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Ecclesiastes 10-12
New American Standard Bible

A Little Foolishness

10 Dead flies turn a (A)perfumer’s oil rancid, so a little foolishness is more [a]potent than wisdom and honor. 2 A wise person’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish (B)person’s heart directs him toward the left. 3 Even when the fool walks along the road, his [b]sense is lacking, and he [c](C)demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool. 4 If the ruler’s [d]temper rises against you, (D)do not abandon your place, because (E)composure puts great offenses to rest.

5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like a mistake that proceeds from the ruler: 6 (F)foolishness is set in many exalted places while the rich sit in humble places. 7 I have seen (G)slaves riding (H)on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.

8 (I)One who digs a pit may fall into it, and a (J)serpent may bite one who breaks through a wall. 9 One who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and one who splits logs may be endangered by them. 10 If the [e]axe is dull and he does not sharpen its [f]edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of bringing success. 11 If the serpent bites [g](K)before being charmed, there is no benefit for the charmer. 12 (L)Words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, while the lips of a (M)fool consume him; 13 the beginning of [h]his talking is foolishness, and the end of [i]it is evil (N)insanity. 14 Yet the (O)fool multiplies words. No person knows what will happen, and who can tell him (P)what will come after him? 15 The labor of [j]a fool makes him so weary that he does not even know how to go to a city. 16 Woe to you, land whose (Q)king is a boy, and whose princes [k]feast in the morning. 17 Blessed are you, land whose king is of nobility, and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for (R)drunkenness. 18 Through (S)extreme laziness the rafters sag, and through idleness the house leaks. 19 People prepare a meal for enjoyment, (T)wine makes life joyful, and (U)money [l]is the answer to everything. 20 Furthermore, (V)in your bedroom do not (W)curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich person; for a bird of the sky will bring the sound, and the winged one will make your word known.

Cast Your Bread on the Waters

11 (X)Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you (Y)will find it [m]after many days. 2 (Z)Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what (AA)misfortune may occur on the earth. 3 If the clouds are full, they pour out rain on the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it [n]lies. 4 One who watches the wind will not sow and one who looks at the clouds will not harvest. 5 Just as you do not (AB)know the path of the [o]wind, and (AC)how bones are formed in the womb of the [p]pregnant woman, so you do not (AD)know the activity of God who makes everything.

6 Sow your seed (AE)in the morning and do not [q]be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether [r]one or the other will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.

7 The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to (AF)see the sun. 8 Indeed, if a person lives many years, let him (AG)rejoice in them all; but let him remember the (AH)days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.

9 Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the [s]impulses of your heart and the [t](AI)desires of your eyes. Yet know that (AJ)God will bring you to judgment for all these things. 10 So remove [u]sorrow from your heart and keep [v](AK)pain away from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are [w]fleeting.

Remember God in Your Youth

12 (AL)Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the (AM)evil days come and the years approach when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the (AN)sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; 3 on the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and strong men are (AO)bent over, the grinders stop working because they are few, and (AP)those who look through [x]windows grow [y]dim; 4 and the doors on the street are shut as the (AQ)sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the (AR)daughters of song will [z]sing softly. 5 Furthermore, people are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and the caper berry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal (AS)home while the (AT)mourners move around in the street. 6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is [aa]broken and the (AU)golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the spring is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the (AV)dust will return to the earth as it was, and the [ab](AW)spirit will return to (AX)God who gave it. 8 “(AY)Futility of futilities,” says the Preacher, “all is futility!”

Purpose of the Preacher

9 In addition to being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out, and arranged (AZ)many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find (BA)delightful words and to write (BB)words of truth correctly.

11 The (BC)words of the wise are like [ac](BD)goads, and masters of these collections are like driven (BE)nails; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 But beyond this, my son, be warned: the [ad]writing of (BF)many books is endless, and excessive (BG)study is [ae]wearying to the body.

