Day 426
Day 426
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 11–12
11:1 Cast your bread upon the waters,
for you will find it after many days.
2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight,
for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.
3 If the clouds are full of rain,
they empty themselves on the earth,
and if a tree falls to the south or to the north,
in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
4 He who observes the wind will not sow,
and he who regards the clouds will not reap.
5 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.
7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.
8 So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.
9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
10 Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
12:1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, 3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, 4 and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low—5 they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets—6 before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.
9 Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. 10 The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:1–11
5:1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
King James Version (KJV)
Ecclesiastes 11:1-12:14
11:1Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. 11:2Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 11:3If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. 11:4He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. 11:5As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. 11:6In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. 11:7Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: 11:8But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. 11:9Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. 11:10Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
12:1Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;12:2While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:12:3In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,12:4And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;12:5Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:12:6Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.12:7Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.12:8Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.12:9And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.12:10The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.12:11The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.12:12And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.12:13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.12:14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
1But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.2For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.4But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.5Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.7For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.8But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.9For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,10Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.11Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Study Journal Questions
- How does knowing that God will judge you impact your life?
- What is the “whole duty of man”?
- How are you preparing for the coming of the Lord?
- What is the difference between a child of the day and a child of the night?
Together Challenge
Encourage and build one another up with Paul’s words to the Thessalonians.
