Seek God in Early Life

12 Remember(A) now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the [a]difficult days come,
And the years draw near (B)when you say,
“I have no pleasure in them”:

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 12:1 Lit. evil

12 Remember(A) your Creator
    in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble(B) come
    and the years approach when you will say,
    “I find no pleasure in them”—

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27 (A)It is good for a man to bear
The yoke in his youth.

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27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke
    while he is young.

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But if a man lives many years
And (A)rejoices in them all,
Yet let him (B)remember the days of darkness,
For they will be many.
All that is coming is vanity.

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However many years anyone may live,
    let them enjoy them all.
But let them remember(A) the days of darkness,
    for there will be many.
    Everything to come is meaningless.

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17 O God, You have taught me from my (A)youth;
And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
18 Now also (B)when I am old and grayheaded,
O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to everyone who is to come.

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17 Since my youth, God, you have taught(A) me,
    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.(B)
18 Even when I am old and gray,(C)
    do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power(D) to the next generation,
    your mighty acts to all who are to come.(E)

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(A)Train up a child in the way he should go,
[a]And when he is old he will not depart from it.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:6 Even

Start(A) children off on the way they should go,(B)
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.(C)

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16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for (A)of such is the kingdom of God.

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16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

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11 Come, you children, listen to me;
(A)I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

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11 Come, my children, listen(A) to me;
    I will teach you(B) the fear of the Lord.(C)

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15 and that from childhood you have known (A)the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

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15 and how from infancy(A) you have known the Holy Scriptures,(B) which are able to make you wise(C) for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

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12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was (A)ruddy, (B)with [a]bright eyes, and good-looking. (C)And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and (D)the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 16:12 Lit. beautiful

12 So he(A) sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome(B) features.

Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”

13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed(C) him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord(D) came powerfully upon David.(E) Samuel then went to Ramah.

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10 The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

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10 Our days may come to seventy years,(A)
    or eighty,(B) if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,(C)
    for they quickly pass, and we fly away.(D)

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40 (A)And the Child grew and became strong [a]in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

The Boy Jesus Amazes the Scholars

41 His parents went to (B)Jerusalem (C)every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the (D)custom of the feast. 43 When they had finished the (E)days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And [b]Joseph and His mother did not know it; 44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And (F)all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. 48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”

49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be (G)about (H)My Father’s business?” 50 But (I)they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

Jesus Advances in Wisdom and Favor

51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was [c]subject to them, but His mother (J)kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus (K)increased in wisdom and stature, (L)and in favor with God and men.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 2:40 NU omits in spirit
  2. Luke 2:43 NU His parents
  3. Luke 2:51 obedient

40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.(A)

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.(B) 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed(C) at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother(D) said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father(E) and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”[a](F) 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.(G)

51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them(H) and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.(I) 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 2:49 Or be about my Father’s business

17 (A)I love those who love me,
And (B)those who seek me diligently will find me.

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17 I love those who love me,(A)
    and those who seek me find me.(B)

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10 Therefore remove [a]sorrow from your heart,
And (A)put away evil from your flesh,
(B)For childhood and [b]youth are vanity.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 11:10 vexation
  2. Ecclesiastes 11:10 Prime of life

10 So then, banish anxiety(A) from your heart
    and cast off the troubles of your body,
    for youth and vigor are meaningless.(B)

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