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19 Rich and poor are both there,
    and the slave is free from his master.

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19 The small and the great are there,(A)
    and the slaves are freed from their owners.

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23 And I know you are sending me to my death—
    the destination of all who live.

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23 I know you will bring me down to death,(A)
    to the place appointed for all the living.(B)

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27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,

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27 Just as people are destined to die once,(A) and after that to face judgment,(B)

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22 “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet.[a] The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and he went to the place of the dead.[b] There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.

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Footnotes

  1. 16:22 Greek to Abraham’s bosom.
  2. 16:23 Greek to Hades.

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.

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For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

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and the dust returns(A) to the ground it came from,
    and the spirit returns to God(B) who gave it.(C)

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Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.

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when 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(A)
    and mourners(B) go about the streets.

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None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue the wicked.

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As no one has power over the wind to contain it,
    so[a] no one has power over the time of their death.
As no one is discharged in time of war,
    so wickedness will not release those who practice it.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 8:8 Or over the human spirit to retain it, / and so

14 Like sheep, they are led to the grave,[a]
    where death will be their shepherd.
In the morning the godly will rule over them.
    Their bodies will rot in the grave,
    far from their grand estates.
15 But as for me, God will redeem my life.
    He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude

16 So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich
    and their homes become ever more splendid.
17 For when they die, they take nothing with them.
    Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
18 In this life they consider themselves fortunate
    and are applauded for their success.
19 But they will die like all before them
    and never again see the light of day.
20 People who boast of their wealth don’t understand;
    they will die, just like animals.

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Footnotes

  1. 49:14 Hebrew Sheol; also in 49:14b, 15.

14 They are like sheep and are destined(A) to die;(B)
    death will be their shepherd
    (but the upright will prevail(C) over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
    far from their princely mansions.
15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;(D)
    he will surely take me to himself.(E)
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
    when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing(F) with them when they die,
    their splendor will not descend with them.(G)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—(H)
    and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,(I)
    who will never again see the light(J) of life.

20 People who have wealth but lack understanding(K)
    are like the beasts that perish.(L)

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They trust in their wealth
    and boast of great riches.
Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death[a]
    by paying a ransom to God.
Redemption does not come so easily,
    for no one can ever pay enough
to live forever
    and never see the grave.

10 Those who are wise must finally die,
    just like the foolish and senseless,
    leaving all their wealth behind.

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Footnotes

  1. 49:7 Some Hebrew manuscripts read no one can redeem the life of another.

those who trust in their wealth(A)
    and boast(B) of their great riches?(C)
No one can redeem the life of another
    or give to God a ransom for them—
the ransom(D) for a life is costly,
    no payment is ever enough—(E)
so that they should live on(F) forever
    and not see decay.(G)
10 For all can see that the wise die,(H)
    that the foolish and the senseless(I) also perish,
    leaving their wealth(J) to others.(K)

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High and low,
    rich and poor—listen!

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both low and high,(A)
    rich and poor alike:

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