Proverbs 25-31
New King James Version
Further Wise Sayings of Solomon
25 These(A) also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:
2 (B)It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
3 As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 (C)Take away the dross from silver,
And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.
5 Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne will be established in (D)righteousness.
6 Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of the great;
7 (E)For it is better that he say to you,
“Come up here,”
Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.
8 (F)Do not go hastily to [a]court;
For what will you do in the end,
When your neighbor has put you to shame?
9 (G)Debate your case with your neighbor,
And do not disclose the secret to another;
10 Lest he who hears it expose your shame,
And [b]your reputation be ruined.
11 A word fitly (H)spoken is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.
12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.
13 (I)Like the cold of snow in time of harvest
Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
15 (L)By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.
16 Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he become weary of you and hate you.
18 (M)A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.
20 Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who (N)sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 (O)If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
(P)And the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
And (Q)a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
24 (R)It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
25 As cold water to a weary soul,
So is (S)good news from a far country.
26 A righteous man who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a [c]polluted well.
27 It is not good to eat much honey;
So (T)to seek one’s own glory is not glory.
28 (U)Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.
Honor Is Not Fitting for a Fool
26 As snow in summer (V)and rain in harvest,
So honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow,
So (W)a curse without cause shall not alight.
3 (X)A whip for the horse,
A bridle for the donkey,
And a rod for the fool’s back.
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you also be like him.
5 (Y)Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6 He who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
7 Like the legs of the lame that hang limp
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like one who binds a stone in a sling
Is he who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 [d]The great God who formed everything
Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.
11 (Z)As a dog returns to his own vomit,
(AA)So a fool repeats his folly.
12 (AB)Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road!
A fierce lion is in the [e]streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
So does the lazy man on his bed.
15 The (AC)lazy man buries his hand in the [f]bowl;
It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own
Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 Is the man who deceives his neighbor,
And says, (AD)“I was only joking!”
20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
And where there is no [g]talebearer, strife ceases.
21 (AE)As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a [h]talebearer are like [i]tasty trifles,
And they go down into the [j]inmost body.
23 Fervent lips with a wicked heart
Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
24 He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
And lays up deceit within himself;
25 (AF)When [k]he speaks kindly, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart;
26 Though his hatred is covered by deceit,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
27 (AG)Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,
And a flattering mouth works (AH)ruin.
My Son, Be Wise
27 Do(AI) not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2 (AJ)Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.
4 Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,
But (AK)who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 (AL)Open rebuke is better
Than love carefully concealed.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are (AM)deceitful.
7 A satisfied soul [l]loathes the honeycomb,
But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a bird that wanders from its nest
Is a man who wanders from his place.
9 Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by [m]hearty counsel.
10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
(AN)Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
(AO)That I may answer him who reproaches me.
12 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
The simple pass on and are (AP)punished.
13 Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.
14 He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,
It will be counted a curse to him.
15 A (AQ)continual dripping on a very rainy day
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 Whoever [n]restrains her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 (AR)Whoever [o]keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
So he who waits on his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
So a man’s heart reveals the man.
21 (AU)The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And a man is valued by what others say of him.
22 (AV)Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23 Be diligent to know the state of your (AW)flocks,
And attend to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
25 (AX)When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26 The lambs will provide your clothing,
And the goats the price of a field;
27 You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And the nourishment of your maidservants.
The Righteous Are Bold as a Lion
28 The (AY)wicked flee when no one pursues,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
2 Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
But by a man of understanding and knowledge
Right will be prolonged.
6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
7 Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
But a companion of gluttons shames his father.
8 One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.
9 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
(BE)Even his prayer is an abomination.
10 (BF)Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,
He himself will fall into his own pit;
(BG)But the blameless will inherit good.
11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding searches him out.
12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great (BH)glory;
But when the wicked arise, men [s]hide themselves.
13 (BI)He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
14 Happy is the man who is always reverent,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a great (BL)oppressor,
But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
17 (BM)A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;
Let no one help him.
18 Whoever walks blamelessly will be [t]saved,
But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
19 (BN)He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
(BO)But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
And does not consider that (BR)poverty will come upon him.
23 (BS)He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
Than he who flatters with the tongue.
24 Whoever robs his father or his mother,
And says, “It is no transgression,”
The same (BT)is companion to a destroyer.
25 (BU)He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
(BV)But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.
26 He who (BW)trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
27 (BX)He who gives to the poor will not lack,
But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked arise, (BY)men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Happy Is He Who Keeps the Law
29 He(BZ) who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2 When the righteous [v]are in authority, the (CA)people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, (CB)the people groan.
3 Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,
But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.
4 The king establishes the land by justice,
But he who receives bribes overthrows it.
5 A man who (CC)flatters his neighbor
Spreads a net for his feet.
6 By transgression an evil man is snared,
But the righteous sings and rejoices.
7 The righteous (CD)considers the cause of the poor,
But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.
8 Scoffers (CE)set a city aflame,
But wise men turn away wrath.
9 If a wise man contends with a foolish man,
(CF)Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.
12 If a ruler pays attention to lies,
All his servants become wicked.
13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
(CI)The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
14 The king who judges the (CJ)poor with truth,
His throne will be established forever.
15 The rod and rebuke give (CK)wisdom,
But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases;
But the righteous will see their (CL)fall.
17 Correct your son, and he will give you rest;
Yes, he will give delight to your soul.
18 (CM)Where there is no [y]revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But (CN)happy is he who keeps the law.
19 A servant will not be corrected by mere words;
For though he understands, he will not respond.
20 Do you see a man hasty in his words?
(CO)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 He who pampers his servant from childhood
Will have him as a son in the end.
22 (CP)An angry man stirs up strife,
And a furious man abounds in transgression.
23 (CQ)A man’s pride will bring him low,
But the humble in spirit will retain honor.
24 Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
(CR)He [z]swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.
27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.
The Wisdom of Agur
30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 (CU)Surely I am more stupid than any man,
And do not have the understanding of a man.
3 I neither learned wisdom
Nor have (CV)knowledge of the Holy One.
4 (CW)Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?
(CX)Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,
If you know?
5 (CY)Every word of God is [ac]pure;
(CZ)He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 (DA)Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
7 Two things I request of You
(Deprive me not before I die):
8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches—
(DB)Feed me with the food allotted to me;
9 (DC)Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God.
10 Do not malign a servant to his master,
Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.
11 There is a generation that curses its (DD)father,
And does not bless its mother.
