Ecclesiastes 3:17
15 What exists has already been, and what will be has already been, for God will call to account what has passed.
16 Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.
I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”
18 I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.”
19 For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other—they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
- ASV
- I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
- DARBY
- I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
- BLB
- I said in my heart, “The righteous and the wicked, God will judge, because a time [is] to every activity, and for every work there.”
- ÅB
- Da sa jeg i mitt hjerte: Gud skal dømme den rettferdige så vel som den gudløse; for hos ham er det fastsatt en tid for hvert foretagende og for alt hva som gjøres.
- OTB
- Jeg sa til meg selv: “Gud vil dømme både de rettferdige og de onde, for det er en tid for hver sak og hver gjerning.”
- B1930
- Da sa jeg i mitt hjerte: Gud skal dømme den rettferdige så vel som den gudløse; for hos ham er det fastsatt en tid for hvert foretagende og for alt hvad som gjøres.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 3:1
To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
Read in contextMatthew 16:27
For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.
Read in contextPsalms 98:9
before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.
Read in contextRomans 2:5–10
But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 11:9
Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.
Read in context2 Thessalonians 1:6–10
After all, it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
Read in context