Ecclesiastes 3
1
To everything there is a season,
A a time for every purpose under heaven:
2
A time to be born,
And b a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck 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 c weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
5
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
d A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
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A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
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A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
e A time to keep silence,
And a time to f speak;
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A time to love,
And a time to g hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.
9
h What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?
10
i I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.
11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that j no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
12
I know that nothing is k better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives,
13
and also that l every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor - it is the gift of God.
14
I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
m Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
15
n That which is has already been,
And what is to be has already been;
And God requires an account of what is past.
16
Moreover o I saw under the sun:
In the place of judgment,
Wickedness was there;
And in the place of righteousness,
Iniquity was there.
17
I said in my heart,
p "God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,
For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."
18
I said in my heart, "Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals."
19
q For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity.
20
All go to one place: r all are from the dust, and all return to dust.
21
s Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?
22
t So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for u that is his heritage. v For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 3:17
I said in my heart, "God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
Ecclesiastes 8:6
Because for every matter there is a time and judgment, Though the misery of man increases greatly.
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Cross References
Job 14:5
Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
Hebrews 9:27
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.
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Cross References
Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
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Cross References
Joel 2:16
Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room.
1 Corinthians 7:5
Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
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Cross References
Amos 5:13
Therefore the prudent keep silent at that time, For it is an evil time.
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Cross References
Proverbs 25:11
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver.
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Cross References
Proverbs 13:5
A righteous man hates lying, But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.
Luke 14:26
If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 1:3
What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 1:13
And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.
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Cross References
Job 5:9
Who does great things, and unsearchable, Marvelous things without number.
Ecclesiastes 7:23
All this I have proved by wisdom. I said, "I will be wise"; But it was far from me.
Ecclesiastes 8:17
Then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it.
Romans 11:33
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 2:3
I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.
Ecclesiastes 2:24
Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 2:24
Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.
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Cross References
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 1:9
That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 5:8
If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.
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Cross References
Genesis 18:25
"Far be it from You to do such a thing as this,...
Psalms 96:13
For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the...
Ecclesiastes 11:9
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let yo...
Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of Hi...
Romans 2:6 - 10
Who "will render to each one according to his d...
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat...
2 Thessalonians 1:6 - 9
Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay...
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Cross References
Psalms 49:12
Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain; He is like the beasts that perish.
Psalms 49:20
A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, Is like the beasts that perish.
Psalms 73:22
I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.
Ecclesiastes 2:16
For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, Since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come. And how does a wise man die? As the fool!
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Cross References
Genesis 3:19
In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.
Psalms 103:14
For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 12:7
Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 2:24
Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.
Ecclesiastes 5:18
Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 2:10
Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor.
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 6:12
For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?
Ecclesiastes 8:7
For he does not know what will happen; So who can tell him when it will occur?
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.