What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth? ¹ 

Look, all who were angry at you will be ashamed and humiliated; your adversaries ¹  will be reduced to nothing ²  and perish.

“Exert every effort ¹  to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.

One who argues with his creator is in grave danger, ¹  one who is like a mere ²  shard among the other shards on the ground! The clay should not say to the potter, ³  “What in the world ⁴  are you doing? Your work lacks skill!” ⁵ 

I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man ¹  on earth, ²  and I concluded: Everything ³  he has accomplished ⁴  is futile ⁵  – like chasing the wind! ⁶ 

Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil ¹  and chasing the wind.

You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed ¹  in your struggle against sin.

So the Lord said, “My spirit will not remain in ¹  humankind indefinitely, ²  since ³  they ⁴  are mortal. ⁵  They ⁶  will remain for 120 more years.” ⁷ 

Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, ¹  through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to join fervently with me in prayer to God on my behalf.

Toward this goal ¹  I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully ²  works in me.

In fact this is why ¹  we work hard and struggle, ²  because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, ³  especially of believers.

Only conduct yourselves ¹  in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that – whether I come and see you or whether I remain absent – I should hear that ²  you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, by contending side by side for the faith of the gospel, ³ 

He says, ¹  “Stop your striving and recognize ²  that I am God! I will be exalted ³  over ⁴  the nations! I will be exalted over ⁵  the earth!”

He does not always accuse, and does not stay angry. ¹ 

Do not accuse ¹  anyone ²  without legitimate cause, ³  if he has not treated you wrongly.

Those who forsake the law ¹  praise the wicked, ²  but those who keep the law contend ³  with them.

He will not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

Instead, pursue ¹  his ²  kingdom, ³  and these things will be given to you as well.

Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he will not be crowned as the winner ¹  unless he competes according to the rules. ² 

But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, ¹  quarrels, and fights about the law, ²  because they are useless and empty.