Fear God

5 ^{[a] (A)}Guard your steps when you go to ^(B)the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to ^(C)offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. ^2 [b] Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore ^(D)let your words be few. ³ For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with ^(E)many words.

⁴ When ^(F)you vow a vow to God, ^(G)do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. ^(H)Pay what you vow. ^5 (I)It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. ⁶ Let not your mouth lead you^[c] into sin, and do not say before ^(J)the messenger^[d] that it was ^(K)a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? ⁷ For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity;^[e] but^{[f] (L)}God is the one you must fear.

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor

^8 (M)If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, ^(N)do not be amazed at the matter, ^(O)for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. ⁹ But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.^[g]

¹⁰ He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. ¹¹ When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? ¹² Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.

^13 (P)There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, ¹⁴ and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. ^15 (Q)As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. ¹⁶ This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what ^(R)gain is there to him who ^(S)toils for the wind? ¹⁷ Moreover, all his days he ^(T)eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.

¹⁸ Behold, what I have seen to be ^(U)good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment^[h] in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his ^(V)lot. ¹⁹ Everyone also to whom ^(W)God has given ^(X)wealth and possessions ^(Y)and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is ^(Z)the gift of God. ²⁰ For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

The Lord Surrounds His People

A Song of ^(A)Ascents.

The Light of the Gospel

4 Therefore, having ^(A)this ministry ^(B)by the mercy of God,^[a] we do not lose heart. ² But we have renounced ^(C)disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice^[b] cunning or ^(D)to tamper with God's word, but ^(E)by the open statement of the truth ^(F)we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. ³ And even ^(G)if our gospel is veiled, ^(H)it is veiled to ^(I)those who are perishing. ⁴ In their case ^(J)the god of this world ^(K)has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing ^(L)the light of ^(M)the gospel of the glory of Christ, ^(N)who is the image of God. ⁵ For what ^(O)we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ^(P)ourselves as your servants^[c] for Jesus' sake. ⁶ For God, who said, ^(Q)“Let light shine out of darkness,” ^(R)has shone in our hearts to give ^(S)the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

⁷ But we have this treasure in ^(T)jars of clay, ^(U)to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ⁸ We are ^(V)afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹ persecuted, but ^(W)not forsaken; ^(X)struck down, but not destroyed; ^10 (Y)always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, ^(Z)so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies. ¹¹ For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So ^(AA)death is at work in us, but life in you.

¹³ Since we have ^(AB)the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, ^(AC)“I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, ¹⁴ knowing that ^(AD)he who raised the Lord Jesus ^(AE)will raise us also with Jesus and ^(AF)bring us with you into his presence. ¹⁵ For ^(AG)it is all for your sake, so that as ^(AH)grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, ^(AI)to the glory of God.

¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. ^(AJ)Though our outer self^[d] is wasting away, ^(AK)our inner self ^(AL)is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For ^(AM)this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ^18 (AN)as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Our Heavenly Dwelling

5 For we know that if ^(AO)the tent that is ^(AP)our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, ^(AQ)a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this tent ^(AR)we groan, longing to ^(AS)put on our heavenly dwelling, ³ if indeed by putting it on^[e] we may not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal ^(AT)may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, ^(AU)who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.^[f]

⁶ So we are always of good courage. We know that ^(AV)while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, ⁷ for ^(AW)we walk by faith, not ^(AX)by sight. ⁸ Yes, we are of good courage, and we ^(AY)would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to ^(AZ)please him. ¹⁰ For ^(BA)we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, ^(BB)so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

¹¹ Therefore, knowing ^(BC)the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But ^(BD)what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. ^12 (BE)We are not commending ourselves to you again but ^(BF)giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. ¹³ For if we ^(BG)are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ ^(BH)controls us, because we have concluded this: that ^(BI)one has died for all, therefore all have died; ¹⁵ and he died for all, ^(BJ)that those who live might no longer live for themselves but ^(BK)for him who for their sake died and was raised.

¹⁶ From now on, therefore, ^(BL)we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is ^(BM)in Christ, he is ^(BN)a new creation.^{[g] (BO)}The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ¹⁸ All this is from God, ^(BP)who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us ^(BQ)the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling^[h] the world to himself, ^(BR)not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us ^(BS)the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ Therefore, ^(BT)we are ambassadors for Christ, ^(BU)God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ^21 (BV)For our sake he made him to be sin ^(BW)who knew no sin, so that in him we might become ^(BX)the righteousness of God.

6 ^(BY)Working together with him, then, ^(BZ)we appeal to you ^(CA)not to receive the grace of God in vain. ² For he says,

Behold, ^(CC)now is the ^(CD)favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. ³ We ^(CE)put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, ⁴ but ^(CF)as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: ^(CG)by great endurance, ^(CH)in afflictions, ^(CI)hardships, calamities, ^5 (CJ)beatings, imprisonments, ^(CK)riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; ^6 (CL)by purity, ^(CM)knowledge, patience, kindness, ^(CN)the Holy Spirit, ^(CO)genuine love; ⁷ by ^(CP)truthful speech, and ^(CQ)the power of God; with ^(CR)the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; ⁸ through honor and dishonor, ^(CS)through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; ⁹ as unknown, and ^(CT)yet well known; ^(CU)as dying, and behold, we live; ^(CV)as punished, and yet not killed; ^10 (CW)as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; ^(CX)as poor, yet making many rich; ^(CY)as having nothing, ^(CZ)yet possessing everything.

¹¹ We have spoken freely to you,^[i] Corinthians; ^(DA)our heart is wide open. ¹² You are not restricted by us, but ^(DB)you are restricted in your own affections. ^13 (DC)In return (I speak ^(DD)as to children) widen your hearts also.

The Temple of the Living God

^14 (DE)Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For ^(DF)what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or ^(DG)what fellowship has light with darkness? ^15 (DH)What accord has Christ with Belial?^[j] Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ^(DI)we are the temple of the living God; as God said,