Ecclesiastes 3
A Time for Everything
1 To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:†
2 A time to give birth And a time to die; A time to plant And a time to pluck what is planted.
3 A time to kill And a time to heal; A time to pull down And a time to build up.
4 A time to weep And a time to laugh; A time to mourn And a time to dance.
5 A time to throw stones And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace And a time to refrain from embracing.
6 A time to seek And a time to lose; A time to keep And a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear And a time to sew; A time to keep silent And a time to speak.
8 A time to love And a time to hate; A time of war And a time of peace.
The Gifts of God
9 What profit has the worker from all his labors?
10 I have seen altogether the tasks which God has given to the sons of men to be engaged in.
11 He made everything beautiful in its time, and He indeed put eternity in their hearts in such a way that man may not find out the work God made from the beginning to the end.
12 I know there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good in their lives.
13 Indeed, every man should eat and drink and experience the good in all his labor—this is God’s gift to him.
14 I know that whatever things God does, They shall be forever. Nothing can be added to or taken away from these things, For God did them that men would fear before Him.†
15 What is has already been, And what is to be has already been; And God will require an account of what is past.
God Judges All
16 Moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment. The ungodly man was there. I also saw the place of the righteous man. The ungodly man was not there.
17 I said in my heart, “God will judge both the righteous man and the ungodly man, For there is a time for every action and every work.”
18 I said in my heart, “Concerning the speech of the sons of men, God will judge them so as to show them that indeed, they are themselves like animals.”
19 For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals: one thing befalls them; as is the death of the one, so also is the death of the other, and there is one breath to all. So what advantage does a man have over an animal? For all things are vanity.
20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to the dust.
21 Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?
22 So I saw that there was no good except that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion. For who shall bring him to see what happens after him?
Psalms 118
161 Rulers persecuted me without cause, But my heart feared because of Your words.
162 I shall greatly rejoice in Your teachings, Like one finding great spoil.
163 I hate and abhor unrighteousness, But I love Your law.
164 I praise You seven times a day For the judgments of Your righteousness.
165 Great peace have all who love Your law, And it is not an offense to them.
166 I long for Your salvation, O Lord, And I love Your commandments.
167 My soul keeps Your testimonies, And I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep Your commandments and Your testimonies, For all my ways are before You, O Lord.
169 Let my supplication draw near before You, O Lord; Give me understanding according to Your teaching.
170 May my petition come before You; Deliver me according to Your teaching.
171 My lips shall overflow in song When You teach me Your ordinances.
172 My tongue shall speak of Your teaching, For all Your commandments are righteousness.
173 Let Your hand be for saving me, For I chose Your commandments.
174 I long for Your salvation, O Lord, And Your law is my meditation.
175 My soul shall live and praise You, And Your judgments shall help me.
176 I went astray like a lost sheep; Seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commandments.
Proverbs 27
7 A satiated soul mocks honeycombs, But to a hungry soul, even bitter things appear sweet.
8 As when a bird flies down from its own nest, So is a man enslaved whenever he becomes a fugitive from his own place.
9 The heart delights in perfumes, wines, and incenses, But the soul is broken by mishaps.
10 Do not abandon your friend or the friend of your father, And when you have misfortune, do not go to your brother’s house; A friend nearby is better than a brother far away.
11 My son, become wise, that my heart may be glad, And turn away from your reproachful words.
12 An astute man hides when evils are at hand, But when men without discernment are at hand, they will pay the penalty.
John 13
The Betrayer in Their Midst
18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’
19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He.
20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
21 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”
22 Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.
23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.†
24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.
25 Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it. ” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.†
27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
28 But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him.
29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.
30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.
The New Commandment
31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.†
32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately.
33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you.
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.†
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Peter’s Denials Foretold
36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.”†
37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”
38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.