Cast Your Burden on the Lord

To the choirmaster: with ^(A)stringed instruments. A Maskil^[a] of David.

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor

^8 (A)If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, ^(B)do not be amazed at the matter, ^(C)for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. ⁹ But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.^[a]

¹⁰ He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. ¹¹ When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? ¹² Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.

^13 (D)There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, ¹⁴ and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. ^15 (E)As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. ¹⁶ This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what ^(F)gain is there to him who ^(G)toils for the wind? ¹⁷ Moreover, all his days he ^(H)eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.

¹⁸ Behold, what I have seen to be ^(I)good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment^[b] in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his ^(J)lot. ¹⁹ Everyone also to whom ^(K)God has given ^(L)wealth and possessions ^(M)and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is ^(N)the gift of God. ²⁰ For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

²³ Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, ^(A)imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. ²⁴ So then, ^(B)the law was our ^(C)guardian until Christ came, ^(D)in order that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, ²⁶ for in Christ Jesus ^(E)you are all sons of God, through faith. ²⁷ For as many of you as ^(F)were baptized ^(G)into Christ have ^(H)put on Christ. ^28 (I)There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave^[a] nor free, ^(J)there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And ^(K)if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, ^(L)heirs according to promise.

Sons and Heirs

4 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave,^[b] though he is the owner of everything, ² but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. ³ In the same way we also, when we were children, ^(M)were enslaved to the elementary principles^[c] of the world. ⁴ But ^(N)when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, ^(O)born ^(P)of woman, born ^(Q)under the law, ^5 (R)to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive ^(S)adoption as sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent ^(T)the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then ^(U)an heir through God.

Paul's Concern for the Galatians

⁸ Formerly, when you ^(V)did not know God, you ^(W)were enslaved to those that by nature ^(X)are not gods. ⁹ But now that you have come to know God, or rather ^(Y)to be known by God, ^(Z)how can you turn back again to ^(AA)the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? ^10 (AB)You observe days and months and seasons and years! ¹¹ I am afraid ^(AC)I may have labored over you in vain.

Traditions and Commandments

15 ^(A)Then Pharisees and ^(B)scribes came to Jesus ^(C)from Jerusalem and said, ^2 (D)“Why do your disciples break ^(E)the tradition of the elders? ^(F)For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” ³ He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded, ^(G)‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ^(H)‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ ⁵ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”^{[a] 6} he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have ^(I)made void the word^[b] of God. ^7 (J)You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

What Defiles a Person

¹⁰ And he called the people to him and said to them, ^(M)“Hear and understand: ^11 (N)it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” ¹² Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were ^(O)offended when they heard this saying?” ¹³ He answered, ^(P)“Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted ^(Q)will be rooted up. ¹⁴ Let them alone; ^(R)they are blind guides.^[c] And ^(S)if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” ¹⁵ But Peter said to him, ^(T)“Explain the parable to us.” ¹⁶ And he said, ^(U)“Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not see that ^(V)whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?^{[d] 18} But ^(W)what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. ¹⁹ For out of the heart come ^(X)evil thoughts, ^(Y)murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, ^(Z)slander. ^20 (AA)These are what defile a person. But ^(AB)to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”