Ecclesiastes 3:6

“If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple.

Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.

He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him.

But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.

You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.

Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”

As it is written, “He has scattered abroad. He has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.”

In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening don’t withhold your hand; for you don’t know which will prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both will be equally good.

Behold, one came to him and said, “Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”

For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.

“Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.

I will cut off all the horns of the wicked, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send out the feet of the ox and the donkey.

For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw things overboard.

But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him.”

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

Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; for you don’t know what evil will be on the earth.

You shall defile the overlaying of your engraved images of silver, and the plating of your molten images of gold. You shall cast them away as an unclean thing. You shall tell it, “Go away!”

For in that day everyone shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold—sin which your own hands have made for you.

But the noble devises noble things; and he will continue in noble things.

“Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Return, and turn yourselves from your idols! Turn away your faces from all your abominations.

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits, and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

and you will be blessed, because they don’t have the resources to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.”

If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.

“ ‘If your brother has become poor, and his hand can’t support himself among you, then you shall uphold him. He shall live with you like an alien and a temporary resident.

When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to get it. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, “Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice, and nobody answered. They leaped about the altar which was made.

The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously.

All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His offspring is blessed.

Wait for Yahweh, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

Blessed is he who considers the poor. Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil.

Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear. Forget your own people, and also your father’s house.

But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox. I am anointed with fresh oil.

Wealth and riches are in his house. His righteousness endures forever.

There is one who scatters, and increases yet more. There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty.

There are those who covet greedily all day long; but the righteous give and don’t withhold.

The wicked flee when no one pursues; but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

Bel bows down. Nebo stoops. Their idols are carried by animals, and on the livestock. The things that you carried around are heavy loads, a burden for the weary.

They will cast their silver in the streets, and their gold will be as an unclean thing. Their silver and their gold won’t be able to deliver them in the day of Yahweh’s wrath. They won’t satisfy their souls or fill their bellies; because it has been the stumbling block of their iniquity.

He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.

But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.

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

He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.

The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light.

Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,

For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.

For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son.

that I will not take a thread nor a sandal strap nor anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’

Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father. Take a wife from there from the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.

and he took away all his livestock, and all his possessions which he had gathered, including the livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram, to go to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan.

You shall surely restore to him the pledge when the sun goes down, that he may sleep in his garment and bless you. It shall be righteousness to you before Yahweh your God.

Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let the young men find favor in your eyes; for we come on a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand, to your servants, and to your son David.’ ”

Yahweh said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.

The king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothing.

His servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had asked you do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean?’ ”

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?

The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, “My father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them?”

They went after them to the Jordan; and behold, all the path was full of garments and equipment which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. The messengers returned, and told the king.

So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him, and said, “Your son Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’ ”

Now Elisha became sick with the illness of which he died; and Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over him, and said, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”

So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me.”

He also followed their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead, and the Syrians wounded Joram.

They gave them drinks in golden vessels of various kinds, including royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the king.

He has dispersed, he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted with honor.

Truth’s lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only momentary.

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

Cast your bread on the waters; for you shall find it after many days.

In that day, men shall cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which have been made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,

A multitude of camels will cover you, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah. All from Sheba will come. They will bring gold and frankincense, and will proclaim the praises of Yahweh.

Do you seek great things for yourself? Don’t seek them; for, behold, I will bring evil on all flesh,’ says Yahweh; ‘but I will let you escape with your life wherever you go.’ ”

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.

Then the mariners were afraid, and every man cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship, and he was laying down, and was fast asleep.

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

Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life.

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.”

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

On the third day, they threw out the ship’s tackle with their own hands.

that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to share;

But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.

He who acts unjustly, let him act unjustly still. He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is righteous, let him do righteousness still. He who is holy, let him be holy still.”

When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.