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Amplified Bible

Ecclesiastes 3:17

I said to myself, "God will judge both the righteous and the wicked," for there is a time [appointed] for every matter and for every deed.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - God Continued...;   Judgment;   Justice;   Rulers;   Thompson Chain Reference - Future, the;   God;   Judge;   The Topic Concordance - Judges;   Righteousness;   Time;   Wickedness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Judgment, the;   Time;  

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ecclesiastes;  

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bar Kokba and Bar Kokba War;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for September 18;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I said to myself, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every work.”
Hebrew Names Version
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."
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.
New American Standard Bible
I said to myself, "God will judge the righteous and the wicked," for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.
New Century Version
I said to myself, God has planned a time for every thing and every action, so he will judge both good people and bad.
World English Bible
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."
Geneva Bible (1587)
I thought in mine heart, God wil iudge the iust and the wicked: for time is there for euery purpose and for euery worke.
Legacy Standard Bible
I said in my heart, "God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man," for a time for every matter and for every work is there.
Berean Standard Bible
I said in my heart, "God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed."
Contemporary English Version
So I told myself that God has set a time and a place for everything. He will judge everyone, both the wicked and the good.
Complete Jewish Bible
I said to myself, "The righteous and the wicked God will judge, because there is a right time for every intention and for every action."
Darby Translation
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.
Easy-to-Read Version
So I said to myself, "God has planned a time for everything, and he has planned a time to judge everything people do. He will judge good people and bad people."
George Lamsa Translation
I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time for every purpose and for every work.
Good News Translation
I told myself, "God is going to judge the righteous and the evil alike, because every thing, every action, will happen at its own set time."
Lexham English Bible
So I said to myself, "God will surely judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time of judgment for every deed and every work."
Literal Translation
I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every good purpose and for every work.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then thought I in my mynde: God shal separate the rightuous from the vngodly, & then shal be the tyme & iudgmet of all councels & workes.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
I said in my heart: 'The righteous and the wicked God will judge; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.'
King James Version (1611)
I said in mine heart, God shall iudge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there, for euery purpose and for euery worke.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then thought I in my mynde, God shall separate the ryghteous from the vngodly: and then shalbe the tyme and iudgement of all counsayles & workes.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the ungodly: for there is a time there for every action and for every work.
English Revised Version
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y seide in myn herte, The Lord schal deme a iust man, and an vnfeithful man; and the tyme of ech thing schal be thanne.
Update Bible Version
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.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
New English Translation
I thought to myself, "God will judge both the righteous and the wicked; for there is an appropriate time for every activity, and there is a time of judgment for every deed.
New King James Version
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."
New Living Translation
I said to myself, "In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds."
New Life Bible
I said to myself, "God will judge both the man who is right and good, and the sinful man." For there is a time for everything to be done and a time for every work.
New Revised Standard
I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter, and for every work.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Said, I, in my heart, Both the righteous and the lawless, will God judge, - for there will be a time for every pursuit, and concerning every work - there.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I said in my heart: God shall judge both the just and the wicked, and then shall be the time of every thing.
Revised Standard Version
I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter, and for every work.
Young's Literal Translation
I said in my heart, `The righteous and the wicked doth God judge, for a time [is] to every matter and for every work there.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
I said to myself, "God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man," for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.

Contextual Overview

16Moreover, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17I said to myself, "God will judge both the righteous and the wicked," for there is a time [appointed] for every matter and for every deed.18I said to myself regarding the sons of men, "God is surely testing them in order for them to see that [by themselves, without God] they are [only] animals." 19For the [earthly] fate of the sons of men and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no preeminence or advantage for man [in and of himself] over an animal, for all is vanity. 20All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. 21Who knows if the spirit of man ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth? 22So I have seen that there is nothing better than that a man should be happy in his own works and activities, for that is his portion (share). For who will bring him [back] to see what will happen after he is gone?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

said: Ecclesiastes 1:16, Ecclesiastes 2:1

God: Ecclesiastes 12:14, Genesis 18:25, Psalms 98:9, Matthew 16:27, Matthew 25:31-46, John 5:22, John 5:26-29, Acts 17:31, Romans 2:5-9, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, Revelation 20:11-15

for: Ecclesiastes 3:1, Jeremiah 29:10, Jeremiah 29:11, Daniel 11:40, Daniel 12:4, Daniel 12:9, Daniel 12:11-13, Acts 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:1, 2 Peter 3:7, 2 Peter 3:8, Revelation 11:2, Revelation 11:3, Revelation 11:18, Revelation 17:12-17, Revelation 20:2, Revelation 20:7-9

Reciprocal: Job 24:1 - seeing Psalms 75:2 - receive the congregation Ecclesiastes 7:25 - the reason Ecclesiastes 8:6 - to every Ecclesiastes 9:11 - but Ecclesiastes 11:9 - know Ezekiel 18:30 - I will Zephaniah 3:5 - just Acts 24:25 - judgment Romans 2:16 - God

