Ecclesiastes 4; John 7:32–53

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Ecclesiastes 4

Evil Under the Sun

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. And I ythought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. But zbetter than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is avanity1 and a striving after wind.

The fool bfolds his hands and ceats his own flesh.

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

uAgain, I saw vanity under the sun: 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, gFor whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure? This also is vanity and an unhappy hbusiness.

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 hima 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 that2 youth who was to stand in the king’s3 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.


John 7:32–53

Officers Sent to Arrest Jesus

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd pmuttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent qofficers to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said, rI will be with you a little longer, and then sI am going to him who sent me. 34 tYou will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come. 35 The Jews said to one another, Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? uDoes he intend to go to vthe Dispersion among wthe Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, xYou will seek me and you will not find me, and, Where I am you cannot come?

Rivers of Living Water

37 yOn the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, zIf anyone thirsts, let him acome to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, bas1 the Scripture has said, cOut of his heart will flow rivers of dliving water. 39 Now ethis he said about the Spirit, fwhom those who believed in him were to receive, gfor as yet the Spirit had not been hgiven, ibecause Jesus was not yet glorified.

Division Among the People

40 When they heard these words, jsome of the people said, This really is kthe Prophet. 41 Others said, This is lthe Christ. But some said, mIs the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes nfrom the offspring of David, and comes ofrom Bethlehem, the village pwhere David was? 43 So there was qa division among the people over him. 44 rSome of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

45 sThe officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, Why did you not bring him? 46 The officers answered, tNo one ever spoke like this man! 47 The Pharisees answered them, uHave you also been deceived? 48 vHave any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed. 50 wNicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 xDoes our law judge a man without first ygiving him a hearing and learning what he does? 52 They replied, zAre you from Galilee too? Search and see that ano prophet arises from Galilee.

[The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:538:11.]2

The Woman Caught in Adultery

53 [[They went each to his own house,