Ecclesiastes 3:1

I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad.

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him.

Jesus therefore said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.

Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. Yet no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘The set feasts of Yahweh, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my set feasts.

Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that Yahweh’s wrath didn’t come on them in the days of Hezekiah.

He didn’t humble himself before Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more.

A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth. The work of a man’s hands shall be rewarded to him.

Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.

Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary. He awakens morning by morning, he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.

For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will render to everyone according to his deeds.

Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. He was mighty in the Scriptures.

“ ‘These are the set feasts of Yahweh, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their appointed season.

But he said, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” He urged him to take it; but he refused.

Behold, they cried out, saying, “What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”

You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time?

They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.

Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”

Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” and, “I follow Christ.”

For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive the things in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time,

The earth yielded grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with their seeds in it, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.

May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”

When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation, and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to Yahweh.”

She said to Elijah, “What have I to do with you, you man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to memory, and to kill my son!”

Of the children of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their heads were two hundred; and all their brothers were at their command.

“Why aren’t times laid up by the Almighty? Why don’t those who know him see his days?

Let them sing before Yahweh, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of fools gush out folly.

Righteous lips are the delight of kings. They value one who speaks the truth.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.

For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.

Say to the king and to the queen mother, “Humble yourselves. Sit down, for your crowns have come down, even the crown of your glory.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.”

The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.

When she heard this, she arose quickly and went to him.

Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.”

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.

Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed, and each as the Lord gave to him?

Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.

“ ‘These are the appointed feasts of Yahweh which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh, a burnt offering, a meal offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, each on its own day—

He said to him, “Didn’t my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive groves and vineyards, and sheep and cattle, and male servants and female servants?

One of his servants said, “No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”

But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Then the king sent a man from before him; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door shut against him. Isn’t the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”

Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, “Yahweh is righteous.”

In the time of his distress, he trespassed yet more against Yahweh, this same king Ahaz.

Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God, when you heard his words against this place, and against its inhabitants, and have humbled yourself before me, and have torn your clothes, and wept before me, I also have heard you,” says Yahweh.

He did that which was evil in Yahweh his God’s sight. He didn’t humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from Yahweh’s mouth.

Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

Lying lips are an abomination to Yahweh, but those who do the truth are his delight.

There is gold and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.

An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.

I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”

I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.

The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.

Then Daniel answered before the king, “Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

“At the time of the end the king of the south will contend with him; and the king of the north will come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships. He will enter into the countries, and will overflow and pass through.

He said, “Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.

Yahweh’s voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name: “Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.

But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’

For the earth bears fruit: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

They, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. He sought how he might conveniently deliver him.

But Peter asked her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him.

I coveted no one’s silver, gold, or clothing.

In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Now concerning Apollos, the brother, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers; and it was not at all his desire to come now; but he will come when he has an opportunity.

For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints, and those who fear your name, to the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

He seized the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years,

When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

Joy comes to a man with the reply of his mouth. How good is a word at the right time!

In the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you can’t discern the signs of the times!