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Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 (Good News Translation)   1So remember your Creator while you are still young, before those dismal days and years come when you will say, I don't enjoy life. 2That is when the light of the sun, the moon, and the stars will grow dim for you, and the rain clouds will never pass away. 3Then your arms, that have protected you, will tremble, and your legs, now strong, will grow weak. Your teeth will be too few to chew your food, and your eyes too dim to see clearly. 4Your ears will be deaf to the noise of the street. You will barely be able to hear the mill as it grinds or music as it plays, but even the song of a bird will wake you from sleep. 5You will be afraid of high places, and walking will be dangerous. Your hair will turn white; you will hardly be able to drag yourself along, and all desire will be gone. We are going to our final resting place, and then there will be mourning in the streets. 6The silver chain will snap, and the golden lamp will fall and

Ecclesiastes 5:1-20 (Good News Translation) 1Be careful about going to the Temple. It is better to go there to learn than to offer sacrifices like foolish people who don't know right from wrong. 2Think before you speak, and don't make any rash promises to God. He is in heaven and you are on earth, so don't say any more than you have to. 3The more you worry, the more likely you are to have bad dreams, and the more you talk, the more likely you are to say something foolish. 4So when you make a promise to God, keep it as quickly as possible. He has no use for a fool. Do what you promise to do. 5Better not to promise at all than to make a promise and not keep it. 6Don't let your own words lead you into sin, so that you have to tell God's priest that you didn't mean it. Why make God angry with you? Why let him destroy what you have worked for? 7No matter how much you dream, how much useless work you do, or how much you talk, you must still stand in awe of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 (Good News Translation)   1Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses. 2He sets the time for birth and the time for death, the time for planting and the time for pulling up, 3the time for killing and the time for healing, the time for tearing down and the time for building. 4He sets the time for sorrow and the time for joy, the time for mourning and the time for dancing, 5the time for making love and the time for not making love, the time for kissing and the time for not kissing. 6He sets the time for finding and the time for losing, the time for saving and the time for throwing away, 7the time for tearing and the time for mending, the time for silence and the time for talk. 8He sets the time for love and the time for hate, the time for war and the time for peace. 9What do we gain from all our work? 10I know the heavy burdens that God has laid on us. 11He has set the right time for everything. He has given us a desire to know the futur

Proverbs 25:1-28 (Good News Translation) 1Here are more of Solomon's proverbs, copied by scribes at the court of King Hezekiah of Judah. 2We honor God for what he conceals; we honor kings for what they explain. 3You never know what a king is thinking; his thoughts are beyond us, like the heights of the sky or the depths of the ocean. 4Take the impurities out of silver and the artist can produce a thing of beauty. 5Keep evil advisers away from the king and his government will be known for its justice. 6When you stand before the king, don't try to impress him and pretend to be important. 7It is better to be asked to take a higher position than to be told to give your place to someone more important. 8Don't be too quick to go to court about something you have seen. If another witness later proves you wrong, what will you do then? 9If you and your neighbor have a difference of opinion, settle it between yourselves and do not reveal any secrets. 10Otherwise everyone

Proverbs 16:1-33 (Good News Translation) 1We may make our plans, but God has the last word. 2You may think everything you do is right, but the Lord judges your motives. 3Ask the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out. 4Everything the Lord has made has its destiny; and the destiny of the wicked is destruction. 5The Lord hates everyone who is arrogant; he will never let them escape punishment. 6Be loyal and faithful, and God will forgive your sin. Obey the Lord and nothing evil will happen to you. 7When you please the Lord, you can make your enemies into friends. 8It is better to have a little, honestly earned, than to have a large income, dishonestly gained. 9You may make your plans, but God directs your actions. 10The king speaks with divine authority; his decisions are always right. 11The Lord wants weights and measures to be honest and every sale to be fair. 12Kings cannot tolerate evil, because justice is what makes a government stron

Proverbs 10:1-32 (Good News Translation)   1These are Solomon's proverbs: Wise children make their fathers proud of them; foolish ones bring their mothers grief. 2Wealth you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life. 3The Lord will not let good people go hungry, but he will keep the wicked from getting what they want. 4Being lazy will make you poor, but hard work will make you rich. 5A sensible person gathers the crops when they are ready; it is a disgrace to sleep through the time of harvest. 6Good people will receive blessings. The words of the wicked hide a violent nature. 7Good people will be remembered as a blessing, but the wicked will soon be forgotten. 8Sensible people accept good advice. People who talk foolishly will come to ruin. 9Honest people are safe and secure, but the dishonest will be caught. 10Someone who holds back the truth causes trouble, but one who openly criticizes works for peace. 11A good person's words are a fountain o

