Ecclesiastes 4
Those Oppressed
1 Then I returned and saw all the oppressions done under the sun. Behold, the weeping of the oppressed! But they have no comforter. On the side of the oppressors was power, But they have no comforter.†
2 So I praised those who were already dead More than the living, As many as are alive until now.
3 Better than both these is he who has not yet been born, Who has not seen all the evil work done under the sun.
4 Again I saw all the labor and all the courage of the worker, that this is the zeal of a man because of his companion. This is also vanity and is the choice of one’s spirit.
5 The senseless man folds his hands And consumes his own flesh.
6 Better is a handful of rest Than two handfuls of labor, And it is the choice of one’s spirit.
7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun:
8 There is one, and there is not a second one, And he has neither son nor brother. And there is no end to all his labor, Neither is his eye satisfied with wealth. But he never asks, “For whom do I labor and deprive myself of goodness?” This also is vanity and a painful distraction.†
The Treasure of Friendship
9 Two are better than one Because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For there is not a second one to help him up!†
11 If two lie down together, both stay warm, But how can one stay warm alone?
12 If one is added strength, two will stand before him, And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.†
An Unlikely King
13 Better is a poor and wise youth Than an old and senseless king Who will no longer take advice.†
14 For this youth shall come from the house of prisoners to reign, Even though in his kingdom he was born poor.
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun, And they were with the youth Who will be established in the king’s place.
16 There was no end of all the people Over whom he was made king; Yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and is the choice of one’s spirit.
Draw Near to God
17 Walk carefully when you go to the house of God. And draw near to hear, rather than to offer the sacrifice of senseless men; for they do not know that they do evil.
Psalms 119
1 An ode of ascents. †To the Lord in my affliction I cried out, and He heard me.
2 O Lord, deliver my soul from unjust lips And from a deceitful tongue.
3 What should be given You, and what added to You, Against a deceitful tongue?
4 The arrows of the Mighty One are sharpened With hot coals from the desert.
5 Woe is me! My sojourning was prolonged; I dwelt with the tents of Kedar.
6 My soul sojourned a long time as a resident alien.
7 With those who hate peace, I was peaceful; When I spoke to them, they made war against me without cause.
Psalms 120
1 An ode of ascents. I lifted my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
3 Let not your foot be moved; Neither let Him who keeps you slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord shall keep you; The Lord is your shelter at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not burn you by day Nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall keep you from all evil; The Lord shall keep your soul.
8 The Lord shall keep your coming in and your going out From this present time and unto the ages.
Proverbs 27
13 If a haughty man passes by, take away his garment, For he lays waste the goods of another.
14 Whoever blesses a friend early in the morning with a loud voice, He will not seem different from one who curses him.
15 Continual dripping on a rainy day drives a man from his house; In like manner, a contentious woman also drives a man from his own house.
16 The north wind is a harsh wind, And a prosperous man is called harsh.
17 Iron sharpens iron, And a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.†
18 Whoever plants a fig tree will eat its fruit, And whoever guards his own master will be honored.
John 14
The Way to the Father
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.†
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.†
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?†
10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.†
11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.†
13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.†
14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—†
17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.†
The Son’s Presence
18 “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.†
20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.†
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
The Son’s Departure
25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.†
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.†
28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.†
29 “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.†
30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.†
31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.†