13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?

17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

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13 Consider what God has done:(A)

Who can straighten
    what he has made crooked?(B)
14 When times are good, be happy;
    but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
    as well as the other.(C)
Therefore, no one can discover
    anything about their future.

15 In this meaningless life(D) of mine I have seen both of these:

the righteous perishing in their righteousness,
    and the wicked living long in their wickedness.(E)
16 Do not be overrighteous,
    neither be overwise—
    why destroy yourself?
17 Do not be overwicked,
    and do not be a fool—
    why die before your time?(F)
18 It is good to grasp the one
    and not let go of the other.
    Whoever fears God(G) will avoid all extremes.[a]

19 Wisdom(H) makes one wise person more powerful(I)
    than ten rulers in a city.

20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,(J)
    no one who does what is right and never sins.(K)

21 Do not pay attention to every word people say,
    or you(L) may hear your servant cursing you—
22 for you know in your heart
    that many times you yourself have cursed others.

23 All this I tested by wisdom and I said,

“I am determined to be wise”(M)
    but this was beyond me.
24 Whatever exists is far off and most profound—
    who can discover it?(N)
25 So I turned my mind to understand,
    to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things(O)
and to understand the stupidity of wickedness
    and the madness of folly.(P)

26 I find more bitter than death
    the woman who is a snare,(Q)
whose heart is a trap
    and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
    but the sinner she will ensnare.(R)

27 “Look,” says the Teacher,[b](S) “this is what I have discovered:

“Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things—
28     while I was still searching
    but not finding—
I found one upright man among a thousand,
    but not one upright woman(T) among them all.
29 This only have I found:
    God created mankind upright,
    but they have gone in search of many schemes.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 7:18 Or will follow them both
  2. Ecclesiastes 7:27 Or the leader of the assembly

37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.

38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.

39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.

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37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.(A)

Jesus Heals Many(B)(C)

38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked(D) the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.

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40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

41 And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.

42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.

43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.

44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

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40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one,(A) he healed them.(B) 41 Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!”(C) But he rebuked(D) them and would not allow them to speak,(E) because they knew he was the Messiah.

42 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God(F) to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.(G)

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