Day 423
Day 423
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 7–8:1
7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death than the day of birth.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind,
and the living will lay it to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise
than to hear the song of fools.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot,
so is the laughter of the fools;
this also is vanity.
7 Surely oppression drives the wise into madness,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,
and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Be not quick in your spirit to become angry,
for anger lodges in the heart of fools.
10 Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?”
For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance,
an advantage to those who see the sun.
12 For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money,
and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
13 Consider the work of God:
who can make straight what he has made crooked?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.
15 In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. 16 Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? 17 Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.
19 Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
21 Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. 22 Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. 24 That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
25 I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness. 26 And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her. 27 Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things—28 which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found. 29 See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.
8:1 Who is like the wise?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
A man’s wisdom makes his face shine,
and the hardness of his face is changed.
1 Thessalonians 2:1–16
2:1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!
King James Version (KJV)
Ecclesiastes 7:1-8:1
7:1A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth. 7:2It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. 7:3Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 7:4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 7:5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 7:6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. 7:7Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. 7:8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 7:9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 7:10Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. 7:11Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. 7:12For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. 7:13Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 7:14In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. 7:15All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. 7:16Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 7:17Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? 7:18It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. 7:19Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. 7:20For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. 7:21Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: 7:22For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. 7:23All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 7:24That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? 7:25I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: 7:26And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. 7:27Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: 7:28Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. 7:29Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
8:1Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.
1 Thessalonians 2:1-16
1For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:2But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.3For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:4But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.5For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness:6Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.7But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:8So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.9For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.10Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:11As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,12That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.13For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.14For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:15Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:16Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
Daily Bible Map
Study Journal Questions
- What is the benefit of sadness and the house of mourning?
- How has wisdom given you strength?
- What does it mean to be overly righteous or overly wicked?
- How did Paul minister to the Thessalonians?
Together Challenge
Mourn with someone who has lost a loved one.