13 The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is: (BH)fear God and (BI)keep His commandments, because this applies to (BJ)every person. 14 For (BK)God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:1 Lit costly
  2. Ecclesiastes 10:3 Lit heart
  3. Ecclesiastes 10:3 Lit says
  4. Ecclesiastes 10:4 Lit spirit
  5. Ecclesiastes 10:10 Lit iron
  6. Ecclesiastes 10:10 Lit faces
  7. Ecclesiastes 10:11 Lit with no incantation
  8. Ecclesiastes 10:13 Lit the words of his mouth
  9. Ecclesiastes 10:13 Lit his mouth
  10. Ecclesiastes 10:15 Lit fools make
  11. Ecclesiastes 10:16 Lit eat
  12. Ecclesiastes 10:19 Lit answers all
  13. Ecclesiastes 11:1 Lit in, within
  14. Ecclesiastes 11:3 Lit is
  15. Ecclesiastes 11:5 Or with many mss spirit into the bones in the womb
  16. Ecclesiastes 11:5 Lit full
  17. Ecclesiastes 11:6 Lit let down your hand
  18. Ecclesiastes 11:6 Lit this or that
  19. Ecclesiastes 11:9 Lit ways
  20. Ecclesiastes 11:9 Lit sights
  21. Ecclesiastes 11:10 Or anger
  22. Ecclesiastes 11:10 Lit evil
  23. Ecclesiastes 11:10 Lit futility
  24. Ecclesiastes 12:3 Or holes
  25. Ecclesiastes 12:3 I.e., in their eyesight
  26. Ecclesiastes 12:4 Lit be low
  27. Ecclesiastes 12:6 As in LXX; Heb removed
  28. Ecclesiastes 12:7 Or breath
  29. Ecclesiastes 12:11 I.e., spiked sticks for driving cattle
  30. Ecclesiastes 12:12 Lit making
  31. Ecclesiastes 12:12 Lit weariness
Listen to Ecclesiastes 10-12, Galatians 1
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Ecclesiastes 10-12
New International Version

10 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
    so a little folly(A) outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
    but the heart of the fool to the left.
3 Even as fools walk along the road,
    they lack sense
    and show everyone(B) how stupid they are.
4 If a ruler’s anger rises against you,
    do not leave your post;(C)
    calmness can lay great offenses to rest.(D)

5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
    the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
6 Fools are put in many high positions,(E)
    while the rich occupy the low ones.
7 I have seen slaves on horseback,
    while princes go on foot like slaves.(F)

8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;(G)
    whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.(H)
9 Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
    whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.(I)

10 If the ax is dull
    and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed,
    but skill will bring success.

11 If a snake bites before it is charmed,
    the charmer receives no fee.(J)

12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,(K)
    but fools are consumed by their own lips.(L)
13 At the beginning their words are folly;
    at the end they are wicked madness—
14     and fools multiply words.(M)

No one knows what is coming—
    who can tell someone else what will happen after them?(N)

15 The toil of fools wearies them;
    they do not know the way to town.

16 Woe to the land whose king was a servant[a](O)
    and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth
    and whose princes eat at a proper time—
    for strength and not for drunkenness.(P)

18 Through laziness, the rafters sag;
    because of idle hands, the house leaks.(Q)

19 A feast is made for laughter,
    wine(R) makes life merry,
    and money is the answer for everything.

20 Do not revile the king(S) even in your thoughts,
    or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird in the sky may carry your words,
    and a bird on the wing may report what you say.

Invest in Many Ventures

11 Ship(T) your grain across the sea;
    after many days you may receive a return.(U)
2 Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight;
    you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.

3 If clouds are full of water,
    they pour rain on the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,
    in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
    whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

5 As you do not know the path of the wind,(V)
    or how the body is formed[b] in a mother’s womb,(W)
so you cannot understand the work of God,
    the Maker of all things.

6 Sow your seed in the morning,
    and at evening let your hands not be idle,(X)
for you do not know which will succeed,
    whether this or that,
    or whether both will do equally well.

Remember Your Creator While Young

7 Light is sweet,
    and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.(Y)
8 However many years anyone may live,
    let them enjoy them all.
But let them remember(Z) the days of darkness,
    for there will be many.
    Everything to come is meaningless.

9 You who are young, be happy while you are young,
    and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
    and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
    God will bring you into judgment.(AA)
10 So then, banish anxiety(AB) from your heart
    and cast off the troubles of your body,
    for youth and vigor are meaningless.(AC)

12 Remember(AD) your Creator
    in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble(AE) come
    and the years approach when you will say,
    “I find no pleasure in them”—
2 before the sun and the light
    and the moon and the stars grow dark,
    and the clouds return after the rain;
3 when the keepers of the house tremble,
    and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
    and those looking through the windows grow dim;
4 when the doors to the street are closed
    and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
    but all their songs grow faint;(AF)
5 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(AG)
    and mourners(AH) go about the streets.

