Iffrom humanmotivesI fought with wild beastsat Ephesus,whatdoes it profitme? Ifthe deadare not raised,LET US EATAND DRINK,FOR TOMORROWWE DIE.
"For you say,Whatadvantagewill it be to You? Whatprofitwill I have, morethanif I had sinned?'
Surelyin vainI have keptmy heartpureAnd washedmy handsin innocence;
Rejoice,youngman,during your childhood,and let your heartbe pleasantduring the daysof youngmanhood.And followthe impulsesof your heartand the desiresof your eyes.Yet knowthat Godwill bringyou to judgmentfor allthesethings.
Thereis nothingbetterfor a man[than] to eatand drinkand tellhimselfthat his laboris good.ThisalsoI have seenthat it is from the handof God.
Instead, there is gaietyand gladness,Killingof cattleand slaughteringof sheep,Eatingof meatand drinkingof wine:"Let us eatand drink,for tomorrowwe may die."
"Come,"[they say], "let us getwine,and let us drinkheavilyof strongdrink;And tomorrowwill be like today,only moreso."
And I will sayto my soul,"Soul,you havemanygoodslaidup for manyyears[to come]; take your ease,eat,drink[and] be merry."'
"For whatis a manprofitedif he gainsthe wholeworld,and losesorforfeitshimself?
They cameto Ephesus,and he leftthem there.Nowhe himselfenteredthe synagogueand reasonedwith the Jews.
but taking leaveof them and saying,"I will returnto you againif Godwills,"he set sailfrom Ephesus.
It happenedthat whileApolloswas at Corinth,Paulpassed throughthe uppercountryand cameto Ephesus,and foundsomedisciples.
But ifour unrighteousnessdemonstratesthe righteousnessof God,whatshall we say?The Godwho inflictswrathis not unrighteous,is He? (I am speakingin humanterms.)
I am speakingin human termsbecauseof the weaknessof your flesh.For justas you presentedyour membersas slavesto impurityand to lawlessness,resultingin [further] lawlessness,sonowpresentyour membersas slavesto righteousness,resultingin sanctification.
But I will remainin EphesusuntilPentecost;
Brethren,I speakin termsof humanrelations:even thoughit is [only] a man'scovenant,yetwhen it has been ratified,no onesets it asideoradds conditionsto it.
But these,likeunreasoninganimals,bornas creatures of instinctto be capturedand killed,revilingwherethey have no knowledge,will in the destructionof thosecreatures alsobe destroyed,
But these menrevilethe things whichthey do not understand;and the things whichthey knowby instinct,likeunreasoninganimals,by these thingsthey are destroyed.
