Bible in a Year - Day 234

A¹ good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth. ² It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. ³ Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. ⁴ The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. ⁵ It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. ⁶ For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. ⁷ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. ⁸ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. ⁹ Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. ¹⁰ Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this. ¹¹ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. ¹² For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. ¹³ Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? ¹⁴ In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. ¹⁵ All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. ¹⁶ Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ? ¹⁷ Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? ¹⁸ It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. ¹⁹ Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. ²⁰ For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. ²¹ Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: ²² For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. ²³ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. ²⁴ That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? ²⁵ I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: ²⁶ And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. ²⁷ Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: ²⁸ Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. ²⁹ Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

¹ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. ² Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: ³ And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. ⁴ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. ⁵ They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. ⁶ We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. ⁷ Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. ⁸ He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. ⁹ In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. ¹⁰ Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. ¹² No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. ¹³ Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. ¹⁵ Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. ¹⁷ Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. ¹⁹ We love him, because he first loved us. ²⁰ If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? ²¹ And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.