12 There is a generation (DE)that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13 There is a generation—oh, how (DF)lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are [ad]lifted up.
14 (DG)There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,
And whose fangs are like knives,
(DH)To devour the poor from off the earth,
And the needy from among men.
15 The leech has two daughters—
Give and Give!
There are three things that are never satisfied,
Four never say, “Enough!”:
16 (DI)The[ae] grave,
The barren womb,
The earth that is not satisfied with water—
And the fire never says, “Enough!”
17 (DJ)The eye that mocks his father,
And scorns obedience to his mother,
The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young eagles will eat it.
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Yes, four which I do not understand:
19 The way of an eagle in the air,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the [af]midst of the sea,
And the way of a man with a virgin.
20 This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
And says, “I have done no wickedness.”
21 For three things the earth is perturbed,
Yes, for four it cannot bear up:
22 (DK)For a servant when he reigns,
A fool when he is filled with food,
23 A [ag]hateful woman when she is married,
And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.
24 There are four things which are little on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
25 (DL)The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26 (DM)The [ah]rock badgers are a feeble folk,
Yet they make their homes in the crags;
27 The locusts have no king,
Yet they all advance in ranks;
28 The [ai]spider skillfully grasps with its hands,
And it is in kings’ palaces.
29 There are three things which are majestic in pace,
Yes, four which are stately in walk:
30 A lion, which is mighty among beasts
And does not turn away from any;
31 A [aj]greyhound,
A male goat also,
And [ak]a king whose troops are with him.
32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,
Or if you have devised evil, (DN)put your hand on your mouth.
33 For as the churning of milk produces butter,
And wringing the nose produces blood,
So the forcing of wrath produces strife.
The Words of King Lemuel’s Mother
31 The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:
2 What, my son?
And what, son of my womb?
And what, (DO)son of my vows?
3 (DP)Do not give your strength to women,
Nor your ways (DQ)to that which destroys kings.
4 (DR)It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
5 (DS)Lest they drink and forget the law,
And pervert the justice of all [al]the afflicted.
6 (DT)Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.
8 (DU)Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are [am]appointed to die.
9 Open your mouth, (DV)judge righteously,
And (DW)plead the cause of the poor and needy.
The Virtuous Wife
10 (DX)Who[an] can find a [ao]virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
15 (DY)She also rises while it is yet night,
And (DZ)provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From [ap]her profits she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
20 (EA)She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 (EB)Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:8 Lit. contend or bring a lawsuit
- Proverbs 25:10 the evil report concerning you not pass away
- Proverbs 25:26 ruined
- Proverbs 26:10 Heb. difficult in v. 10; ancient and modern translators differ greatly
- Proverbs 26:13 Or plazas, squares
- Proverbs 26:15 LXX, Syr. bosom; Tg., Vg. armpit
- Proverbs 26:20 gossip or slanderer, lit. whisperer
- Proverbs 26:22 gossip or slanderer
- Proverbs 26:22 A Jewish tradition wounds
- Proverbs 26:22 Lit. rooms of the belly
- Proverbs 26:25 Lit. his voice is gracious
- Proverbs 27:7 tramples on
- Proverbs 27:9 Lit. counsel of the soul
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit. hides
- Proverbs 27:18 protects or tends
- Proverbs 27:20 Or Sheol
- Proverbs 27:20 Heb. Abaddon
- Proverbs 28:3 Lit. and there is no bread
- Proverbs 28:12 Lit. will be searched for
- Proverbs 28:18 delivered
- Proverbs 28:21 Lit. recognize faces
- Proverbs 29:2 become great
- Proverbs 29:10 Lit. soul or life
- Proverbs 29:11 Lit. spirit
- Proverbs 29:18 prophetic vision
- Proverbs 29:24 Lit. hears the adjuration or oath
- Proverbs 29:25 secure, lit. set on high
- Proverbs 29:26 Lit. face
- Proverbs 30:5 tested, refined, found pure
- Proverbs 30:13 In arrogance
- Proverbs 30:16 Or Sheol
- Proverbs 30:19 Lit. heart
- Proverbs 30:23 Or hated
- Proverbs 30:26 rock hyraxes
- Proverbs 30:28 Or lizard
- Proverbs 30:31 Or perhaps strutting rooster, lit. girded of waist
- Proverbs 30:31 A Jewish tradition a king against whom there is no uprising
- Proverbs 31:5 Lit. sons of affliction
- Proverbs 31:8 Lit. sons of passing away
- Proverbs 31:10 Vv. 10–31 are an alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew; cf. Ps. 119
- Proverbs 31:10 Lit. a wife of valor, in the sense of all forms of excellence
- Proverbs 31:16 Lit. the fruit of her hands
Ecclesiastes 1-12
New King James Version
The Vanity of Life
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, (A)king in Jerusalem.
3 (D)What profit has a man from all his labor
In which he [b]toils under the sun?
4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes;
(E)But the earth abides forever.
5 (F)The sun also rises, and the sun goes down,
And [c]hastens to the place where it arose.
6 (G)The wind goes toward the south,
And turns around to the north;
The wind whirls about continually,
And comes again on its circuit.
7 (H)All the rivers run into the sea,
Yet the sea is not full;
To the place from which the rivers come,
There they return again.
8 All things are [d]full of labor;
Man cannot express it.
(I)The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 (J)That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which it may be said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been in ancient times before us.
11 There is (K)no remembrance of former things,
Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come
By those who will come after.
The Grief of Wisdom
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I set my heart to seek and (L)search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; (M)this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be [e]exercised. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
15 (N)What is crooked cannot be made straight,
And what is lacking cannot be numbered.
16 I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained (O)more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has [f]understood great wisdom and knowledge.” 17 (P)And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.
18 For (Q)in much wisdom is much grief,
And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
The Vanity of Pleasure(R)
2 I said (S)in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with (T)mirth; [g]therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, (U)this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” 3 (V)I searched in my heart how [h]to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was (W)good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.
4 I made my works great, I built myself (X)houses, and planted myself vineyards. 5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made myself water pools from which to [i]water the growing trees of the grove. 7 I acquired male and female servants, and had [j]servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. 8 (Y)I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and [k]musical instruments of all kinds.
9 (Z)So I became great and [l]excelled (AA)more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.
I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,
For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;
And (AB)this was my [m]reward from all my labor.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done
And on the labor in which I had toiled;
And indeed all was (AC)vanity and grasping for the wind.
There was no profit under the sun.
