹ But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not allowed his house to be broken into.

²⁶ As it was in the days of Noah, even so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man. ²⁷ They ate, they drank, they married, and they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ship, and the flood came and destroyed them all. ²⁸ Likewise, even as it was in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; ²⁹ but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from the sky and destroyed them all. ³⁰ It will be the same way in the day that the Son of Man is revealed. ³¹ In that day, he who will be on the housetop and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away. Let him who is in the field likewise not turn back.

⁴² saying, “If you, even you, had known today the things which belong to your peace! But now, they are hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ For the days will come on you, when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, surround you, hem you in on every side, ⁴⁴ and will dash you and your children within you to the ground. They will not leave in you one stone on another, because you didn’t know the time of your visitation.”

³⁴ “So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly. ³⁵ For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth. ³⁶ Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

² for he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you. In a day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.

³ For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman. Then they will in no way escape.

²⁶ and they may recover themselves out of the devil’s snare, having been taken captive by him to his will.

¹² having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation.

¹² But these, as unreasoning creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be destroyed,

¹ There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men:

¹¹ I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

¹⁵ They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down. ¹⁶ Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’” ¹⁷ He came near to her; and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your servant.” He answered, “I’m listening.” ¹⁸ Then she spoke, saying, “They used to say in old times, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel;’ and so they settled a matter. ¹⁹ I am among those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up Yahweh’s inheritance?” ²⁰ Joab answered, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. ²¹ The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Just deliver him, and I will depart from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” ²² Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

²⁴ After this, Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.

²³ Yet the chief cup bearer didn’t remember Joseph, but forgot him.

²² Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

² It was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who were doorkeepers, who had tried to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus. ³ The king said, “What honor and dignity has been given to Mordecai for this?” Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”

¹³ Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.

¹⁵ The rich man’s wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

²² A wise man scales the city of the mighty, and brings down the strength of its confidence.

⁵ A wise man has great power; and a knowledgeable man increases strength;

¹⁹ Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.

² When the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things?” and, “What is the wisdom that is given to this man, that such mighty works come about by his hands? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judah, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” They were offended at him.

⁴⁷ The Pharisees therefore answered them, “You aren’t also led astray, are you? ⁴⁸ Have any of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees? ⁴⁹ But this multitude that doesn’t know the law is cursed.”

²⁴ So they called the man who was blind a second time, and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” ²⁵ He therefore answered, “I don’t know if he is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I was blind, now I see.” ²⁶ They said to him again, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ²⁷ He answered them, “I told you already, and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t also want to become his disciples, do you?” ²⁸ They insulted him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. ²⁹ We know that God has spoken to Moses. But as for this man, we don’t know where he comes from.” ³⁰ The man answered them, “How amazing! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God, and does his will, he listens to him. ³² Since the world began it has never been heard of that anyone opened the eyes of someone born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” ³⁴ They answered him, “You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?” Then they threw him out.

²⁶ For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble; ²⁷ but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist, ²⁹ that no flesh should boast before God.

² For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in, ³ and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing and say, “Sit here in a good place;” and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool” ⁴ haven’t you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? ⁵ Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him? ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?

³³ “Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a discreet and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. ³⁴ Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt’s produce in the seven plenteous years. ³⁵ Let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and store grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. ³⁶ The food will be to supply the land against the seven years of famine, which will be in the land of Egypt; so that the land will not perish through the famine.” ³⁷ The thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. ³⁸ Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” ³⁹ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one so discreet and wise as you. ⁴⁰ You shall be over my house. All my people will be ruled according to your word. Only in the throne I will be greater than you.”

³ Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you are returning to Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to Yahweh, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” ⁴ Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served Yahweh only. ⁵ Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to Yahweh for you.” ⁶ They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against Yahweh.” Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.

²³ One who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than one who flatters with the tongue.

² He will not shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street.

⁴ He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice in the earth, and the islands wait for his law.”

²⁰ for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

¹ But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned against the children of Israel.

⁵ The men of Ai struck about thirty-six men of them. They chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them at the descent. The hearts of the people melted, and became like water.

¹¹ Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own stuff. ¹² Therefore the children of Israel can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.

²⁰ Didn’t Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? That man didn’t perish alone in his iniquity.’”

²⁸ Then one of the people answered, and said, “Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’” So the people were faint. ²⁹ Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have brightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

³⁶ Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines by night, and take plunder among them until the morning light, and let’s not leave a man of them.” They said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” Then the priest said, “Let’s draw near here to God.” ³⁷ Saul asked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But he didn’t answer him that day. ³⁸ Saul said, “Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been today. ³⁹ For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who answered him. ⁴⁰ Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” The people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.” ⁴¹ Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, “Show the right.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen, but the people escaped. ⁴² Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” Jonathan was selected. ⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done!” Jonathan told him, and said, “I certainly did taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die.” ⁴⁴ Saul said, “God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.” ⁴⁵ The people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked with God today!” So the people rescued Jonathan, that he didn’t die. ⁴⁶ Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.

¹ There happened to be there a wicked fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet, and said, “We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!” ² So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

¹⁶ Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

⁸ Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; ⁹ even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, ¹⁰ and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹ Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie; ¹² that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

¹⁶ But shun empty chatter, for it will go further in ungodliness, ¹⁷ and those words will consume like gangrene, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus: ¹⁸ men who have erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past, and overthrowing the faith of some.

⁸ Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith are rejected.

³ For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, ⁴ and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables.

¹⁰ For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ whose mouths must be stopped: men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.

¹⁵ looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it, ¹⁶ lest there be any sexually immoral person, or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.