Cross-References

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden,
Genesis 3:3
except the fruit from the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God said, 'You shall not eat from it nor touch it, otherwise you will die.'"
Genesis 3:5
"For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened [that is, you will have greater awareness], and you will be like God, knowing [the difference between] good and evil."
Genesis 3:6
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise and insightful, she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.
Genesis 3:7
Then the eyes of the two of them were opened [that is, their awareness increased], and they knew that they were naked; and they fastened fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
Genesis 3:9
But the LORD God called to Adam, and said to him, "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:11
God said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten [fruit] from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"
Genesis 3:13
Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent beguiled and deceived me, and I ate [from the forbidden tree]."
Genesis 3:14
The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all the cattle, And more than any animal of the field; On your belly you shall go, And dust you shall eat All the days of your life.
Genesis 3:16
To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth; In pain you will give birth to children; Yet your desire and longing will be for your husband, And he will rule [with authority] over you and be responsible for you."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,.... This he considered in his mind, and set it down for a certain truth, and which relieved him under the consideration of the sad perversion of justice; and made him easy under it, and willing to leave things to him that judgeth righteously, and wait his time when everything that was now wrong would be set right: he knew from reason, from tradition, and from the word of God, that there was a judgment to come, a general, righteous, and eternal one; that this judicial process would be carried on by God himself, who is holy, righteous, just, and true, omniscient, and omnipotent; and, being the Judge of all the earth, would do right; when he would vindicate the righteous, and clear them from all calumnies and charges; acquit and justify them, and condemn the wicked, pass a just sentence on them, and execute it;

for [there is] a time there for every purpose, and for every work; or "then", as Noldius; in the day of the great judgment, as the Targum adds; and which continues to paraphrase the words thus,

"for a time is appointed for every business, and for every work which they do in this world they shall be judged there;''

there is a time fixed, a day appointed, for the judgment of the world; though of that day and hour knows no man; yet, it is settled, and will certainly come, Acts 17:31; and when it is come, every purpose, counsel, and thought of men's hearts, will be made manifest, as well as every work, good or bad, open or secret, yea, every idle word, and men will be judged according to these; see 1 Corinthians 4:5

Matthew 12:36.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That great anomaly in the moral government of this world, the seemingly unequal distribution of rewards and punishments, will be rectified by God, who has future times and events under His control Ecclesiastes 3:16-17. As for people, they are placed by God, who is their teacher, in a humble condition, even on a level with inferior animals, by death, that great instance of their subjection to vanity Ecclesiastes 3:18-19, which reduces to its original form all that was made of the dust of the ground Ecclesiastes 3:20. And though the destinies of man and beast are different, yet in our present lack of knowledge as to God’s future dealing with our spirits Ecclesiastes 3:21, man finds his portion (see the Ecclesiastes 2:10 note) in such labor and such joy as God assigns to him in his lifetime Ecclesiastes 3:22.

Ecclesiastes 3:16

I saw ... - Rather, I have seen (as in Ecclesiastes 3:10) under the sun the place etc. The place of judgment means the seat of the authorized judge. Compare “the place of the holy” Ecclesiastes 8:10.

Ecclesiastes 3:17

A time there - i. e., a time with God.

Ecclesiastes 3:18

literally, I said in my heart with regard to the sons of men, it is that God may prove them and show them that they are beasts, they themselves. “Showing” is the reading of the Septuagint and Syriac: the present Hebrew text reads “seeing.” The meaning is that the long delay of God’s judgment Ecclesiastes 3:16-17 is calculated to show people that the brevity of their life renders them incapable of following out and understanding His distributive justice.

Ecclesiastes 3:19

That which befalleth the sons of men - literally, the event (happenstance) of the sons of men, i. e., what comes upon them from outside, by virtue of the ordinance of God. See the Ecclesiastes 2:14 note. Death in particular Ecclesiastes 3:2, Ecclesiastes 3:11 is a part of the “work that God doeth.”

Ecclesiastes 3:21

The King James Version of this verse is the only rendering which the Hebrew text, as now pointed, allows. It is in accordance with the best Jewish and many modern interpreters. A slightly different pointing would be requisite to authorize the translation, “Who knows the spirit of the sons of man whether it goes above, and, the spirit of the beast whether it goes down below?” etc., which, though it seems neither necessary nor suitable, is sanctioned by the Septuagint and other versions and by some modern interpreters.

Who knoweth - This expression (used also in Ecclesiastes 2:19; Ecclesiastes 6:12) does not necessarily imply complete and absolute ignorance. In Psalms 90:11, it is applied to what is partially understood: compare similar forms of expression in Proverbs 31:10; Psalms 94:16; Isaiah 53:1. Moreover, it is evident from marginal references that Solomon did not doubt the future existence and destination of the soul. This verse can only be construed as a confession of much ignorance on the subject.

Ecclesiastes 3:22

What shall be after him - i. e., What shall become of the results of his work after he is dead. Compare Ecclesiastes 2:19; Ecclesiastes 6:12.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. For there is a time there for every purpose — Man has his time here below, and God shall have his time above. At his throne the judged shall be rejudged, and iniquity for ever close her mouth.


 
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