¹⁶ For there is no enduring remembrance of the wise or of fools, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How can the wise die just like fools? ¹⁷ So I hated life because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.^(A)

¹⁸ I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to my successor,^{(B) 19} and who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. ²⁰ So I turned and gave my heart up to despair concerning all the toil of my labors under the sun,^{(C) 21} because sometimes one who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave all to be enjoyed by another who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.^{(D) 22} What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun?^{(E) 23} For all their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest. This also is vanity.^(F)

²⁴ There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink and find enjoyment in their toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God,^{(G) 25} for apart from him^[a] who can eat or who can have enjoyment? ²⁶ For to the one who pleases him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he gives the work of gathering and heaping, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.^(H)

¹⁸ Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days,^{(A) 19} but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord’s brother.^{(B) 20} In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie! ²¹ Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia,^{(C) 22} and I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ;^{(D) 23} they only heard it said, “The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴ And they glorified God because of me.

Paul and the Other Apostles

2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.^{(E) 2} I went up in response to a revelation. Then I laid before them (though only in a private meeting with the acknowledged leaders) the gospel that I proclaim among the gentiles, in order to make sure that I was not running, or had not run, in vain.^{(F) 3} But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.^{(G) 4} But because of false brothers and sisters secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might enslave us^(H)— ⁵ we did not submit to them even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might always remain with you.^{(I) 6} And from those who were supposed to be acknowledged leaders (what they actually were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those leaders contributed nothing to me.^{(J) 7} On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised^{(K) 8} (for he who worked through Peter making him an apostle to the circumcised also worked through me in sending me to the gentiles), ⁹ and when James and Cephas and John, who were acknowledged pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the gentiles and they to the circumcised.^{(L) 10} They asked only one thing, that we remember the poor, which was actually what I was^[a] eager to do.^(M)

⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place.^(A)

The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth

⁵⁴ He came to his hometown and began to teach the people^[a] in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power?^{(B) 55} Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?^{(C) 56} And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?” ⁵⁷ And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor except in their own hometown and in their own house.”^{(D) 58} And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.