Proverbs 9:1-18 (Good News Translation)   1Wisdom has built her house and made seven columns for it. 2She has had an animal killed for a feast, mixed spices in the wine, and set the table. 3She has sent her servant women to call out from the highest place in town: 4Come in, ignorant people! And to the foolish she says, 5Come, eat my food and drink the wine that I have mixed. 6Leave the company of ignorant people, and live. Follow the way of knowledge. 7If you correct conceited people, you will only be insulted. If you reprimand evil people, you will only get hurt. 8Never correct conceited people; they will hate you for it. But if you correct the wise, they will respect you. 9Anything you say to the wise will make them wiser. Whatever you tell the righteous will add to their knowledge. 10To be wise you must first have reverence for the Lord. If you know the Holy One, you have understanding. 11Wisdom will add years to your life. 12You are the one who will profit if you have wisdom,

Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You can not serve God and mammon."

Proverbs 8:1-36 (Good News Translation)   1Listen! Wisdom is calling out. Reason is making herself heard. 2On the hilltops near the road and at the crossroads she stands. 3At the entrance to the city, beside the gates, she calls: 4I appeal to all of you; I call to everyone on earth. 5Are you immature? Learn to be mature. Are you foolish? Learn to have sense. 6Listen to my excellent words; all I tell you is right. 7What I say is the truth; lies are hateful to me. 8Everything I say is true; nothing is false or misleading. 9To those with insight, it is all clear; to the well-informed, it is all plain. 10Choose my instruction instead of silver; choose knowledge rather than the finest gold. 11I am Wisdom, I am better than jewels; nothing you want can compare with me. 12I am Wisdom, and I have insight; I have knowledge and sound judgment. 13To honor the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil ways and false words. 14I make plans and carry them out. I have understanding, a

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."   God bless you.

James 5:1-20 (Good News Translation)   1And now, you rich people, listen to me! Weep and wail over the miseries that are coming upon you! 2Your riches have rotted away, and your clothes have been eaten by moths. 3Your gold and silver are covered with rust, and this rust will be a witness against you and will eat up your flesh like fire. You have piled up riches in these last days. 4You have not paid any wages to those who work in your fields. Listen to their complaints! The cries of those who gather in your crops have reached the ears of God, the Lord Almighty. 5Your life here on earth has been full of luxury and pleasure. You have made yourselves fat for the day of slaughter. 6You have condemned and murdered innocent people, and they do not resist you. 7Be patient, then, my friends, until the Lord comes. See how patient farmers are as they wait for their land to produce precious crops. They wait patiently for the autumn and spring rains. 8You also must be patient. Keep your hopes

James 4:1-17 (Good News Translation)   1Where do all the fights and quarrels among you come from? They come from your desires for pleasure, which are constantly fighting within you. 2You want things, but you cannot have them, so you are ready to kill; you strongly desire things, but you cannot get them, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have what you want because you do not ask God for it. 3And when you ask, you do not receive it, because your motives are bad; you ask for things to use for your own pleasures. 4Unfaithful people! Don't you know that to be the world's friend means to be God's enemy? If you want to be the world's friend, you make yourself God's enemy. 5Don't think that there is no truth in the scripture that says, The spirit that God placed in us is filled with fierce desires. 6But the grace that God gives is even stronger. As the scripture says, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 7So then, submit yourselves to God. Resi

James 3:1-18 (Good News Translation) 1My friends, not many of you should become teachers. As you know, we teachers will be judged with greater strictness than others. 2All of us often make mistakes. But if a person never makes a mistake in what he says, he is perfect and is also able to control his whole being. 3We put a bit into the mouth of a horse to make it obey us, and we are able to make it go where we want. 4Or think of a ship: big as it is and driven by such strong winds, it can be steered by a very small rudder, and it goes wherever the pilot wants it to go. 5So it is with the tongue: small as it is, it can boast about great things.  Just think how large a forest can be set on fire by a tiny flame! 6And the tongue is like a fire. It is a world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself. 7We humans are able to tame and have tam

James 2:1-26 (Good News Translation) 1My friends, as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, you must never treat people in different ways according to their outward appearance. 2Suppose a rich man wearing a gold ring and fine clothes comes to your meeting, and a poor man in ragged clothes also comes. 3If you show more respect to the well-dressed man and say to him, Have this best seat here, but say to the poor man, Stand over there, or sit here on the floor by my feet, 4then you are guilty of creating distinctions among yourselves and of making judgments based on evil motives. 5Listen, my dear friends! God chose the poor people of this world to be rich in faith and to possess the kingdom which he promised to those who love him. 6But you dishonor the poor! Who are the ones who oppress you and drag you before the judges? The rich! 7They are the ones who speak evil of that good name which has been given to you. 8You will be doing the right thing if you obey th

