Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Voice of the Lord in the Storm.

A Psalm of David.

The Futility of Pleasure and Possessions

2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure and gratification; so enjoy yourself and have a good time.” But behold, this too was vanity (futility, meaninglessness).^{(A) 2} I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” ³ I explored with my mind how to gratify myself with wine while [at the same time] having my mind remain steady and guide me wisely; and how to take control of foolishness, until I could see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives. ⁴ I made great works: I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself; ⁵ I made gardens and orchards for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; ⁶ I made pools of water for myself from which to water the forest and make the trees bud. ⁷ I bought male and female slaves and had slaves born in my house. I also possessed herds and flocks larger than any who preceded me in Jerusalem. ⁸ Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male singers and female singers, and the delights and pleasures of men—^[a]many ^[b]concubines.^(B)

⁹ So I became great and excelled more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me. ¹⁰ Whatever my eyes looked at with desire I did not refuse them. I did not withhold from my heart any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor; and this was my reward for all my labor. ¹¹ Then I considered all which my hands had done and labored to do, and behold, all was vanity and chasing after the wind and there was no profit (nothing of lasting value) under the sun.^(C)

Paul’s Reliance upon the Spirit

2 And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming to you the ^[a]testimony of God [concerning salvation through Christ], I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom [no lofty words of eloquence or of philosophy as a Greek orator might do]; ² for I made the decision to ^[b]know nothing [that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while] among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified [and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection]. ³ I came to you in [a state of] weakness and fear and great trembling. ⁴ And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom [using clever rhetoric], but [they were delivered] in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit [operating through me] and of [His] power [stirring the minds of the listeners and persuading them], ⁵ so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom and rhetoric of men, but on the power of God.

⁶ Yet we do speak wisdom among those spiritually mature [believers who have teachable hearts and a greater understanding]; but [it is a higher] wisdom not [the wisdom] of this present age nor of the rulers and leaders of this age, who are passing away; ⁷ but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom once hidden [from man, but now revealed to us by God, that wisdom] which God predestined before the ages to our glory [to lift us into the glory of His presence]. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age recognized and understood this wisdom; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; ⁹ but just as it is written [in Scripture],

¹⁰ For God has unveiled them and revealed them to us through the [Holy] Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things [diligently], even [sounding and measuring] the [profound] depths of God [the divine counsels and things far beyond human understanding].