6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
    and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
    and the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns(AI) to the ground it came from,
    and the spirit returns to God(AJ) who gave it.(AK)

8 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.[c](AL)
    “Everything is meaningless!(AM)”

The Conclusion of the Matter

9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.(AN) 10 The Teacher(AO) searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.(AP)

11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails(AQ)—given by one shepherd.[d] 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.(AR)

13 Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God(AS) and keep his commandments,(AT)
    for this is the duty of all mankind.(AU)
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,(AV)
    including every hidden thing,(AW)
    whether it is good or evil.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:16 Or king is a child
  2. Ecclesiastes 11:5 Or know how life (or the spirit) / enters the body being formed
  3. Ecclesiastes 12:8 Or the leader of the assembly; also in verses 9 and 10
  4. Ecclesiastes 12:11 Or Shepherd
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Ecclesiastes 9
Song of Solomon 1
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Galatians 1
New American Standard Bible

Introduction

1 Paul, (A)an apostle ((B)not sent from men nor through human agency, but (C)through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who (D)raised Him from the dead), 2 and all (E)the brothers who are with me,

To (F)the churches of Galatia:

3 (G)Grace to you and peace from [a]God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who (H)gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from (I)this present evil [b]age, according to the will of (J)our God and Father, 5 (K)to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.

Distortion of the Gospel

6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting (L)Him who called you [c]by the grace of Christ, for a (M)different gospel, 7 which is not just another account; but there are some who are (N)disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or (O)an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be [d](P)accursed! 9 As we (Q)have said before, even now I say again: (R)if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be [e](S)accursed!

10 For am I now (T)seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a (U)bond-servant of Christ.

Paul Defends His Ministry

11 For (V)I would have you know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel which was preached by me is (W)not [f]of human invention. 12 For (X)I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a (Y)revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 For you have heard of (Z)my former way of life in Judaism, how I (AA)used to persecute (AB)the church of God beyond measure and (AC)tried to destroy it; 14 and I (AD)was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my [g]countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my (AE)ancestral traditions. 15 But when [h]He who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and (AF)called me through His grace was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might (AG)preach Him among the Gentiles, (AH)I did not immediately consult with [i](AI)flesh and blood, 17 (AJ)nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to (AK)Damascus.

18 Then (AL)three years later I went up (AM)to Jerusalem to [j]become acquainted with [k](AN)Cephas, and stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 But I did not see another one of the apostles except [l](AO)James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now in what I am writing to you, [m]I assure you (AP)before God that I am not lying.) 21 Then (AQ)I went into the regions of (AR)Syria and (AS)Cilicia. 22 I was still unknown by [n]sight to (AT)the churches of Judea which are (AU)in Christ; 23 but they only kept hearing, “The man who once persecuted us is now preaching (AV)the faith which he once (AW)tried to destroy.” 24 And they (AX)were glorifying God [o]because of me.

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 1:3 One early ms God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ
  2. Galatians 1:4 Or world
  3. Galatians 1:6 Lit in
  4. Galatians 1:8 Gr anathema
  5. Galatians 1:9 Gr anathema
  6. Galatians 1:11 Lit according to man
  7. Galatians 1:14 Lit race
  8. Galatians 1:15 One early ms God who
  9. Galatians 1:16 I.e., people
  10. Galatians 1:18 Or visit
  11. Galatians 1:18 I.e., Peter
  12. Galatians 1:19 Or Jacob
  13. Galatians 1:20 Lit behold before God
  14. Galatians 1:22 Lit face
  15. Galatians 1:24 Lit in me
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Galatians 1
New International Version

1 Paul, an apostle(A)—sent not from men nor by a man,(B) but by Jesus Christ(C) and God the Father,(D) who raised him from the dead(E)— 2 and all the brothers and sisters[a] with me,(F)

To the churches in Galatia:(G)

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,(H) 4 who gave himself for our sins(I) to rescue us from the present evil age,(J) according to the will of our God and Father,(K) 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.(L)

No Other Gospel

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called(M) you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel(N)— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion(O) and are trying to pervert(P) the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you,(Q) let them be under God’s curse!(R) 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted,(S) let them be under God’s curse!

10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people?(T) If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul Called by God

11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters,(U) that the gospel I preached(V) is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man,(W) nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation(X) from Jesus Christ.(Y)

13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism,(Z) how intensely I persecuted the church of God(AA) and tried to destroy it.(AB) 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous(AC) for the traditions of my fathers.(AD) 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb(AE) and called me(AF) by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles,(AG) my immediate response was not to consult any human being.(AH) 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.(AI)

18 Then after three years,(AJ) I went up to Jerusalem(AK) to get acquainted with Cephas[b] and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James,(AL) the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God(AM) that what I am writing you is no lie.(AN)

21 Then I went to Syria(AO) and Cilicia.(AP) 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea(AQ) that are in Christ.(AR) 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith(AS) he once tried to destroy.”(AT) 24 And they praised God(AU) because of me.

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 1:2 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 11; and in 3:15; 4:12, 28, 31; 5:11, 13; 6:1, 18.
  2. Galatians 1:18 That is, Peter
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Galatians 2
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