The End of the Wise and the Fool
12 Then I turned myself to consider wisdom (AD)and madness and folly;
For what can the man do who succeeds the king?—
Only what he has already (AE)done.
13 Then I saw that wisdom (AF)excels folly
As light excels darkness.
14 (AG)The wise man’s eyes are in his head,
But the fool walks in darkness.
Yet I myself perceived
That (AH)the same event happens to them all.
15 So I said in my heart,
“As it happens to the fool,
It also happens to me,
And why was I then more wise?”
Then I said in my heart,
“This also is vanity.”
16 For there is (AI)no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever,
Since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come.
And how does a wise man die?
As the fool!
17 Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
18 Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because (AJ)I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his [n]heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 (AK)For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? 23 For all his days are (AL)sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
24 (AM)Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, [o]more than I? 26 For God gives (AN)wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that (AO)he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Everything Has Its Time
3 To everything there is a season,
A (AP)time for every purpose under heaven:
2 A time [p]to be born,
And (AQ)a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
4 A time to (AR)weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
(AS)A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
(AT)A time to keep silence,
And a time to (AU)speak;
8 A time to love,
And a time to (AV)hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.
The God-Given Task
9 (AW)What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? 10 (AX)I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that (AY)no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
12 I know that nothing is (AZ)better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, 13 and also that (BA)every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.
14 I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
(BB)Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
15 (BC)That which is has already been,
And what is to be has already been;
And God [q]requires an account of [r]what is past.
Injustice Seems to Prevail
16 Moreover (BD)I saw under the sun:
In the place of [s]judgment,
Wickedness was there;
And in the place of righteousness,
[t]Iniquity was there.
17 I said in my heart,
(BE)“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,
For there is a time there for every [u]purpose and for every work.”
18 I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.” 19 (BF)For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place: (BG)all are from the dust, and all return to dust. 21 (BH)Who[v] knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth? 22 (BI)So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for (BJ)that is his [w]heritage. (BK)For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
The Uselessness of Selfish Toil
4 Then I returned and considered all the (BL)oppression that is done under the sun:
And look! The tears of the oppressed,
But they have no comforter—
[x]On the side of their oppressors there is power,
But they have no comforter.
2 (BM)Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead,
More than the living who are still alive.
3 (BN)Yet, better than both is he who has never existed,
Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
The Vanity of Selfish Toil
4 Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
5 (BO)The fool folds his hands
And consumes his own flesh.
6 (BP)Better a handful with quietness
Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:
8 There is one alone, without [y]companion:
He has neither son nor brother.
Yet there is no end to all his labors,
Nor is his (BQ)eye satisfied with riches.
But (BR)he never asks,
“For whom do I toil and deprive myself of (BS)good?”
This also is vanity and a [z]grave misfortune.
The Value of a Friend
9 Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Popularity Passes Away
13 Better a poor and wise youth
Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.
14 For he comes out of prison to be king,
Although [aa]he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun;
They were with the second youth who stands in his place.
16 There was no end of all the people [ab]over whom he was made king;
Yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him.
Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Fear God, Keep Your Vows
5 Walk (BT)prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather (BU)than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
2 Do not be (BV)rash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
For God is in heaven, and you on earth;
Therefore let your words (BW)be few.
3 For a dream comes through much activity,
And (BX)a fool’s voice is known by his many words.
4 (BY)When you make a vow to God, do not delay to (BZ)pay it;
For He has no pleasure in fools.
Pay what you have vowed—
5 (CA)Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.
6 Do not let your (CB)mouth cause your flesh to sin, (CC)nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your [ac]excuse and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But (CD)fear God.
The Vanity of Gain and Honor
8 If you (CE)see the oppression of the poor, and the violent [ad]perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for (CF)high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.
9 Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.
10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver;
Nor he who loves abundance, with increase.
This also is vanity.
11 When goods increase,
They increase who eat them;
So what profit have the owners
Except to see them with their eyes?
12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet,
Whether he eats little or much;
But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.
13 (CG)There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun:
Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.
14 But those riches perish through [ae]misfortune;
When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.
15 (CH)As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return,
To go as he came;
And he shall take nothing from his labor
Which he may carry away in his hand.
16 And this also is a severe evil—
Just exactly as he came, so shall he go.
And (CI)what profit has he (CJ)who has labored for the wind?
17 All his days (CK)he also eats in darkness,
And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen: (CL)It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; (CM)for it is his [af]heritage. 19 As for (CN)every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his [ag]heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the (CO)gift of God. 20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.
Wealth Is Not the Goal of Life
6 There(CP) is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: 2 A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, (CQ)so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; (CR)yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil [ah]affliction.
3 If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or (CS)indeed he has no burial, I say that (CT)a [ai]stillborn child is better than he— 4 for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. 5 Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man, 6 even if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one (CU)place?
7 (CV)All the labor of man is for his mouth,
And yet the soul is not satisfied.
8 For what more has the wise man than the fool?
What does the poor man have,
Who knows how to walk before the living?
9 Better is [aj]the (CW)sight of the eyes than the wandering of [ak]desire.
This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
10 Whatever one is, he has been named (CX)already,
For it is known that he is man;
(CY)And he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.
11 Since there are many things that increase vanity,
How is man the better?
12 For who knows what is good for man in life, [al]all the days of his [am]vain life which he passes like (CZ)a shadow? (DA)Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?
The Value of Practical Wisdom
7 A (DB)good name is better than precious ointment,
And the day of death than the day of one’s (DC)birth;
2 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 will take it to (DD)heart.
3 [an]Sorrow is better than laughter,
(DE)For by a sad countenance the heart is made [ao]better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 (DF)It is better to [ap]hear the rebuke of the wise
Than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 (DG)For like the [aq]crackling of thorns under a pot,
So is the laughter of the fool.
This also is vanity.
7 Surely oppression destroys a wise man’s reason,
(DH)And a bribe [ar]debases the heart.
8 The end of a thing is better than its beginning;
(DI)The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 (DJ)Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry,
For anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10 Do not say,
“Why were the former days better than these?”
For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance,
And profitable (DK)to those who see the sun.
12 For wisdom is [as]a (DL)defense as money is a defense,
But the [at]excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives (DM)life to those who have it.
13 Consider the work of God;
For (DN)who can make straight what He has made crooked?
14 (DO)In the day of prosperity be joyful,
But in the day of adversity consider:
Surely God has appointed the one [au]as well as the other,
So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.
