Cast Your Bread on the Waters

11 ^(A)Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you ^(B)will find it ^[a]after many days. ^2 (C)Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what ^(D)misfortune may occur on the earth. ³ If the clouds are full, they pour out rain on the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it ^[b]lies. ⁴ One who watches the wind will not sow and one who looks at the clouds will not harvest. ⁵ Just as you do not ^(E)know the path of the ^[c]wind, and ^(F)how bones are formed in the womb of the ^[d]pregnant woman, so you do not ^(G)know the activity of God who makes everything.

⁶ Sow your seed ^(H)in the morning and do not ^[e]be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether ^[f]one or the other will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.

⁷ The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to ^(I)see the sun. ⁸ Indeed, if a person lives many years, let him ^(J)rejoice in them all; but let him remember the ^(K)days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.

⁹ Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the ^[g]impulses of your heart and the ^[h](L)desires of your eyes. Yet know that ^(M)God will bring you to judgment for all these things. ¹⁰ So remove ^[i]sorrow from your heart and keep ^[j](N)pain away from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are ^[k]fleeting.

Godly Living

3 ^(A)Remind them ^(B)to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ^(C)ready for every good deed, ² to slander no one, ^(D)not to be contentious, to be ^(E)gentle, ^(F)showing every consideration for all people. ^3 (G)For we too were once foolish, ^(H)disobedient, ^(I)deceived, ^(J)enslaved to ^(K)various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in ^(L)malice and ^(M)envy, hateful, hating one another. ⁴ But when the ^(N)kindness of ^(O)God our Savior and His love for mankind ^(P)appeared, ^5 (Q)He saved us, ^(R)not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but ^(S)in accordance with His mercy, by the ^(T)washing of regeneration and ^(U)renewing by the Holy Spirit, ^6 (V)whom He ^(W)richly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by His grace we would be made ^(X)heirs ^[a]according to the hope of eternal life. ^8 (Y)This statement is trustworthy; and concerning these things I ^(Z)want you to speak confidently, so that those who have ^(AA)believed God will be careful to ^(AB)engage in good deeds. These things are good and beneficial for people. ⁹ But ^(AC)avoid ^(AD)foolish controversies and ^(AE)genealogies and strife and ^(AF)disputes about the Law, for they are ^(AG)useless and worthless. ^10 (AH)Reject a ^[b](AI)divisive person ^(AJ)after a first and second warning, ¹¹ knowing that such a person has ^(AK)deviated from what is right and is sinning, being self-condemned.

Personal Concerns

¹² When I send Artemas or ^(AL)Tychicus to you, ^(AM)make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to ^(AN)spend the winter there. ¹³ Diligently help Zenas the ^(AO)lawyer and ^(AP)Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. ^14 (AQ)Our people must also learn to ^(AR)engage in good ^[c]deeds to meet ^(AS)pressing needs, so that they will not be ^(AT)unproductive.

^15 (AU)All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us ^(AV)in the faith.

^(AW)Grace be with you all.