1 ^rThere is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man to whom God gives ^swealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, ^tbut a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity;¹ it is a grievous evil. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is ^unot satisfied with life’s good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a ^vstillborn child is ^wbetter off than he. 4 For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. 5 Moreover, it has not ^xseen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy² no good—^ydo not all go to the one place?

7 ^zAll the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.³ 8 For ^awhat advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? 9 Better is the ^bsight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a ^cstriving after wind.

10 ^dWhatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. 11 ^eThe more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? 12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the ^ffew days of his ^gvain⁴ life, which he passes ^hlike a shadow? For ⁱwho can tell man what will be after him under the sun?

Restore Our Fortunes, O Lord

A Song of Ascents.

The Light of the Gospel

1 Therefore, having this ministry ^rby the mercy of God,¹ we do not ^slose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. ^tWe refuse to practice² cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth ^uwe would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even ^vif our gospel is veiled, it is veiled ^wto those who are perishing. 4 In their case the ^xgod of this world has ^yblinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the ^zimage of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but ^aJesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your ^bservants³ for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, ^c“Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts ^dto give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 ^eWe are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 ^falways carrying in the body the death of Jesus, ^gso that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are ^halways being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So ⁱdeath is at work in us, but life in you.

13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, ^j“I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 ^kknowing that ^lhe who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and ^mbring us with you into his presence. 15 For ⁿit is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self⁴ is wasting away, our ^oinner self is being ^prenewed day by day. 17 For ^qthis light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look ^rnot to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Our Heavenly Dwelling

1 For we know that if the ^stent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a ^thouse not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we ^ugroan, longing ^vto put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on⁵ we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a ^wguarantee.⁶

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for ^xwe walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and ^ywe would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For ^zwe must all appear before the ^ajudgment seat of Christ, so that ^beach one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

11 Therefore, knowing the ^cfear of the Lord, we persuade others. But ^dwhat we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 ^eWe are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause ^fto boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward ^gappearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For ^hif we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died ⁱfor all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for ^jall, that those who live might ^kno longer live for themselves but ^lfor him who for their sake died and was raised.

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one ^maccording to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a ⁿnew creation.^{7 o}The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ ^preconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling⁸ the world to himself, not ^qcounting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ^rambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake ^she made him to be sin ^twho knew no sin, ^uso that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God ^vin vain. 2 For he says,

Behold, ^xnow is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no ^yobstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God ^zwe commend ourselves in every way: ^aby great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the ^bpower of God; with the ^cweapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as ^ddying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet ^ealways rejoicing; as poor, yet making many ^frich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

11 We have spoken freely to you,⁹ Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but ^gyou are restricted in your own affections. 13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.

The Temple of the Living God

14 Do not be ^hunequally yoked with unbelievers. For ⁱwhat partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or ^jwhat fellowship has light with darkness? 15 ^kWhat accord has Christ with Belial?¹⁰ Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ^lwe are the temple of the living God; as God said,