15 I have seen everything in my days of vanity:
(DP)There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness,
And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.
16 (DQ)Do not be overly righteous,
(DR)Nor be overly wise:
Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Do not be overly wicked,
Nor be foolish:
(DS)Why should you die before your time?
18 It is good that you grasp this,
And also not remove your hand from the other;
For he who (DT)fears God will [av]escape them all.
19 (DU)Wisdom strengthens the wise
More than ten rulers of the city.
20 (DV)For there is not a just man on earth who does good
And does not sin.
21 Also do not take to heart everything people say,
Lest you hear your servant cursing you.
22 For many times, also, your own heart has known
That even you have cursed others.
23 All this I have [aw]proved by wisdom.
(DW)I said, “I will be wise”;
But it was far from me.
24 (DX)As for that which is far off and (DY)exceedingly deep,
Who can find it out?
25 (DZ)I applied my heart to know,
To search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things,
To know the wickedness of folly,
Even of foolishness and madness.
26 (EA)And I find more bitter than death
The woman whose heart is snares and nets,
Whose hands are fetters.
[ax]He who pleases God shall escape from her,
But the sinner shall be trapped by her.
27 “Here is what I have found,” says (EB)the Preacher,
“Adding one thing to the other to find out the reason,
28 Which my soul still seeks but I cannot find:
(EC)One man among a thousand I have found,
But a woman among all these I have not found.
29 Truly, this only I have found:
(ED)That God made man upright,
But (EE)they have sought out many schemes.”
Obey Authorities for God’s Sake
8 Who is like a wise man?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
(EF)A man’s wisdom makes his face shine,
And (EG)the [ay]sternness of his face is changed.
Obey Authorities for God’s Sake
2 I say, “Keep the king’s commandment (EH)for the sake of your oath to God. 3 (EI)Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.”
4 Where the word of a king is, there is power;
And (EJ)who may say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful;
And a wise man’s heart [az]discerns both time and judgment,
6 Because (EK)for every matter there is a time and judgment,
Though the misery of man [ba]increases greatly.
7 (EL)For he does not know what will happen;
So who can tell him when it will occur?
8 (EM)No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit,
And no one has power in the day of death.
There is (EN)no release from that war,
And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it.
9 All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt.
Death Comes to All
10 Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were (EO)forgotten[bb] in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity. 11 (EP)Because the 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. 12 (EQ)Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that (ER)it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. 13 But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.
14 There is a vanity which occurs on earth, that there are just men to whom it (ES)happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the (ET)righteous. I said that this also is vanity.
15 (EU)So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.
16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that (EV)a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it.
Death Comes to All
9 For I [bc]considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: (EW)that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them. 2 (EX)All things come alike to all:
One event happens to the righteous and the wicked;
To the [bd]good, the clean, and the unclean;
To him who sacrifices and him who does not 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 one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 4 But for him who is joined to 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 (EY)the dead know nothing,
And they have no more reward,
For (EZ)the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished;
Nevermore will they have a share
In anything done under the sun.
7 Go, (FA)eat your bread with joy,
And drink your wine with a merry heart;
For God has already accepted your works.
8 Let your garments always be white,
And let your head lack no oil.
9 [be]Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; (FB)for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
10 (FC)Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your (FD)might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
11 I returned (FE)and saw under the sun that—
The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and (FF)chance happen to them all.
12 For (FG)man also does not know his time:
Like fish taken in a cruel net,
Like birds caught in a snare,
So the sons of men are (FH)snared in an evil time,
When it falls suddenly upon them.
Wisdom Superior to Folly
13 This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me: 14 (FI)There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great [bf]snares around it. 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.
16 Then I said:
“Wisdom is better than (FJ)strength.
Nevertheless (FK)the poor man’s wisdom is despised,
And his words are not heard.
17 Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard
Rather than the shout of a ruler of fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war;
But (FL)one sinner destroys much good.”
Wisdom and Folly
10 Dead[bg] flies [bh]putrefy the perfumer’s ointment,
And cause it to give off a foul odor;
So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand,
But a fool’s heart at his left.
3 Even when a fool walks along the way,
He lacks wisdom,
(FM)And he shows everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises against you,
(FN)Do not leave your post;
For (FO)conciliation[bi] pacifies great offenses.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
As an error proceeding from the ruler:
6 (FP)Folly is set in [bj]great dignity,
While the rich sit in a lowly place.
7 I have seen servants (FQ)on horses,
While princes walk on the ground like servants.
8 (FR)He who digs a pit will fall into it,
And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.
9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them,
And he who splits wood may be endangered by it.
10 If the ax is dull,
And one does not sharpen the edge,
Then he must use more strength;
But wisdom [bk]brings success.
11 A serpent may bite (FS)when it is not charmed;
The [bl]babbler is no different.
12 (FT)The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious,
But (FU)the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;
13 The words of his mouth begin with foolishness,
And the end of his talk is raving madness.
14 (FV)A fool also multiplies words.
No man knows what is to be;
Who can tell him (FW)what will be after him?
15 The labor of fools wearies them,
For they do not even know how to go to the city!
16 (FX)Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,
And your princes feast in the morning!
17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles,
And your (FY)princes feast at the proper time—
For strength and not for drunkenness!
18 Because of laziness the [bm]building decays,
And (FZ)through idleness of hands the house leaks.
19 A feast is made for laughter,
And (GA)wine makes merry;
But money answers everything.
20 (GB)Do not curse the king, even in your thought;
Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom;
For a bird of the air may carry your voice,
And a bird in flight may tell the matter.
The Value of Diligence
11 Cast your bread (GC)upon the waters,
(GD)For you will find it after many days.
2 (GE)Give a serving (GF)to seven, and also to eight,
(GG)For you do not know what evil will be on the earth.
3 If the clouds are full of rain,
They empty themselves upon the earth;
And if a tree falls to the south or the north,
In the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie.
4 He who observes the wind will not sow,
And he who regards the clouds will not reap.
5 As (GH)you do not know what is the way of the [bn]wind,
(GI)Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child,
So you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
6 In the morning sow your seed,
And in the evening do not withhold your hand;
For you do not know which will prosper,
Either this or that,
Or whether both alike will be good.
7 Truly the light is sweet,
And it is pleasant for the eyes (GJ)to behold the sun;
8 But if a man lives many years
And (GK)rejoices in them all,
Yet let him (GL)remember the days of darkness,
For they will be many.
All that is coming is vanity.
