Ecclesiastes 3
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which 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 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 together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17 I said in mine heart, 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 mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
Cross-references
160
- 1Ecc 3:17, Mat 16:3, Ecc 8:5–6, Ecc 7:14, 2Ki 5:26, Pro 15:23, 2Ch 33:12, Ecc 2:3
- 2Heb 9:27, Job 14:5, Mat 15:13, Jer 18:7–10, Job 7:1, Jhn 16:21, Gal 4:4, Isa 38:1
- 3Hos 6:1–2, 1Sa 2:6, Jer 45:4, Jer 31:28, Deu 32:39, Isa 44:26, Isa 5:5–6, Jer 33:6
- 4Rom 12:15, Psa 30:5, Jas 4:9, Psa 126:5–6, Psa 126:1–2, Jhn 16:20–22, 2Co 7:10, Luk 6:21–25
- 52Ki 3:25, Jos 10:27, Jos 4:3–9, Jol 2:16, 2Sa 18:17–18, 1Sa 21:4–5
- 6Php 3:7–8, Luk 9:24–25, Mrk 8:35–37, Mat 16:25–26, 2Ki 5:26, Ecc 11:1, Psa 112:9, Heb 10:34–35
- 7Amo 5:13, Mic 7:5, Lam 3:28, Est 4:13–14, Pro 31:8–9, Act 4:20, Pro 24:11–12, Jol 2:13
- 8Eph 5:25, Eph 5:28–29, Luk 14:26, 1Ki 5:4, 2Ch 19:2, Psa 139:21, Jos 11:23, Eph 3:19
- 9Ecc 1:3, Pro 14:23, Ecc 5:16, Ecc 2:22–23, Mat 16:26, Ecc 2:11
- 10Ecc 1:13–14, Gen 3:19, Ecc 2:26, 2Th 3:8, 1Th 2:9
- 11Rom 1:19–20, Rom 11:33, Job 11:7, Ecc 8:17, Job 5:9, Mrk 7:37, Psa 104:24, Gen 1:31
- 12Psa 37:3, Ecc 3:22, 1Ti 6:18, Php 4:4–9, 1Th 5:15–16, Isa 64:5, Luk 11:41, Act 20:35
- 13Ecc 2:24, Ecc 9:7, Isa 65:21–23, Psa 128:2, Ecc 5:18–20, Deu 28:30–31
- 14Jas 1:17, Psa 33:11, Rom 11:36, Act 5:39, Pro 30:6, Tit 1:2, Pro 21:30, Ecc 8:12–13
- 15Ecc 1:9–10, Ecc 6:10
- 16Ecc 4:1, Ecc 5:8, Act 23:3, 1Ki 21:9–21, Psa 82:2–5, Psa 94:21–22, Psa 58:1–2, Mic 2:2
- 172Co 5:10, Ecc 12:14, Ecc 3:1, Mat 16:27, Ecc 11:9, Psa 98:9, Rom 2:5–10, 2Th 1:6–10
- 18Psa 73:22, Psa 49:12, Gen 3:17–19, 2Pe 2:12, Heb 9:27, 1Pe 1:24, Rom 9:23, Psa 49:19–20
- 19Psa 49:12, Psa 49:20, Job 14:10–12, Psa 89:47–48, Psa 39:5–6, Ecc 2:14, Ecc 2:20–23, Psa 104:29
- 20Gen 3:19, Job 34:15, Ecc 12:7, Ecc 9:10, Psa 104:29, Job 10:9–10, Num 27:13, Job 7:9
- 21Ecc 12:7, 2Co 5:1, Jhn 14:3, Luk 16:22–23, Php 1:23, Act 1:25, 2Co 5:8
- 22Ecc 2:24, Ecc 3:11–12, Ecc 8:7, Ecc 10:14, Ecc 6:12, Ecc 11:9, Php 4:4–5, Ecc 2:10–11
Topics in this chapter
27
Animals, Blessing, Contentment, Corruption, Dancing, Death, Dust, Fear, Gifts From God, God, Happiness, Ignorance, Immortality, Injustice, Instruction, Judgment, Justice, Laughter, Life, Man, Nation, Philosophy, Power, Rulers, Speaking, Tongue, Wicked (People)