I said of partying, “It is folly,” and of self-indulgent pleasure, “It accomplishes nothing!”

“Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

I thought to myself, “Come now, I will try self-indulgent pleasure to see if it is worthwhile.” But I found that it also is futile.

But the one who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.

You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

One who has isolated himself seeks his own desires; he rejects all sound judgment.

The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

The one who keeps the law is a discerning child, but a companion of gluttons brings shame to his parents.

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.

Does it make you any more of a king that you outstrip everyone else in building with cedar? Just think about your father. He was content that he had food and drink. He did what was just and right. So things went well with him.

“But be on your guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap.

Even though they have the appearance of wisdom with their self-imposed worship and false humility achieved by an unsparing treatment of the body – a wisdom with no true value – they in reality result in fleshly indulgence.