Seek God in Early Life
9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth,
And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth;
(GM)Walk in the [bo]ways of your heart,
And [bp]in the sight of your eyes;
But know that for all these
(GN)God will bring you into judgment.
10 Therefore remove [bq]sorrow from your heart,
And (GO)put away evil from your flesh,
(GP)For childhood and [br]youth are vanity.
Seek God in Early Life
12 Remember(GQ) now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the [bs]difficult days come,
And the years draw near (GR)when you say,
“I have no pleasure in them”:
2 While the sun and the light,
The moon and the stars,
Are not darkened,
And the clouds do not return after the rain;
3 In the day when the keepers of the house tremble,
And the strong men bow down;
When the grinders cease because they are few,
And those that look through the windows grow dim;
4 When the doors are shut in the streets,
And the sound of grinding is low;
When one rises up at the sound of a bird,
And all (GS)the daughters of music are brought low.
5 Also they are afraid of height,
And of terrors in the way;
When the almond tree blossoms,
The grasshopper is a burden,
And desire fails.
For man goes to (GT)his eternal home,
And (GU)the mourners go about the streets.
6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is [bt]loosed,
Or the golden bowl is broken,
Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,
Or the wheel broken at the well.
7 (GV)Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
(GW)And the spirit will return to God (GX)who gave it.
8 “Vanity(GY) of vanities,” says the Preacher,
“All is vanity.”
The Whole Duty of Man
9 And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and (GZ)set[bu] in order many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find [bv]acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of [bw]scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. 12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and (HA)much study is wearisome to the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
(HB)Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
14 For (HC)God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 1:2 Or Absurdity, Frustration, Futility, Nonsense; and so throughout the book
- Ecclesiastes 1:3 labors
- Ecclesiastes 1:5 Is eager for, lit. panting
- Ecclesiastes 1:8 wearisome
- Ecclesiastes 1:13 Or afflicted
- Ecclesiastes 1:16 Lit. seen
- Ecclesiastes 2:1 gladness
- Ecclesiastes 2:3 Lit. to draw my flesh
- Ecclesiastes 2:6 irrigate
- Ecclesiastes 2:7 Lit. sons of my house
- Ecclesiastes 2:8 Exact meaning unknown
- Ecclesiastes 2:9 Lit. increased
- Ecclesiastes 2:10 Lit. portion
- Ecclesiastes 2:21 Lit. portion
- Ecclesiastes 2:25 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; some Heb. mss., LXX, Syr. without Him
- Ecclesiastes 3:2 Lit. to bear
- Ecclesiastes 3:15 Lit. seeks
- Ecclesiastes 3:15 what is pursued
- Ecclesiastes 3:16 justice
- Ecclesiastes 3:16 Wickedness
- Ecclesiastes 3:17 desire
- Ecclesiastes 3:21 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. Who knows whether the spirit . . . goes upward, and whether . . . goes downward to the earth?
- Ecclesiastes 3:22 portion or lot
- Ecclesiastes 4:1 Lit. At the hand
- Ecclesiastes 4:8 Lit. a second
- Ecclesiastes 4:8 Lit. evil task
- Ecclesiastes 4:14 The youth
- Ecclesiastes 4:16 Lit. to all before whom he was to be
- Ecclesiastes 5:6 Lit. voice
- Ecclesiastes 5:8 wresting
- Ecclesiastes 5:14 Lit. bad business
- Ecclesiastes 5:18 Lit. portion
- Ecclesiastes 5:19 Lit. portion
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 disease
- Ecclesiastes 6:3 Or miscarriage
- Ecclesiastes 6:9 What the eyes see
- Ecclesiastes 6:9 Lit. soul
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit. the number of the days
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 futile
- Ecclesiastes 7:3 Vexation or Grief
- Ecclesiastes 7:3 well or pleasing
- Ecclesiastes 7:5 listen to
- Ecclesiastes 7:6 Lit. sound
- Ecclesiastes 7:7 destroys
- Ecclesiastes 7:12 A protective shade, lit. shadow
- Ecclesiastes 7:12 advantage or profit
- Ecclesiastes 7:14 alongside
- Ecclesiastes 7:18 Lit. come forth from all of them
- Ecclesiastes 7:23 tested
- Ecclesiastes 7:26 Lit. He who is good before God
- Ecclesiastes 8:1 Lit. strength
- Ecclesiastes 8:5 Lit. knows
- Ecclesiastes 8:6 is great upon him
- Ecclesiastes 8:10 Some Heb. mss., LXX, Vg. praised
- Ecclesiastes 9:1 Lit. put
- Ecclesiastes 9:2 LXX, Syr., Vg. good and bad,
- Ecclesiastes 9:9 Lit. See life
- Ecclesiastes 9:14 LXX, Syr., Vg. bulwarks
- Ecclesiastes 10:1 Lit. Flies of death
- Ecclesiastes 10:1 Tg., Vg. omit putrefy
- Ecclesiastes 10:4 Lit. healing, health
- Ecclesiastes 10:6 exalted positions
- Ecclesiastes 10:10 Lit. is a successful advantage
- Ecclesiastes 10:11 Lit. master of the tongue
- Ecclesiastes 10:18 Lit. rafters sink
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 Or spirit
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 Impulses
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 As you see to be best
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 vexation
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 Prime of life
- Ecclesiastes 12:1 Lit. evil
- Ecclesiastes 12:6 So with Qr., Tg.; Kt. removed; LXX, Vg. broken
- Ecclesiastes 12:9 arranged
- Ecclesiastes 12:10 Lit. delightful
- Ecclesiastes 12:11 Lit. masters of assemblies
Psalm 18
New King James Version
God the Sovereign Savior(A)
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David (B)the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of (C)this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:
18 I (D)will love You, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my [a]strength, (E)in whom I will trust;
My shield and the [b]horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I will call upon the Lord, (F)who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
4 (G)The pangs of death surrounded me,
And the floods of [c]ungodliness made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.
7 (H)Then the earth shook and trembled;
The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
8 Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
9 (I)He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With darkness under His feet.
10 (J)And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
(K)He flew upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness His secret place;
(L)His canopy around Him was dark waters
And thick clouds of the skies.
12 (M)From the brightness before Him,
His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered (N)His voice,
[d]Hailstones and coals of fire.
14 (O)He sent out His arrows and scattered [e]the foe,
Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them.
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered
At Your rebuke, O Lord,
At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
16 (P)He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my support.