James 1:1-27 (Good News Translation)   1From James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: Greetings to all God's people scattered over the whole world. 2My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, 3for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. 4Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all. 6But when you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind. 7-8If you are like that, unable to make up your mind and undecided in all you do, you must not think that you will receive anything from the Lord. 9Those Christians who are poor must be glad when God lifts them up, 10and the rich Christ

1 Corinthians 3:1-23 (Good News Translation)   1As a matter of fact, my friends, I could not talk to you as I talk to people who have the Spirit; I had to talk to you as though you belonged to this world, as children in the Christian faith. 2I had to feed you milk, not solid food, because you were not ready for it. And even now you are not ready for it, 3because you still live as the people of this world live. When there is jealousy among you and you quarrel with one another, doesn't this prove that you belong to this world, living by its standards? 4When one of you says, I follow Paul, and another, I follow Apollos—aren't you acting like worldly people? 5After all, who is Apollos? And who is Paul? We are simply God's servants, by whom you were led to believe. Each one of us does the work which the Lord gave him to do: 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plant, but it was God who made the plant grow. 7The one who plants and the one who waters really do not matter.

1 Corinthians 2:1-16 (Good News Translation) 1When I came to you, my friends, to preach God's secret truth, I did not use big words and great learning. 2For while I was with you, I made up my mind to forget everything except Jesus Christ and especially his death on the cross. 3So when I came to you, I was weak and trembled all over with fear, 4and my teaching and message were not delivered with skillful words of human wisdom, but with convincing proof of the power of God's Spirit. 5Your faith, then, does not rest on human wisdom but on God's power. 6Yet I do proclaim a message of wisdom to those who are spiritually mature. But it is not the wisdom that belongs to this world or to the powers that rule this world—powers that are losing their power. 7The wisdom I proclaim is God's secret wisdom, which is hidden from human beings, but which he had already chosen for our glory even before the world was made. 8None of the rulers of this world knew this wisdom. If

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (Good News Translation)   18For the message about Christ's death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved it is God's power. 19The scripture says, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and set aside the understanding of the scholars. 20So then, where does that leave the wise? or the scholars? or the skillful debaters of this world? God has shown that this world's wisdom is foolishness! 21For God in his wisdom made it impossible for people to know him by means of their own wisdom. Instead, by means of the so-called foolish message we preach, God decided to save those who believe. 22Jews want miracles for proof, and Greeks look for wisdom. 23As for us, we proclaim the crucified Christ, a message that is offensive to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles; 24but for those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, this message is Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For what seems to be

1 Corinthians 1:1-17 (Good News Translation)   1From Paul, who was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes— 2To the church of God which is in Corinth, to all who are called to be God's holy people, who belong to him in union with Christ Jesus, together with all people everywhere who worship our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: 3May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4I always give thanks to my God for you because of the grace he has given you through Christ Jesus. 5For in union with Christ you have become rich in all things, including all speech and all knowledge. 6The message about Christ has become so firmly established in you 7that you have not failed to receive a single blessing, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be faultless on the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is to be trusted, the God who called you t

"As a shepherd seek out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day." God bless you.

Psalm 119:145-176 (Good News Translation)   145With all my heart I call to you; answer me, Lord, and I will obey your commands! 146I call to you; save me, and I will keep your laws. 147Before sunrise I call to you for help; I place my hope in your promise. 148All night long I lie awake, to meditate on your instructions. 149Because your love is constant, hear me, O Lord; show your mercy, and preserve my life! 150My cruel persecutors are coming closer, people who never keep your law. 151But you are near to me, Lord, and all your commands are permanent. 152Long ago I learned about your instructions; you made them to last forever. 153Look at my suffering, and save me, because I have not neglected your law. 154Defend my cause, and set me free; save me, as you have promised. 155The wicked will not be saved, for they do not obey your laws. 156But your compassion, Lord, is great; show your mercy and save me! 157I have many enemies and oppressors, but I do not fail to obey your laws. 158Wh

"Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.' And they divided His garments and cast lots."   God bless you.

"Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman."   God bless you.

"And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, 'Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.' Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' Immediately his leprosy was cleansed." Jesus healed a leper. God bless you.

Psalm 119:73-96 (Good News Translation) 73You created me, and you keep me safe; give me understanding, so that I may learn your laws. 74Those who honor you will be glad when they see me, because I trust in your promise. 75I know that your judgments are righteous, Lord, and that you punished me because you are faithful. 76Let your constant love comfort me, as you have promised me, your servant. 77Have mercy on me, and I will live because I take pleasure in your law. 78May the proud be ashamed for falsely accusing me; as for me, I will meditate on your instructions. 79May those who honor you come to me— all those who know your commands. 80May I perfectly obey your commandments and be spared the shame of defeat. 81I am worn out, Lord, waiting for you to save me; I place my trust in your word. 82My eyes are tired from watching for what you promised, while I ask, When will you help me? 83I am as useless as a discarded wineskin; yet I have not forgotten your commands. 84H

"But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all."   God bless you.

