Behold, the Lamb of God

²⁹ The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, ^(A)the Lamb of God, who ^(B)takes away the sin ^(C)of the world! ³⁰ This is he of whom I said, ^(D)‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ³¹ I myself did not know him, but ^(E)for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ³² And John ^(F)bore witness: ^(G)“I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and ^(H)it remained on him. ³³ I myself did not know him, but ^(I)he who sent me to baptize ^(J)with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, ^(K)this is he who baptizes ^(L)with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son^[a] of God.”

¹⁷ So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for ^(A)all is vanity and a striving after wind.

The Vanity of Toil

¹⁸ I hated ^(B)all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must ^(C)leave it to the man who will come after me, ¹⁹ and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? 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 ^(D)turned about and gave my heart up to despair ^(E)over all the toil of my labors under the sun, ²¹ because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. ²² What has a man from ^(F)all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? ²³ For ^(G)all his days are full of sorrow, and his ^(H)work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.

^24 (I)There is nothing better for a person than that he should ^(J)eat and drink and find enjoyment^[a] in his toil. This also, I saw, is ^(K)from the hand of God, ²⁵ for apart from him^[b] who can eat or who can have enjoyment? ²⁶ For to the one who pleases him ^(L)God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given ^(M)the business of gathering and collecting, ^(N)only to give to one who pleases God. ^(O)This also is vanity and a striving after wind.