19 (Q)He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.
20 (R)The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His statutes from me.
23 I was also blameless [f]before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 (S)Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.
25 (T)With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
26 With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And (U)with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.
27 For You will save the humble people,
But will bring down (V)haughty looks.
28 (W)For You will light my lamp;
The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by You I can [g]run against a troop,
By my God I can leap over a wall.
30 As for God, (X)His way is perfect;
(Y)The word of the Lord is [h]proven;
He is a shield (Z)to all who trust in Him.
31 (AA)For who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
32 It is God who (AB)arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.
33 (AC)He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And (AD)sets me on my high places.
34 (AE)He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your right hand has held me up,
Your gentleness has made me great.
36 You enlarged my path under me,
(AF)So my feet did not slip.
37 I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
38 I have wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
They have fallen under my feet.
39 For You have armed me with strength for the battle;
You have [i]subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 You have also given me the necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried out, but there was none to save;
(AG)Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind;
I (AH)cast them out like dirt in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people;
(AI)You have made me the head of the [j]nations;
(AJ)A people I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me they obey me;
The foreigners [k]submit to me.
45 (AK)The foreigners fade away,
And come frightened from their hideouts.
46 The Lord lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God who avenges me,
(AL)And subdues the peoples under me;
48 He delivers me from my enemies.
(AM)You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.
49 (AN)Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the [l]Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your name.
50 (AO)Great deliverance He gives to His king,
And shows mercy to His anointed,
To David and his [m]descendants forevermore.
Footnotes
- Psalm 18:2 Lit. rock
- Psalm 18:2 Strength
- Psalm 18:4 Lit. Belial
- Psalm 18:13 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; a few Heb. mss., LXX omit Hailstones and coals of fire
- Psalm 18:14 Lit. them
- Psalm 18:23 with
- Psalm 18:29 Or run through
- Psalm 18:30 Lit. refined
- Psalm 18:39 Lit. caused to bow
- Psalm 18:43 Gentiles
- Psalm 18:44 feign submission
- Psalm 18:49 nations
- Psalm 18:50 Lit. seed
Psalm 33
New King James Version
The Sovereignty of the Lord in Creation and History
33 Rejoice (A)in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
[a]Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
4 For the word of the Lord is right,
And all His work is done in truth.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
6 (B)By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And all the (C)host of them (D)by the breath of His mouth.
7 (E)He gathers the waters of the sea together [b]as a heap;
He lays up the deep in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
9 For (F)He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
10 (G)The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
11 (H)The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has (I)chosen as His own inheritance.
13 (J)The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
14 From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He fashions their hearts individually;
(K)He [c]considers all their works.
16 (L)No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
17 (M)A horse is a [d]vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.
18 (N)Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
19 To deliver their soul from death,
And (O)to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
22 Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You.
Footnotes
- Psalm 33:2 Lit. Sing to Him
- Psalm 33:7 LXX, Tg., Vg. in a vessel
- Psalm 33:15 understands
- Psalm 33:17 false
Psalm 45
New King James Version
The Glories of the Messiah and His Bride
To the Chief Musician. (A)Set to [a]“The Lilies.” A [b]Contemplation of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.
45 My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
I recite my composition concerning the King;
My tongue is the pen of a [c]ready writer.
2 You are fairer than the sons of men;
(B)Grace is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.
3 [d]Gird Your (C)sword upon Your thigh, (D)O Mighty One,
With Your (E)glory and Your majesty.
4 (F)And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness;
And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.
5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies;
The peoples fall under You.
6 (G)Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A (H)scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has (I)anointed You
With the oil of (J)gladness more than Your companions.
8 All Your garments are (K)scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia,
Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad.
9 (L)Kings’ daughters are among Your honorable women;
(M)At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.
10 Listen, O daughter,
Consider and incline your ear;
(N)Forget your own people also, and your father’s house;
11 So the King will greatly desire your beauty;
(O)Because He is your Lord, worship Him.
12 And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;
(P)The rich among the people will seek your favor.
13 The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace;
Her clothing is woven with gold.
14 (Q)She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors;
The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.
15 With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought;
They shall enter the King’s palace.
16 Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons,
(R)Whom You shall make princes in all the earth.
17 (S)I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations;
Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever.
Footnotes
- Psalm 45:1 Heb. Shoshannim
- Psalm 45:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 45:1 skillful
- Psalm 45:3 Belt on
Psalm 60
New King James Version
Urgent Prayer for the Restored Favor of God(A)
To the Chief Musician. (B)Set to [a]“Lily of the Testimony.” A Michtam of David. For teaching. (C)When he fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
60 O God, (D)You have cast us off;
You have broken us down;
You have been displeased;
Oh, restore us again!
2 You have made the earth tremble;
You have broken it;
(E)Heal its breaches, for it is shaking.
3 (F)You have shown Your people hard things;
(G)You have made us drink the wine of [b]confusion.
4 (H)You have given a banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah
5 (I)That Your beloved may be delivered,
Save with Your right hand, and hear me.
6 God has (J)spoken in His holiness:
“I will rejoice;
I will (K)divide (L)Shechem
And measure out (M)the Valley of Succoth.
7 Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine;
(N)Ephraim also is the [c]helmet for My head;
(O)Judah is My lawgiver.
8 (P)Moab is My washpot;
(Q)Over Edom I will cast My shoe;
(R)Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me.”
9 Who will bring me to the strong city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Is it not You, O God, (S)who cast us off?
And You, O God, who did (T)not go out with our armies?
11 Give us help from trouble,
(U)For the help of man is useless.
12 Through God (V)we will do valiantly,
For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.
Footnotes
- Psalm 60:1 Heb. Shushan Eduth
- Psalm 60:3 staggering
- Psalm 60:7 Lit. protection
Psalm 94
New King James Version
God the Refuge of the Righteous
94 O Lord God, (A)to whom vengeance belongs—
O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!
2 Rise up, O (B)Judge of the earth;
[a]Render punishment to the proud.
3 Lord, (C)how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph?
4 They (D)utter speech, and speak insolent things;
All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.
5 They break in pieces Your people, O Lord,
And afflict Your heritage.
6 They slay the widow and the stranger,
And murder the fatherless.
7 (E)Yet they say, “The Lord does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob [b]understand.”
8 Understand, you senseless among the people;
And you fools, when will you be wise?
9 (F)He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?
He who formed the eye, shall He not see?
