From Dust to Dust

16 Moreover, ^jI saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even ^kthere was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, ^lGod will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is ^ma time for every matter and for every work. 18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but ⁿbeasts. 19 ^oFor what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.¹ 20 All go to one place. All are from ^pthe dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows whether ^qthe spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is ^rnothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for ^sthat is his lot. Who can bring him to see ^twhat will be after him?

Evil Under the Sun

1 ^uAgain I ^vsaw all ^wthe oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had ^xno one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I ^ythought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 But ^zbetter than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is ^avanity² and a striving after wind.

5 The fool ^bfolds his hands and ^ceats his own flesh.

6 ^dBetter is a handful of ^equietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.

7 ^uAgain, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his ^feyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, ^g“For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy ^hbusiness.

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, ⁱbut how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13 Better was ^ja poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how ^kto take advice. 14 For he went ^lfrom prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. 15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that³ youth who was to stand in the king’s⁴ place. 16 There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is ^mvanity and a striving after wind.

Fear God

1 ⁿGuard your steps when you go to ^othe house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to ^poffer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2 ⁶ Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore ^qlet your words be few. 3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with ^rmany words.

4 When ^syou vow a vow to God, ^tdo not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. ^uPay what you vow. 5 ^vIt is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Let not your mouth lead you⁷ into sin, and do not say before ^wthe messenger⁸ that it was ^xa mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity;⁹ but^{10 y}God is the one you must fear.

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor

8 ^zIf you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, ^ado not be amazed at the matter, ^bfor 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.¹¹

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 ^cThere 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 ^dAs 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 ^egain is there to him who ^ftoils for the wind? 17 Moreover, all his days he ^geats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.

18 Behold, what I have seen to be ^hgood and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment¹² 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 ⁱlot. 19 Everyone also to whom ^jGod has given ^kwealth and possessions ^land power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is ^mthe 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.

1 ⁿThere is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man ^oto whom ^pGod gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he ^qlacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God ^rdoes not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity;¹³ it is a grievous evil. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that ^sthe days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life’s ^tgood things, and he also has no ^uburial, I say that ^va stillborn child is better 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 ^wseen the sun or known anything, yet it finds ^xrest rather than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy¹⁴ no good—do not all go to the one place?

7 ^yAll the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.¹⁵ 8 For what advantage has the wise man ^zover the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? 9 Better ^ais the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is ^bvanity and a striving after wind.

10 Whatever has come to be has ^calready been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to ^ddispute with one stronger than he. 11 The 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 few days of his ^evain¹⁶ life, which he passes like ^fa shadow? For who can tell man what will be ^gafter him under the sun?

The Collection for the Saints

1 Now concerning^{1 e}the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2 On ^fthe first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, ^gas he may prosper, ^hso that there will be no collecting when I come. 3 And when I arrive, I will send ⁱthose whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.

Plans for Travel

5 ^jI will visit you after passing through ^kMacedonia, for ^lI intend to pass through Macedonia, 6 and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may ^mhelp me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now ⁿjust in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, ^oif the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay in Ephesus until ^pPentecost, 9 for ^qa wide door for effective work has opened to me, and ^rthere are many adversaries.

10 ^sWhen Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for ^the is doing ^uthe work of the Lord, as I am. 11 So ^vlet no one despise him. ^wHelp him on his way ^xin peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.

Final Instructions

12 Now concerning ^your brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will² to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.

13 ^zBe watchful, ^astand firm in the faith, ^bact like men, ^cbe strong. 14 ^dLet all that you do be done in love.

15 Now I urge you, brothers³—you know that ^ethe household⁴ of Stephanas were ^fthe first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves ^gto the service of the saints— 16 ^hbe subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for ⁱyour absence, 18 for they ^jrefreshed my spirit as well as yours. ^kGive recognition to such people.

Greetings

19 The churches of Asia send you greetings. ^lAquila and Prisca, together with ^mthe church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. 20 All the brothers send you greetings. ⁿGreet one another with a holy kiss.

21 I, Paul, write ^othis greeting with my own hand. 22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be ^paccursed. Our Lord, come!⁵ 23 ^qThe grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.