Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Vanity of Wisdom
12 I, the (A)Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I (B)gave my heart to seek and (C)explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is [a]a grievous (D)endeavor which God has given to the sons of men with which to occupy themselves. 14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is [b](E)vanity and striving after wind.
The Vanity of Labor
18 Thus I hated (A)all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must (B)leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or (C)a man of simpleminded folly? Yet he will have [a]power over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored and for which I have acted wisely under the sun. This too is (D)vanity. 20 Therefore I turned my heart to despair of all my labor for which I had labored under the sun. 21 When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and (E)skill, then he (F)gives his portion to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what does a man get in (G)all his labor and in the striving of his heart with which he labors under the sun? 23 Because all his days his endeavor is painful and (H)vexing; even at night his heart (I)does not lie down. This too is vanity.
Why Should I Fear in Days of Evil?
For the choir director. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm.
49 (A)Hear this, all peoples;
Give ear, all (B)inhabitants of the world,
2 Both [a](C)low and [b]high,
Rich and poor together.
3 My mouth will (D)speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart will be (E)discernment.
4 I will incline my ear to (F)a proverb;
(G)I will [c]express my (H)riddle on the harp.
5 Why should I (I)fear in days of evil,
When the iniquity of my [d]supplanters surrounds me,
6 Even those who (J)trust in their wealth
And boast in the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly, no man can (K)redeem his brother;
He cannot give to God a (L)ransom for him—
8 For (M)the redemption price for their soul is costly,
And it ceases forever—
9 That he should (N)live on eternally,
That he should not (O)see [e]corruption.
10 For he sees that even (P)wise men die;
The [f](Q)fool and the senseless alike perish
And (R)leave their wealth to others.
11 Their [g](S)inner thought is that their houses (T)are forever
And their dwelling places [h]from generation to generation;
They have (U)called their lands after their own names.
12 But (V)man in his honor will not endure;
He is like the animals that [i]perish.
Put On the New Man
3 Therefore, if you have been (A)raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, (B)seated at the right hand of God. 2 [a](C)Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you (D)died and your life has been hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, (E)who is our life, is manifested, (F)then you also will be manifested with Him in glory.
5 (G)Therefore, [b]consider (H)the members of your earthly body as dead to (I)sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these things, (J)the wrath of God is coming [c]upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and (K)in them you also once walked, when you were living [d]in them. 8 But now you also, (L)lay them all aside: (M)wrath, anger, malice, slander, and (N)abusive speech from your mouth. 9 [e](O)Do not lie to one another, since you (P)put off the old man with its evil practices, 10 and have (Q)put on the new man who is being [f](R)renewed to a full knowledge (S)according to the image of the One who (T)created him— 11 a renewal in which (U)there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, (V)circumcised and uncircumcised, [g](W)barbarian, Scythian, (X)slave, and freeman, but (Y)Christ is all and in all.
Parable of the Rich Fool
13 And someone from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14 But He said to him, “(A)Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 Then He said to them, “(B)Watch out and be on your guard against every form of greed, for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” 16 And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. 17 And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, (C)you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘(D)You fool! This very night [a](E)your soul is required of you; and (F)now who will own what you prepared?’ 21 So is the one who (G)stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
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