Ecclesiastes 12

New International Version

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”—
²before the sun and the light
    and the moon and the stars grow dark,
    and the clouds return after the rain;
³when the keepers of the house tremble,
    and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
    and those looking through the windows grow dim;
⁴when the doors to the street are closed
    and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
    but all their songs grow faint;^(C)
⁵when people are afraid of heights
    and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
    and the grasshopper drags itself along
    and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home^(D)
    and mourners^(E) go about the streets.

⁶Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
    and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
    and the wheel broken at the well,
⁷and the dust returns^(F) to the ground it came from,
    and the spirit returns to God^(G) who gave it.^(H)

⁸“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.^[a]^(I)
“Everything is meaningless!^(J)”

The Conclusion of the Matter

⁹Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.^(K) ¹⁰The Teacher^(L) searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.^(M)

¹¹The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails^(N)—given by one shepherd.^[b] ¹²Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.^(O)

¹³Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God^(P) and keep his commandments,^(Q)
    for this is the duty of all mankind.^(R)
¹⁴For God will bring every deed into judgment,^(S)
    including every hidden thing,^(T)
    whether it is good or evil.

Footnotes

Ecclesiastes 12:8 Or the leader of the assembly; also in verses 9 and 10
Ecclesiastes 12:11 Or Shepherd

2 Corinthians 2

New International Version

2 ¹So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.^(A) ²For if I grieve you,^(B) who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? ³I wrote as I did,^(C) so that when I came I would not be distressed^(D) by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence^(E) in all of you, that you would all share my joy. ⁴For I wrote you^(F) out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.

Forgiveness for the Offender

⁵If anyone has caused grief,^(G) he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. ⁶The punishment^(H) inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. ⁷Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him,^(I) so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. ⁸I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. ⁹Another reason I wrote you^(J) was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.^(K) ¹⁰Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, ¹¹in order that Satan^(L) might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.^(M)

Ministers of the New Covenant

¹²Now when I went to Troas^(N) to preach the gospel of Christ^(O) and found that the Lord had opened a door^(P) for me, ¹³I still had no peace of mind,^(Q) because I did not find my brother Titus^(R) there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.^(S)

¹⁴But thanks be to God,^(T) who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma^(U) of the knowledge^(V) of him everywhere. ¹⁵For we are to God the pleasing aroma^(W) of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.^(X) ¹⁶To the one we are an aroma that brings death;^(Y) to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?^(Z) ¹⁷Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.^(AA) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,^(AB) as those sent from God.^(AC)