10 He who [c]instructs the [d]nations, shall He not correct,
He who teaches man knowledge?
11 The Lord (G)knows the thoughts of man,
That they are futile.
12 Blessed is the man whom You (H)instruct, O Lord,
And teach out of Your law,
13 That You may give him [e]rest from the days of adversity,
Until the pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not [f]cast off His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
15 But judgment will return to righteousness,
And all the upright in heart will follow it.
16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?
Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the Lord had been my help,
My soul would soon have settled in silence.
18 If I say, “My foot slips,”
Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.
19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.
20 Shall (I)the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law,
Have fellowship with You?
21 They gather together against the life of the righteous,
And condemn (J)innocent blood.
22 But the Lord has been my defense,
And my God the rock of my refuge.
23 He has brought on them their own iniquity,
And shall [g]cut them off in their own wickedness;
The Lord our God shall cut them off.
Footnotes
- Psalm 94:2 Repay with
- Psalm 94:7 pay attention
- Psalm 94:10 disciplines
- Psalm 94:10 Gentiles
- Psalm 94:13 relief
- Psalm 94:14 abandon
- Psalm 94:23 destroy them
Ephesians 1-5
New King James Version
Greeting
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Redemption in Christ
3 (A)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as (B)He chose us in Him (C)before the foundation of the world, that we should (D)be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 (E)having predestined us to (F)adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, (G)according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, (H)by which He [a]made us accepted in (I)the Beloved.
7 (J)In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to (K)the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and [b]prudence, 9 (L)having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure (M)which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of (N)the fullness of the times (O)He might gather together in one (P)all things in Christ, [c]both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 (Q)In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to (R)the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 (S)that we (T)who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard (U)the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, (V)you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 (W)who[d] is the [e]guarantee of our inheritance (X)until the redemption of (Y)the purchased possession, (Z)to the praise of His glory.
Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom
15 Therefore I also, (AA)after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 (AB)do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that (AC)the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, (AD)may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 (AE)the eyes of your [f]understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is (AF)the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, (AG)according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when (AH)He raised Him from the dead and (AI)seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 (AJ)far above all (AK)principality[g] and [h]power and [i]might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
22 And (AL)He put all things under His feet, and gave Him (AM)to be head over all things to the church, 23 (AN)which is His body, (AO)the fullness of Him (AP)who fills all in all.
By Grace Through Faith
2 And (AQ)you He made alive, (AR)who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 (AS)in which you once walked according to the [j]course of this world, according to (AT)the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in (AU)the sons of disobedience, 3 (AV)among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in (AW)the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and (AX)were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 But God, (AY)who is rich in mercy, because of His (AZ)great love with which He loved us, 5 (BA)even when we were dead in trespasses, (BB)made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together (BC)in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in (BD)His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 (BE)For by grace you have been saved (BF)through faith, and that not of yourselves; (BG)it is the gift of God, 9 not of (BH)works, lest anyone should (BI)boast. 10 For we are (BJ)His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Brought Near by His Blood
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called (BK)the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Christ Our Peace
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one (BL)new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might (BM)reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby (BN)putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For (BO)through Him we both have access (BP)by one Spirit to the Father.
Christ Our Cornerstone
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been (BQ)built (BR)on the foundation of the (BS)apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being (BT)the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into (BU)a holy temple in the Lord, 22 (BV)in whom you also are being built together for a (BW)dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
The Mystery Revealed
3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the [k]dispensation of the grace of God (BX)which was given to me for you, 3 (BY)how that by revelation (BZ)He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles (CA)should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 (CB)of which I became a minister (CC)according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by (CD)the effective working of His power.
Purpose of the Mystery
8 To me, (CE)who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles (CF)the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the [l]fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who (CG)created all things [m]through Jesus Christ; 10 (CH)to the intent that now (CI)the [n]manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church (CJ)to the [o]principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 (CK)according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access (CL)with confidence through faith in Him. 13 (CM)Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, (CN)which is your glory.
Appreciation of the Mystery
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the (CO)Father [p]of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, (CP)according to the riches of His glory, (CQ)to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in (CR)the inner man, 17 (CS)that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, (CT)being rooted and grounded in love, 18 (CU)may be able to comprehend with all the saints (CV)what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled (CW)with all the fullness of God.
20 Now (CX)to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly (CY)above all that we ask or think, (CZ)according to the power that works in us, 21 (DA)to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Walk in Unity
4 I, therefore, the prisoner [q]of the Lord, [r]beseech you to (DB)walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit (DC)in the bond of peace. 4 (DD)There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 (DE)one Lord, (DF)one faith, (DG)one baptism; 6 (DH)one God and Father of all, who is above all, and (DI)through all, and in [s]you all.
Spiritual Gifts
7 But (DJ)to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says:
(DK)“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”
9 (DL)(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also [t]first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One (DM)who ascended far above all the heavens, (DN)that He might fill all things.)
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, (DO)for the [u]edifying of (DP)the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith (DQ)and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to (DR)a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be (DS)children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of (DT)deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the (DU)head—Christ— 16 (DV)from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
The New Man
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should (DW)no longer walk as [v]the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the (DX)blindness of their heart; 19 (DY)who, being past feeling, (DZ)have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you (EA)put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and (EB)be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you (EC)put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Do Not Grieve the Spirit
25 Therefore, putting away lying, (ED)“Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for (EE)we are members of one another. 26 (EF)“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 (EG)nor give [w]place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather (EH)let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something (EI)to give him who has need. 29 (EJ)Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but (EK)what is good for necessary [x]edification, (EL)that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And (EM)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 (EN)Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, [y]clamor, and (EO)evil speaking be put away from you, (EP)with all malice. 32 And (EQ)be kind to one another, tenderhearted, (ER)forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Walk in Love
5 Therefore(ES) be imitators of God as dear (ET)children. 2 And (EU)walk in love, (EV)as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God (EW)for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 But fornication and all (EX)uncleanness or (EY)covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 (EZ)neither filthiness, nor (FA)foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, (FB)which are not fitting, but rather (FC)giving of thanks. 5 For [z]this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any (FD)inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be (FE)partakers with them.
Walk in Light
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are (FF)light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for (FG)the fruit of the [aa]Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 (FH)finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have (FI)no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather [ab]expose them. 12 (FJ)For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But (FK)all things that are [ac]exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:
(FL)“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
Walk in Wisdom
15 (FM)See then that you walk [ad]circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 (FN)redeeming the time, (FO)because the days are evil.
