wasting time

¹⁶but like the wise: atoning for this age, because this is an evil time. ¹⁷For this reason, do not choose to be imprudent. Instead, understand what is the will of God.

²³Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as for the Lord, and not for men.

⁹How long will you slumber, you lazy one? When will you rise up from your sleep? ¹⁰You will sleep a little, you will slumber a little, you will fold your hands a little to sleep, ¹¹and then destitution will meet with you, like a traveler, and poverty, like an armed man. Yet truly, if you would be diligent, then your harvest will arrive like a fountain, and destitution will flee far from you.

¹²be numbered? So make known your right hand, along with men learned in heart, in wisdom.

¹All things have their time, and all things under heaven continue during their interval.

⁶Go to the ant, you lazy one, and consider her ways, and so learn wisdom. ⁷For though she has no ruler, nor instructor, nor leader, ⁸she provides meals for herself in the summer, and she gathers at the harvest what she may eat.

¹⁴consider that you do not know what will be tomorrow.

⁵Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming this age. ⁶Let your speech be ever graceful, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to respond to each person.

¹²Sow for yourselves in justice, and harvest in the mouth of mercy; renew your fallow land. But the time when you will seek the Lord is the time when he will arrive who will teach you justice.

¹⁹Or do you not know that your bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? ²⁰For you have been bought at a great price. Glorify and carry God in your body.

²⁸Whoever was stealing, let him now not steal, but rather let him labor, working with his hands, doing what is good, so that he may have something to distribute to those who suffer need.

³For the time that has passed is sufficient to have fulfilled the will of the Gentiles, those who have walked in luxuries, lusts, intoxication, feasting, drinking, and the illicit worship of idols.

¹⁵And so, brothers, see to it that you walk cautiously, not like the foolish, ¹⁶but like the wise: atoning for this age, because this is an evil time. ¹⁷For this reason, do not choose to be imprudent. Instead, understand what is the will of God.

³⁰I passed by the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a foolish man, ³¹and behold, it was entirely filled with nettles, and thorns had covered its surface, and the stonewall was destroyed. ³²When I had seen this, I laid it up in my heart, and by this example, I received discipline. ³³You will sleep a little,” I said. “You will slumber briefly. You will fold your hands a little, so as to rest. ³⁴And destitution will overtake you like a runner, and begging will overtake you like an armed man.”

¹⁴Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.