Friday in Epiphany

1Verse 1. I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile. 2Verse 2. I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” 3Verse 3. I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly— my mind still guiding me with wisdom— until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. 4Verse 4. I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5Verse 5. I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees. 6Verse 6. I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees. 7Verse 7. I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me, 8Verse 8. and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men — many concubines. 9Verse 9. So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me. 10Verse 10. Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. 11Verse 11. Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

1Verse 1. When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2Verse 2. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3Verse 3. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4Verse 4. My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5Verse 5. so that your faith would not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. 6Verse 6. Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom — but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7Verse 7. No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began. 8Verse 8. None of the rulers of this age understood it. For if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9Verse 9. Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10Verse 10. But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.