Obey Rulers

8 Who is like the wise person and who knows the meaning of a matter? A person’s wisdom ^(A)illuminates his face and makes his ^(B)stern face ^[a]brighten up.

² I say, “Keep the ^[b]command of the king because of the ^(C)oath ^[c]before God. ³ Do not be in a hurry ^[d](D)to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.” ⁴ Since the word of the king is authoritative, ^(E)who will say to him, “What are you doing?”

⁵ One who ^(F)keeps a royal command ^(G)experiences no ^[e]trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. ⁶ For ^(H)there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a person’s trouble is heavy upon him. ⁷ If no one ^(I)knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? ^8 (J)No one has authority over the wind to restrain the wind, nor authority over the day of death; and there is no military discharge in the time of war, and ^(K)evil will not save ^[f]those who practice it. ⁹ All this I have seen, and have applied my ^[g]mind to every deed that has been done under the sun at a time when one person has exercised ^(L)authority over another person to his detriment.

¹⁰ So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they are ^(M)soon forgotten in the city where they did such things. This too is futility. ¹¹ Because the ^(N)sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore ^(O)the hearts of the sons of mankind among them are ^[h]fully given to do evil. ¹² Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may ^(P)lengthen his life, still I know that it will go ^(Q)well for those who fear God, who fear ^[i]Him openly. ¹³ But it will ^(R)not go well for the evil person and he will not lengthen his days like a ^(S)shadow, because he does not fear God.

¹⁴ There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are ^(T)righteous people to whom it ^[j]happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are ^(U)evil people to whom it ^[k]happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility. ¹⁵ So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for ^(V)a person under the sun except to eat, drink, and be joyful, and this will stand by him in his labor throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

¹⁶ When I ^(W)devoted my ^[l]mind to know wisdom and to see the business which has been done on the earth (even though one should ^[m](X)never sleep day or night), ¹⁷ and I saw every work of God, I concluded that ^(Y)one cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though a person laboriously seeks, he will not discover; and ^(Z)even if the wise person claims to know, he cannot discover.

Preach the Word

4 ^(A)I solemnly exhort you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to ^(B)judge the living and the dead, and by His ^(C)appearing and His kingdom: ² preach ^(D)the word; be ready ^[a]in season and out of season; ^(E)correct, rebuke, and ^[b]exhort, with ^[c]great ^(F)patience and instruction. ³ For ^(G)the time will come when they will not tolerate ^(H)sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, ⁴ and they ^(I)will turn their ears away from the truth and ^(J)will turn aside to myths. ⁵ But as for you, ^(K)use self-restraint in all things, ^(L)endure hardship, do the work of an ^(M)evangelist, fulfill your ^(N)ministry.

⁶ For I am already being ^(O)poured out as a drink offering, and the time of ^(P)my departure has come. ^7 (Q)I have fought the good fight, I have finished ^(R)the course, I have kept ^(S)the faith; ⁸ in the future there ^(T)is reserved for me ^(U)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on ^(V)that day; and not only to me, but also to ^(W)all who have loved His ^(X)appearing.

Personal Concerns

^9 (Y)Make every effort to come to me soon; ¹⁰ for ^(Z)Demas, having loved ^(AA)this present ^[d]world, has deserted me and gone to ^(AB)Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to ^[e](AC)Galatia, ^(AD)Titus to Dalmatia. ^11 (AE)Only ^(AF)Luke is with me. Take along ^(AG)Mark and bring him with you, ^(AH)for he is useful to me for service. ¹² But I have sent ^(AI)Tychicus to ^(AJ)Ephesus. ¹³ When you come, bring the overcoat which I left at ^(AK)Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments. ^14 (AL)Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; ^(AM)the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵ Be on guard against him yourself too, for he vigorously opposed our ^[f]teaching.

¹⁶ At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; ^(AN)may it not be counted against them. ¹⁷ But the Lord stood with me and ^(AO)strengthened me, so that through me ^(AP)the proclamation might ^[g]be ^(AQ)fully accomplished, and that all ^(AR)the Gentiles might hear; and I was ^(AS)rescued out of ^(AT)the lion’s mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will ^[h](AU)bring me safely to His ^(AV)heavenly kingdom; ^(AW)to ^[i]Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁹ Greet Prisca and ^(AX)Aquila, and ^(AY)the household of Onesiphorus. ^20 (AZ)Erastus remained at ^(BA)Corinth, but I left ^(BB)Trophimus sick at ^(BC)Miletus. ^21 (BD)Make every effort to come before ^(BE)winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters.

^22 (BF)The Lord be with your spirit. ^(BG)Grace be with you.