The Mystery of Time

⁹ What does the worker gain from his struggles?^{(I) 10} I have seen the task that God has given the children of Adam to keep them occupied.^{(J) 11} He has made everything appropriate^[b] in its time.^(K) He has also put eternity in their hearts,^[c] but no one can discover the work God has done from beginning to end.^{(L) 12} I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the^[d] good life. ¹³ It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts.^{(M) 14} I know that everything God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it.^(N) God works so that people will be in awe of him.^{(O) 15} Whatever is, has already been,^(P) and whatever will be, already is. However, God seeks justice for the persecuted.^[e]

The Mystery of Injustice and Death

¹⁶ I also observed under the sun: there is wickedness at the place of judgment and there is wickedness at the place of righteousness.^{(Q) 17} I said to myself, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked,^(R) since there is a time for every activity and every work.”^{(S) 18} I said to myself, “This happens so that God may test the children of Adam and they may see for themselves that they are like animals.”^{(T) 19} For the fate of the children of Adam and the fate of animals is the same.^(U) As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath. People have no advantage over animals since everything is futile. ²⁰ All are going to the same place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.^{(V) 21} Who knows if the spirits of the children of Adam go upward and the spirits of animals go downward to the earth? ²² I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities^(W) because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?^[f](X)

4 Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun.^(Y) Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them. ² So I commended the dead,^(Z) who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive. ³ But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed,^(AA) who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

The Loneliness of Wealth

⁴ I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to one person’s jealousy of another.^(AB) This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.^[g](AC)

⁷ Again, I saw futility under the sun: ⁸ There is a person without a companion,^[h] without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches.^(AG) “Who am I struggling for,” he asks, “and depriving myself of good things?” This too is futile and a miserable task.

⁹ Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. ¹⁰ For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. ¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm?^{(AH) 12} And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

¹³ Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings.^{(AI) 14} For he came from prison to be king,^(AJ) even though he was born poor in his kingdom. ¹⁵ I saw all the living, who move about under the sun, follow^[i] a second youth who succeeds him. ¹⁶ There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.^(AK)

The Life-Giving Spirit

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation^(A) for those in^(B) Christ Jesus,^{[a](C) 2} because the law^[b] of the Spirit of life^(D) in Christ Jesus has set you^[c] free from the law^[d] of sin and death.^{(E) 3} For what the law could not do^(F) since it was weakened by the flesh,^(G) God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh^(H) as a sin offering,^{[e](I) 4} in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled^(J) in us who do not walk according to the flesh^(K) but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh,^(L) but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. ⁶ Now the mindset of the flesh^(M) is death,^(N) but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ The mindset of the flesh is hostile^(O) to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. ⁸ Those who are in the flesh^(P) cannot please God. ⁹ You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.^(Q) If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,^(R) he does not belong to him. ¹⁰ Now if Christ is in you,^(S) the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit^[f] gives life^[g] because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead^(T) lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through^[h] his Spirit who lives in you.

The Holy Spirit’s Ministries

¹² So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, ¹³ because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,^(U) you will live. ¹⁴ For all those led by God’s Spirit^(V) are God’s sons.^{(W) 15} For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear.^(X) Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption,^(Y) by whom we cry out, “Abba,^[i] Father!” ^{(Z) 16} The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit^(AA) that we are God’s children, ¹⁷ and if children, also heirs^(AB)—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him^(AC) so that we may also be glorified with him.

Psalm 96^(A)

King of the Earth