Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

1 For everything there is a season, and l a time for every matter under heaven:

2 a time to be born, and a time to m die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
 4 a time to n weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to o dance;
 5 a time to p cast away stones, and a time to q gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to r refrain from embracing;
 6 a time to seek, and a time to s lose;
a time to keep, and a time to t cast away;
 7 a time to u tear, and a time to sew;
a time to v keep silence, and a time to speak;
 8 a time to love, and a time to w hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

The God-Given Task

9 What x gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen y the business that z God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has a made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot b find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is c nothing better for them than to be joyful and to d do good as long as they live; 13 also e that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil - this is f God's gift to man.

14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; g nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is, h already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God i seeks what has been driven away. 1

From Dust to Dust

16 Moreover, j I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even k there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, l God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is m a time for every matter and for every work. 18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but n beasts. 19 o For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place. All are from p the dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows whether q the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is r nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for s that is his lot. Who can bring him to see t what will be after him?

  1. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 3:17
    I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.
    Ecclesiastes 8:6
    For there is a time and a way for everything, although man's trouble lies heavy on him.
  2. Cross References
    Hebrews 9:27
    And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.
  3. Cross References
    Romans 12:15
    Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
  4. Cross References
    2 Samuel 6:14
    And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod.
    Exodus 15:20
    Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing.
  5. Cross References
    2 Kings 3:25
    And they overthrew the cities, and on every good piece of land every man threw a stone until it was covered. They stopped every spring of water and felled all the good trees, till only its stones were left in Kir-hareseth, and the slingers surrounded and attacked it.
  6. Cross References
    Isaiah 5:2
    He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.
  7. Cross References
    Joel 2:16
    Gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.
  8. Cross References
    Matthew 10:39
    Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
  9. Cross References
    Proverbs 11:24
    One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
  10. Cross References
    Genesis 37:29
    When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes
  11. Cross References
    Amos 5:13
    Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time.
  12. Cross References
    Luke 14:26
    If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
  13. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 1:3
    What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
  14. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 1:13
    And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.
  15. Cross References
    Genesis 3:17 - 19
    And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life.
  16. Cross References
    Genesis 1:31
    And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
  17. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 8:17
    Then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.
    Job 5:9
    Who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:
    Romans 11:33
    Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
  18. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 3:22
    So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?
  19. Cross References
    Psalms 34:14
    Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
    Psalms 37:3
    Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
  20. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 2:24
    There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God.
  21. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 2:24
    There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God.
    Ecclesiastes 5:19
    Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil - this is the gift of God.
  22. Cross References
    James 1:17
    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
  23. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 1:9
    What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.
  24. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 12:14
    For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
  25. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 4:1
    Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them.
  26. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 5:8
    If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them.
    Ecclesiastes 4:1
    Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them.
  27. Cross References
    Matthew 16:27
    For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
    2 Corinthians 5:10
    For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
    Romans 2:6 - 11
    He will render to each one according to his works:
    2 Thessalonians 1:6 - 10
    Since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you.
  28. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 3:1
    For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
    Ecclesiastes 8:6
    For there is a time and a way for everything, although man's trouble lies heavy on him.
  29. Cross References
    Psalms 49:12
    Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.
    Psalms 49:20
    Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
    Psalms 73:22
    I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.
  30. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 2:14
    The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them.
  31. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 12:7
    And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
    Genesis 3:19
    By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
  32. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 12:7
    And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
  33. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 2:24
    There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God.
  34. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 2:10
    And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil.
  35. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 2:19
    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.
    Ecclesiastes 6:12
    For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?
    Ecclesiastes 8:7
    For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be?
    Ecclesiastes 10:14
    A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him?
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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