Psalm 119:49-72 (Good News Translation)   49Remember your promise to me, your servant; it has given me hope. 50Even in my suffering I was comforted because your promise gave me life. 51The proud are always scornful of me, but I have not departed from your law. 52I remember your judgments of long ago, and they bring me comfort, O Lord. 53When I see the wicked breaking your law, I am filled with anger. 54During my brief earthly life I compose songs about your commands. 55In the night I remember you, Lord, and I think about your law. 56I find my happiness in obeying your commands. 57You are all I want, O Lord; I promise to obey your laws. 58I ask you with all my heart to have mercy on me, as you have promised! 59I have considered my conduct, and I promise to follow your instructions. 60Without delay I hurry to obey your commands. 61The wicked have laid a trap for me, but I do not forget your law. 62In the middle of the night I wake up to praise you for your righteous judgments. 63I am

Psalm 139 (Good News Translation)   1Lord, you have examined me and you know me. 2You know everything I do; from far away you understand all my thoughts. 3You see me, whether I am working or resting; you know all my actions. 4Even before I speak, you already know what I will say. 5You are all around me on every side; you protect me with your power. 6Your knowledge of me is too deep; it is beyond my understanding. 7Where could I go to escape from you? Where could I get away from your presence? 8If I went up to heaven, you would be there; if I lay down in the world of the dead, you would be there. 9If I flew away beyond the east or lived in the farthest place in the west, 10you would be there to lead me, you would be there to help me. 11I could ask the darkness to hide me or the light around me to turn into night, 12but even darkness is not dark for you, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are the same to you. 13You created every part of me; you put me together

"Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.'" Jesus said, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." God bless you.

Psalm 39 (Good News Translation)   1I said, I will be careful about what I do and will not let my tongue make me sin; I will not say anything while evil people are near. 2I kept quiet, not saying a word, not even about anything good! But my suffering only grew worse, 3and I was overcome with anxiety. The more I thought, the more troubled I became; I could not keep from asking:  4Lord, how long will I live? When will I die? Tell me how soon my life will end. 5How short you have made my life! In your sight my lifetime seems nothing. Indeed every living being is no more than a puff of wind, 6no more than a shadow. All we do is for nothing; we gather wealth, but don't know who will get it. 7What, then, can I hope for, Lord? I put my hope in you. 8Save me from all my sins, and don't let fools make fun of me. 9I will keep quiet, I will not say a word, for you are the one who made me suffer like this. 10Don't punish me any more! I am about to die from your blows. 11You punish

Psalm 37 (Good News Translation)   1Don't be worried on account of the wicked; don't be jealous of those who do wrong. 2They will soon disappear like grass that dries up; they will die like plants that wither. 3Trust in the Lord and do good; live in the land and be safe. 4Seek your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desire. 5Give yourself to the Lord; trust in him, and he will help you; 6he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun. 7Be patient and wait for the Lord to act; don't be worried about those who prosper or those who succeed in their evil plans. 8Don't give in to worry or anger; it only leads to trouble. 9Those who trust in the Lord will possess the land, but the wicked will be driven out. 10Soon the wicked will disappear; you may look for them, but you won't find them; 11but the humble will possess the land and enjoy prosperity and peace. 12The wicked plot against good people and glare at them with hate. 13But

"All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." God bless you.

Psalm 19 (Good News Translation) 1How clearly the sky reveals God's glory! How plainly it shows what he has done! 2Each day announces it to the following day; each night repeats it to the next. 3No speech or words are used, no sound is heard; 4yet their message goes out to all the world and is heard to the ends of the earth. God made a home in the sky for the sun; 5it comes out in the morning like a happy bridegroom, like an athlete eager to run a race. 6It starts at one end of the sky and goes across to the other. Nothing can hide from its heat. 7The law of the Lord is perfect; it gives new strength. The commands of the Lord are trustworthy, giving wisdom to those who lack it. 8The laws of the Lord are right, and those who obey them are happy. The commands of the Lord are just and give understanding to the mind. 9Reverence for the Lord is good; it will continue forever. The judgments of the Lord are just; they are always fair. 10They are more desirable than the

Psalm 1 (Good News Translation)   1Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God. 2Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord, and they study it day and night. 3They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do. 4But evil people are not like this at all; they are like straw that the wind blows away. 5Sinners will be condemned by God and kept apart from God's own people. 6The righteous are guided and protected by the Lord, but the evil are on the way to their doom.   God bless you.

"And when He had called His twelve discples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease."   God bless you.