Ecclesiastes 3 - Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Mystery of Time

3 There is an occasion for everything,
and a time for every activity under heaven:(A)
2 a time to give birth and a time to die;(B)
a time to plant and a time to uproot;[a]
3 a time to kill and a time to heal;
a time to tear down and a time to build;
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh;(C)
a time to mourn and a time to dance;(D)
5 a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;(E)
a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing;(F)
6 a time to search and a time to count as lost;
a time to keep and a time to throw away;
7 a time to tear and a time to sew;
a time to be silent and a time to speak;(G)
8 a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.(H)

9 What does the worker gain from his struggles?(I) 10 I have seen the task that God has given the children of Adam to keep them occupied.(J) 11 He has made everything appropriate[b] in its time.(K) He has also put eternity in their hearts,[c] but no one can discover the work God has done from beginning to end.(L) 12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the[d] good life. 13 It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts.(M) 14 I know that everything God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it.(N) God works so that people will be in awe of him.(O) 15 Whatever is, has already been,(P) and whatever will be, already is. However, God seeks justice for the persecuted.[e]

The Mystery of Injustice and Death

16 I also observed under the sun: there is wickedness at the place of judgment and there is wickedness at the place of righteousness.(Q) 17 I said to myself, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked,(R) since there is a time for every activity and every work.”(S) 18 I said to myself, “This happens so that God may test the children of Adam and they may see for themselves that they are like animals.”(T) 19 For the fate of the children of Adam and the fate of animals is the same.(U) As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath. People have no advantage over animals since everything is futile. 20 All are going to the same place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.(V) 21 Who knows if the spirits of the children of Adam go upward and the spirits of animals go downward to the earth? 22 I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities(W) because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?[f](X)

Footnotes

  1. 3:2 Lit uproot what is planted
  2. 3:11 Or beautiful
  3. 3:11 Or has put a sense of past and future into their minds, or has placed ignorance in their hearts
  4. 3:12 Lit his
  5. 3:15 Lit God seeks what is pursued
  6. 3:22 Lit after him

Cross references

  1. 3:1 : Ec 3:17; 8:6
  2. 3:2 : Jb 14:5; Heb 9:27
  3. 3:4 : Rm 12:15
  4. 3:4 : Ex 15:20
  5. 3:5 : 2Kg 3:19,25; Is 5:2
  6. 3:5 : 1Co 7:5
  7. 3:7 : Am 5:13; 1Co 14:26–32
  8. 3:8 : Mt 5:9; 10:34
  9. 3:9 : Ec 1:3
  10. 3:10 : Ec 1:13; 2:26
  11. 3:11 : Gn 1:31
  12. 3:11 : Jb 5:9; Ec 7:23; 8:17; Rm 11:33
  13. 3:13 : Ec 2:24; 5:19
  14. 3:14 : Rv 22:18–19
  15. 3:14 : Ex 7:5; Ezk 36:23
  16. 3:15 : Ec 1:9; 6:10
  17. 3:16 : Ec 4:1; 5:8; 8:9
  18. 3:17 : Ec 11:9; Mt 16:27; Rm 2:6–10; 2Th 1:6–9
  19. 3:17 : Ec 3:1
  20. 3:18 : Ps 49:12,20; 73:22
  21. 3:19 : Ec 9:12
  22. 3:20 : Gn 3:19; Ec 12:7
  23. 3:22 : Ec 2:24
  24. 3:22 : Ec 2:18; 6:12; 8:7; 10:14

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3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under 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;...
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Ecclesiastes 3 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

A Time For Everything3 For everything there is a seasonand a time for every activity under heaven:2 a time to give birth and a time to die,a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted;3 a time to kill and a time to heal,a time to tear down and a time to build up;4 a time to weep and a time t...
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Ecclesiastes 3 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Everything Has Its Time3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to 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 weep, and ...
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Everything Has Its Time3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to 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 weep, and ...
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Everything Has Its Time3 For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:(A)2 a time to be born and a time to die;a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted;(B)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...
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Ecclesiastes 3 - New Living Translation (NLT)

A Time for Everything3 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up.4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to ...
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A Time for Everything3 There is a special time for everything. There is a time for everything that happens under heaven. 2 There is a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pick what is planted. 3 There is a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a ...
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Ecclesiastes 3 - New King James Version (NKJV)

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A Time for All Events in Life3 For everything[a] there is an appointed time,[b]and an appropriate time[c] for every activity[d] on earth:[e]2 A time to be born,[f] and a time to die;[g]a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, a...
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