Ecclesiastes 3 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Ecclesiastes 3 (WEBP)

[1] 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; 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 seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
[7] a time to tear, 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 for war, and a time for peace.
[9] What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
[10] I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
[11] He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
[12] I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
[13] Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
[14] I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.
[15] That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.
[16] Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
[17] 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.”
[18] I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.
[19] For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity.
[20] All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
[21] Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”
[22] Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Ecclesiastes 3 (KJVS)

[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?

Ecclesiastes 3:5 Heb. to be far from
Ecclesiastes 3:6 Or, seek
Ecclesiastes 3:15 Heb. that which is driven away
Ecclesiastes 3:18 Or, that they might clear God, and see, etc.
Ecclesiastes 3:21a Heb. of the sons of man
Ecclesiastes 3:21b Heb. is ascending

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Ecclesiastes 3 (BYZ)

[1] τοις πασιν χρονος και καιρος τω παντι πραγματι υπο τον ουρανον
[2] καιρος του τεκειν και καιρος του αποθανειν καιρος του φυτευσαι και καιρος του εκτιλαι πεφυτευμενον
[3] καιρος του αποκτειναι και καιρος του ιασασθαι καιρος του καθελειν και καιρος του οικοδομησαι
[4] καιρος του κλαυσαι και καιρος του γελασαι καιρος του κοψασθαι και καιρος του ορχησασθαι
[5] καιρος του βαλειν λιθους και καιρος του συναγαγειν λιθους καιρος του περιλαβειν και καιρος του μακρυνθηναι απο περιλημψεως
[6] καιρος του ζητησαι και καιρος του απολεσαι καιρος του φυλαξαι και καιρος του εκβαλειν
[7] καιρος του ρηξαι και καιρος του ραψαι καιρος του σιγαν και καιρος του λαλειν
[8] καιρος του φιλησαι και καιρος του μισησαι καιρος πολεμου και καιρος ειρηνης
[9] τις περισσεια του ποιουντος εν οις αυτος μοχθει
[10] ειδον συν τον περισπασμον ον εδωκεν ο θεος τοις υιοις του ανθρωπου του περισπασθαι εν αυτω
[11] συν τα παντα εποιησεν καλα εν καιρω αυτου και γε συν τον αιωνα εδωκεν εν καρδια αυτων οπως μη ευρη ο ανθρωπος το ποιημα ο εποιησεν ο θεος απ αρχης και μεχρι τελους
[12] εγνων οτι ουκ εστιν αγαθον εν αυτοις ει μη του ευφρανθηναι και του ποιειν αγαθον εν ζωη αυτου
[13] και γε πας ο ανθρωπος ος φαγεται και πιεται και ιδη αγαθον εν παντι μοχθω αυτου δομα θεου εστιν
[14] εγνων οτι παντα οσα εποιησεν ο θεος αυτα εσται εις τον αιωνα επ αυτω ουκ εστιν προσθειναι και απ αυτου ουκ εστιν αφελειν και ο θεος εποιησεν ινα φοβηθωσιν απο προσωπου αυτου
[15] το γενομενον ηδη εστιν και οσα του γινεσθαι ηδη γεγονεν και ο θεος ζητησει τον διωκομενον
[16] και ετι ειδον υπο τον ηλιον τοπον της κρισεως εκει ο ασεβης και τοπον του δικαιου εκει ο ασεβης
[17] ειπα εγω εν καρδια μου συν τον δικαιον και συν τον ασεβη κρινει ο θεος οτι καιρος τω παντι πραγματι και επι παντι τω ποιηματι
[18] εκει ειπα εγω εν καρδια μου περι λαλιας υιων του ανθρωπου οτι διακρινει αυτους ο θεος και του δειξαι οτι αυτοι κτηνη εισιν και γε αυτοις
[19] οτι συναντημα υιων του ανθρωπου και συναντημα του κτηνους συναντημα εν αυτοις ως ο θανατος τουτου ουτως ο θανατος τουτου και πνευμα εν τοις πασιν και τι επερισσευσεν ο ανθρωπος παρα το κτηνος ουδεν οτι τα παντα ματαιοτης
[20] τα παντα πορευεται εις τοπον ενα τα παντα εγενετο απο του χοος και τα παντα επιστρεφει εις τον χουν
[21] και τις οιδεν πνευμα υιων του ανθρωπου ει αναβαινει αυτο εις ανω και πνευμα του κτηνους ει καταβαινει αυτο κατω εις γην
[22] και ειδον οτι ουκ εστιν αγαθον ει μη ο ευφρανθησεται ο ανθρωπος εν ποιημασιν αυτου οτι αυτο μερις αυτου οτι τις αξει αυτον του ιδειν εν ω εαν γενηται μετ αυτον

The Greek New Testament According to the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, Inc., Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Dedicated to the public domain by Guardian Press, Inc. and J. Jeffrey Dodson.