Ecclesiastes 2:18-23
New King James Version
18 Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because (A)I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his [a]heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 (B)For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? 23 For all his days are (C)sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
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- Ecclesiastes 2:21 Lit. portion
Psalm 49:6-14
New King James Version
6 Those who (A)trust in their wealth
And boast in the multitude of their riches,
7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
Nor (B)give to God a ransom for him—
8 For (C)the redemption of their souls is costly,
And it shall cease forever—
9 That he should continue to live eternally,
And (D)not [a]see the Pit.
10 For he sees wise men die;
Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish,
And leave their wealth to others.
11 [b]Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever,
Their dwelling places to all generations;
They (E)call their lands after their own names.
12 Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not [c]remain;
He is like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the way of those who are (F)foolish,
And of their posterity who approve their sayings. Selah
14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave;
Death shall feed on them;
(G)The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning;
(H)And their beauty shall be consumed in [d]the grave, far from their dwelling.
Footnotes
- Psalm 49:9 experience corruption
- Psalm 49:11 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. Their graves shall be their houses forever
- Psalm 49:12 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. understand (cf. v. 20)
- Psalm 49:14 Or Sheol
Luke 12:16-21
New King James Version
16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, (A)“Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; (B)eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night (C)your soul will be required of you; (D)then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, (E)and is not rich toward God.”
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1 Timothy 6:6-7
New King James Version
6 Now godliness with (A)contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, [a]and it is (B)certain we can carry nothing out.
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- 1 Timothy 6:7 NU omits and it is certain
1 Timothy 6:17-19
New King James Version
Instructions to the Rich
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain (A)riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things (B)to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 (C)storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Read full chapterScripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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