17 (FP)Therefore do not be unwise, but (FQ)understand (FR)what the will of the Lord is. 18 And (FS)do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another (FT)in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making (FU)melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 (FV)giving thanks always for all things to God the Father (FW)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 (FX)submitting to one another in the fear of [ae]God.
Marriage—Christ and the Church(FY)
22 Wives, (FZ)submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For (GA)the husband is head of the wife, as also (GB)Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands (GC)in everything.
25 (GD)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and (GE)gave Himself for her, 26 that He might [af]sanctify and cleanse her (GF)with the washing of water (GG)by the word, 27 (GH)that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, (GI)not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For (GJ)we are members of His body, [ag]of His flesh and of His bones. 31 (GK)“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the (GL)two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless (GM)let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she (GN)respects her husband.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 1:6 Lit. bestowed grace (favor) upon us
- Ephesians 1:8 understanding
- Ephesians 1:10 NU, M omit both
- Ephesians 1:14 NU which
- Ephesians 1:14 down payment, earnest
- Ephesians 1:18 NU, M hearts
- Ephesians 1:21 rule
- Ephesians 1:21 authority
- Ephesians 1:21 power
- Ephesians 2:2 Gr. aion, aeon
- Ephesians 3:2 stewardship
- Ephesians 3:9 NU, M stewardship (dispensation)
- Ephesians 3:9 NU omits through Jesus Christ
- Ephesians 3:10 variegated or many-sided
- Ephesians 3:10 rulers
- Ephesians 3:14 NU omits of our Lord Jesus Christ
- Ephesians 4:1 Lit. in
- Ephesians 4:1 exhort, encourage
- Ephesians 4:6 NU omits you; M us
- Ephesians 4:9 NU omits first
- Ephesians 4:12 building up
- Ephesians 4:17 NU omits the rest of
- Ephesians 4:27 an opportunity
- Ephesians 4:29 building up
- Ephesians 4:31 loud quarreling
- Ephesians 5:5 NU know this
- Ephesians 5:9 NU light
- Ephesians 5:11 reprove
- Ephesians 5:13 reproved
- Ephesians 5:15 carefully
- Ephesians 5:21 NU Christ
- Ephesians 5:26 set it apart
- Ephesians 5:30 NU omits the rest of v. 30.
Romans 15-16
New King James Version
Bearing Others’ Burdens
15 We (A)then who are strong ought to bear with the [a]scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 (B)Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to [b]edification. 3 (C)For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, (D)“The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” 4 For (E)whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the [c]patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 5 (F)Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 that you may (G)with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Glorify God Together
7 Therefore (H)receive one another, just (I)as Christ also received [d]us, to the glory of God. 8 Now I say that (J)Jesus Christ has become a [e]servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, (K)to confirm the promises made to the fathers, 9 and (L)that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:
(M)“For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles,
And sing to Your name.”
10 And again he says:
(N)“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”
11 And again:
(O)“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!”
12 And again, Isaiah says:
(P)“There shall be a root of Jesse;
And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,
In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all (Q)joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
From Jerusalem to Illyricum
14 Now (R)I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, (S)filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish [f]one another. 15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, (T)because of the grace given to me by God, 16 that (U)I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the (V)offering [g]of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus (W)in the things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things (X)which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, (Y)to make the Gentiles obedient— 19 (Z)in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, (AA)lest I should build on another man’s foundation, 21 but as it is written:
(AB)“To whom He was not announced, they shall see;
And those who have not heard shall understand.”
Plan to Visit Rome
22 For this reason (AC)I also have been much hindered from coming to you. 23 But now no longer having a place in these parts, and (AD)having a great desire these many years to come to you, 24 whenever I journey to Spain, [h]I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, (AE)and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may (AF)enjoy your company for a while. 25 But now (AG)I am going to Jerusalem to [i]minister to the saints. 26 For (AH)it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. 27 It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For (AI)if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, (AJ)their duty is also to minister to them in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them (AK)this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. 29 (AL)But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing [j]of the gospel of Christ.
30 Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and (AM)through the love of the Spirit, (AN)that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, 31 (AO)that I may be delivered from those in Judea who [k]do not believe, and that (AP)my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 (AQ)that I may come to you with joy (AR)by the will of God, and may (AS)be refreshed together with you. 33 Now (AT)the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Sister Phoebe Commended
16 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in (AU)Cenchrea, 2 (AV)that you may receive her in the Lord (AW)in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.
Greeting Roman Saints
3 Greet (AX)Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet (AY)the church that is in their house.
Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is (AZ)the firstfruits of [l]Achaia to Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the (BA)apostles, who also (BB)were in Christ before me.
8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my [m]countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, (BC)chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
16 (BD)Greet one another with a holy kiss. [n]The churches of Christ greet you.
Avoid Divisive Persons
17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those (BE)who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and (BF)avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord [o]Jesus Christ, but (BG)their own belly, and (BH)by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. 19 For (BI)your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be (BJ)wise in what is good, and [p]simple concerning evil. 20 And (BK)the God of peace (BL)will crush Satan under your feet shortly.
(BM)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Greetings from Paul’s Friends
21 (BN)Timothy, my fellow worker, and (BO)Lucius, (BP)Jason, and (BQ)Sosipater, my countrymen, greet you.
22 I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord.
23 (BR)Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. (BS)Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother. 24 (BT)The[q] grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Benediction
25 [r]Now (BU)to Him who is able to establish you (BV)according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, (BW)according to the revelation of the mystery (BX)kept secret since the world began 26 but (BY)now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for (BZ)obedience to the faith— 27 to (CA)God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
Footnotes
- Romans 15:1 weaknesses
- Romans 15:2 building up
- Romans 15:4 perseverance
- Romans 15:7 NU, M you
- Romans 15:8 minister
- Romans 15:14 M others
- Romans 15:16 Consisting of
- Romans 15:24 NU omits I shall come to you and joins Spain with the next sentence.
- Romans 15:25 serve
- Romans 15:29 NU omits of the gospel
- Romans 15:31 are disobedient
- Romans 16:5 NU Asia
- Romans 16:11 Or relative
- Romans 16:16 NU All the churches
- Romans 16:18 NU, M omit Jesus
- Romans 16:19 innocent
- Romans 16:24 NU omits v. 24.
- Romans 16:25 M puts Rom. 16:25–27 after Rom. 14:23.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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