Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

English Standard Version

The Contrast of Wisdom and Folly

7 ^(A)A good name is better than precious ointment,
    and ^(B)the day of death than the day of birth.
²It is better to go to the house of mourning
    than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind,
    and the living will ^(C)lay it to heart.
³Sorrow is better than laughter,
    ^(D)for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.
⁴The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
    but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
⁵It is ^(E)better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise
    than to hear the song of fools.
⁶^(F)For as the crackling of ^(G)thorns under a pot,
    so is the laughter of the fools;
    this also is vanity.^[a]
⁷Surely ^(H)oppression drives the wise into madness,
    and ^(I)a bribe corrupts the heart.
⁸Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,
    and ^(J)the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
⁹^(K)Be not quick in your spirit to become angry,
    ^(L)for anger lodges in the heart^[b] of fools.
¹⁰Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?”
    For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
¹¹Wisdom is good with an inheritance,
    an advantage to those who ^(M)see the sun.
¹²For the protection of wisdom is like ^(N)the protection of money,
    and the advantage of knowledge is that ^(O)wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
¹³Consider ^(P)the work of God:
    ^(Q)who can make straight what he has made crooked?

¹⁴^(R)In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, ^(S)so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

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Footnotes

Ecclesiastes 7:6 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)
Ecclesiastes 7:9 Hebrew in the bosom

Galatians 4:12-20

English Standard Version

¹²Brothers,^[a] ^(A)I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. ^(B)You did me no wrong. ¹³You know it was ^(C)because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you ^(D)at first, ¹⁴and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me ^(E)as an angel of God, ^(F)as Christ Jesus. ¹⁵What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶Have I then become your enemy by ^(G)telling you the truth?^[b] ¹⁷They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. ¹⁸It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and ^(H)not only when I am present with you, ¹⁹^(I)my little children, ^(J)for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ ^(K)is formed in you! ²⁰I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

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Footnotes

Galatians 4:12 Or Brothers and sisters; also verses 28, 31
Galatians 4:16 Or by dealing truthfully with you

Matthew 15:21-28

English Standard Version

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

²¹^(A)And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²²And behold, ^(B)a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, ^(C)“Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” ²³But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, ^(D)“Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” ²⁴He answered, ^(E)“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵But she came and ^(F)knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” ²⁶And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and ^(G)throw it to the dogs.” ²⁷She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat ^(H)the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” ²⁸Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, ^(I)great is your faith! ^(J)Be it done for you as you desire.” ^(K)And her daughter was ^(L)healed instantly.^[a]