The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,

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45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like(A) a merchant looking for fine pearls.

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Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom

13 (A)Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding,
14 (B)for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
    and her profit better than (C)gold.
15 She is more precious than (D)jewels,
    and (E)nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 (F)Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are (G)riches and honor.
17 Her (H)ways are ways of pleasantness,
    and all her paths are peace.
18 She is (I)a tree of life to those who (J)lay hold of her;
    those who hold her fast are called blessed.

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13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
    those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
    and yields better returns than gold.(A)
15 She is more precious than rubies;(B)
    nothing you desire can compare with her.(C)
16 Long life is in her right hand;(D)
    in her left hand are riches and honor.(E)
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
    and all her paths are peace.(F)
18 She is a tree of life(G) to those who take hold of her;
    those who hold her fast will be blessed.(H)

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26 For (A)what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or (B)what shall a man give in return for his soul?

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26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

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The Parable of the Weeds

24 He put another parable before them, saying, (A)“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,

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The Parable of the Weeds

24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like(A) a man who sowed good seed in his field.

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18 (A)Riches and honor are with me,
    (B)enduring wealth and (C)righteousness.
19 My fruit is (D)better than (E)gold, even fine gold,
    and my yield than (F)choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
    in the paths of justice,

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18 With me are riches and honor,(A)
    enduring wealth and prosperity.(B)
19 My fruit is better than fine gold;(C)
    what I yield surpasses choice silver.(D)
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,(E)
    along the paths of justice,

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18 No mention shall be made of (A)coral or of crystal;
    the price of wisdom is above (B)(C)pearls.

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18 Coral(A) and jasper(B) are not worthy of mention;
    the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.(C)

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10 (A)Take my instruction instead of silver,
    and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 (B)for wisdom is better than jewels,
    and (C)all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

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10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
    knowledge rather than choice gold,(A)
11 for wisdom is more precious(B) than rubies,
    and nothing you desire can compare with her.(C)

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But (A)they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business,

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“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business.

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13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. (A)Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 12:13 Or the duty of all mankind

13 Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God(A) and keep his commandments,(B)
    for this is the duty of all mankind.(C)

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    Surely a man (A)goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing[a] they are in turmoil;
    man (B)heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
    (C)My hope is in you.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 39:6 Hebrew Surely as a breath

“Surely everyone goes around(A) like a mere phantom;(B)
    in vain they rush about,(C) heaping up wealth(D)
    without knowing whose it will finally be.(E)

“But now, Lord, what do I look for?
    My hope is in you.(F)

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There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
    (A)Lift up (B)the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
You have put (C)more joy in my heart
    than they have when their grain and wine abound.

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Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
    Let the light of your face shine on us.(A)
Fill my heart(B) with joy(C)
    when their grain and new wine(D) abound.

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(A)Vanity[a] of vanities, says (B)the Preacher; all is vanity.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 12:8 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (three times in this verse); see note on 1:2

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.[a](A)
    “Everything is meaningless!(B)

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Footnotes

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

I (A)said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” I (B)searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on (C)folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. I made great works. I (D)built houses and planted (E)vineyards for myself. I made myself (F)gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and had (G)slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of (H)herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and (I)gold and the treasure of (J)kings and (K)provinces. I got (L)singers, both men and women, and many (M)concubines,[a] the delight of the sons of man.

So I became great and (N)surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my (O)wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart (P)found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my (Q)reward for all my toil. 11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was (R)vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing (S)to be gained under the sun.

The Vanity of Living Wisely

12 (T)So I turned to consider (U)wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only (V)what has already been done.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 2:8 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain

“Laughter,”(A) I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” I tried cheering myself with wine,(B) and embracing folly(C)—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself(D) and planted vineyards.(E) I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves(F) who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold(G) for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.(H) I acquired male and female singers,(I) and a harem[a] as well—the delights of a man’s heart. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem(J) before me.(K) In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
    I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
    and this was the reward for all my toil.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
    and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;(L)
    nothing was gained under the sun.(M)

Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless

12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,
    and also madness and folly.(N)
What more can the king’s successor do
    than what has already been done?(O)

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 2:8 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.