^9 (A)Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. ^(B)Walk in the ways of your heart and ^(C)the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things ^(D)God will bring you into judgment.

¹⁰ Remove vexation from your heart, and ^(E)put away pain^[a] from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Remember Your Creator in Your Youth

12 Remember also your Creator in ^(F)the days of your youth, before ^(G)the evil days come and the years draw near of which ^(H)you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; ² before ^(I)the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, ³ in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and ^(J)those who look through the windows are dimmed, ⁴ and ^(K)the doors on the street are shut—when ^(L)the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all ^(M)the daughters of song are brought low— ⁵ they are afraid also of what is high, and ^(N)terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along,^[b] and desire fails, because man is going to his ^(O)eternal ^(P)home, and the ^(Q)mourners go about the streets— ⁶ before the silver cord is snapped, or ^(R)the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is ^(S)shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, ⁷ and ^(T)the dust returns to the earth as it was, and ^(U)the spirit returns to God ^(V)who gave it. ^8 (W)Vanity^[c] of vanities, says ^(X)the Preacher; all is vanity.

Fear God and Keep His Commandments

⁹ Besides being wise, ^(Y)the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging ^(Z)many proverbs with great care. ^10 (AA)The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.

^11 (AB)The words of the wise are like goads, and like ^(AC)nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are ^(AD)given by ^(AE)one Shepherd. ¹² My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making ^(AF)many books there is no end, and ^(AG)much study is a weariness of the flesh.

¹³ The end of the matter; all has been heard. ^(AH)Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.^{[d] 14} For ^(AI)God will bring every deed into judgment, with^[e] every secret thing, whether good or evil.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, ^(A)let us also keep in step with the Spirit. ^26 (B)Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Bear One Another's Burdens

6 Brothers,^{[a] (C)}if anyone is caught in any transgression, ^(D)you who are spiritual should restore him in ^(E)a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. ^2 (F)Bear one another's burdens, and ^(G)so fulfill ^(H)the law of Christ. ³ For ^(I)if anyone thinks he is something, ^(J)when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But let each one ^(K)test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. ⁵ For ^(L)each will have to bear his own load.

^6 (M)Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. ^7 (N)Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for ^(O)whatever one sows, that will he also reap. ⁸ For ^(P)the one who sows to his own flesh ^(Q)will from the flesh reap corruption, but ^(R)the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. ⁹ And ^(S)let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, ^(T)if we do not give up. ¹⁰ So then, ^(U)as we have opportunity, let us ^(V)do good to everyone, and especially to those who are ^(W)of the household of faith.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

^21 (A)From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that ^(B)he must go to Jerusalem and ^(C)suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on ^(D)the third day be raised. ²² And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord!^[a] This shall never happen to you.” ²³ But he turned and said to Peter, ^(E)“Get behind me, Satan! You are ^(F)a hindrance^[b] to me. For you ^(G)are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

²⁴ Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him ^(H)deny himself and ^(I)take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵ For ^(J)whoever would save his life^[c] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. ²⁶ For ^(K)what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or ^(L)what shall a man give in return for his soul? ^27 (M)For the Son of Man is going to come with ^(N)his angels in the glory of his Father, and ^(O)then he will repay each person according to what he has done. ²⁸ Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not ^(P)taste death ^(Q)until they see the Son of Man ^(R)coming in his kingdom.”