Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, July 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible
Literal Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 5:5
Better that you do not vow, than that you vow and do not complete.
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Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
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- EveryParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it.
Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it.
Hebrew Names Version
It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.
It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.
King James Version
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
English Standard Version
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
New American Standard Bible
It is better that you not vow, than vow and not pay.
It is better that you not vow, than vow and not pay.
New Century Version
It is better not to promise anything than to promise something and not do it.
It is better not to promise anything than to promise something and not do it.
Amplified Bible
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
World English Bible
It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.
It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.
Geneva Bible (1587)
It is better that thou shouldest not vowe, then that thou shouldest vow and not pay it.
It is better that thou shouldest not vowe, then that thou shouldest vow and not pay it.
Legacy Standard Bible
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
Berean Standard Bible
It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
Contemporary English Version
It's better not to make a promise at all than to make one and not keep it.
It's better not to make a promise at all than to make one and not keep it.
Complete Jewish Bible
Don't let your words make you guilty, and don't tell the temple official that you made the vow by mistake. Why give God reason to be angry at what you say and destroy what you have accomplished?
Don't let your words make you guilty, and don't tell the temple official that you made the vow by mistake. Why give God reason to be angry at what you say and destroy what you have accomplished?
Darby Translation
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Easy-to-Read Version
It is better to promise nothing than to promise something and not be able to do it.
It is better to promise nothing than to promise something and not be able to do it.
George Lamsa Translation
It is much better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not fulfill it.
It is much better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not fulfill it.
Good News Translation
Better not to promise at all than to make a promise and not keep it.
Better not to promise at all than to make a promise and not keep it.
Lexham English Bible
It is better that you not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it.
It is better that you not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it.
Literal Translation
It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not fulfill it.
It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not fulfill it.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf thou promyse eny thinge, paye it: for better it is that thou make no vowe, then that thou shuldest promise, and not paye.
Yf thou promyse eny thinge, paye it: for better it is that thou make no vowe, then that thou shuldest promise, and not paye.
American Standard Version
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Bible in Basic English
It is better not to take an oath than to take an oath and not keep it.
It is better not to take an oath than to take an oath and not keep it.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt, neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt, neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
King James Version (1611)
Better is it that thou shouldest not vowe, then that thou shouldest vowe and not pay.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vowe, then that thou shouldest vowe and not pay.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For better is it that thou make no vowe, then that thou shouldest promise and not pay.
For better is it that thou make no vowe, then that thou shouldest promise and not pay.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Suffer not thy mouth to lead thy flesh to sin; and say not in the presence of God, It was an error: lest God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the works of thy hands.
Suffer not thy mouth to lead thy flesh to sin; and say not in the presence of God, It was an error: lest God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the works of thy hands.
English Revised Version
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and it is myche betere to make not a vowe, than aftir a vowe to yelde not biheestis.
and it is myche betere to make not a vowe, than aftir a vowe to yelde not biheestis.
Update Bible Version
It is better that you should not vow, than you should vow and not pay.
It is better that you should not vow, than you should vow and not pay.
Webster's Bible Translation
Better [is it] that thou shouldst not vow, than that thou shouldst vow and not pay.
Better [is it] that thou shouldst not vow, than that thou shouldst vow and not pay.
New English Translation
It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it.
It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it.
New King James Version
Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.
Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.
New Living Translation
It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it.
It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it.
New Life Bible
It is better not to make a promise, than to make a promise and not pay it.
It is better not to make a promise, than to make a promise and not pay it.
New Revised Standard
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not fulfill it.
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not fulfill it.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Better that thou shouldest not vow, - than vow, and not pay.
Better that thou shouldest not vow, - than vow, and not pay.
Douay-Rheims Bible
(5-4) And it is much better not to vow, than after a vow not to perform the things promised.
(5-4) And it is much better not to vow, than after a vow not to perform the things promised.
Revised Standard Version
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
Young's Literal Translation
Better that thou do not vow, than that thou dost vow and dost not complete.
Better that thou do not vow, than that thou dost vow and dost not complete.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
Contextual Overview
4When you vow a vow to God, do not delay to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which you vow—complete. 5Better that you do not vow, than that you vow and do not complete.6Do not permit your mouth to cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger that it [is] ignorance. Why is God angry because of your voice and has destroyed the work of your hands? 7For in the abundance of dreams both vanities and words abound; but fear God. 8If oppression of the poor, and violent taking away of judgment and righteousness you see in a province, do not marvel at the matter, for a higher than the high is observing, and high ones [are] over them.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Deuteronomy 23:22, Proverbs 20:25, Acts 5:4
Reciprocal: Genesis 35:7 - built Leviticus 22:21 - to accomplish Leviticus 27:2 - a singular vow Numbers 30:2 - he shall do Deuteronomy 23:21 - General Deuteronomy 23:23 - That which Judges 11:30 - General Nehemiah 5:13 - the people Psalms 22:25 - I will Psalms 50:14 - pay Psalms 116:18 - General Psalms 119:106 - sworn Jonah 2:9 - I will pay Malachi 1:14 - which hath in his flock Mark 12:17 - and to
Cross-References
Genesis 3:19
by the sweat of your face you eat bread until your return to the ground, for you have been taken out of it, for dust you [are], and to dust you return."
by the sweat of your face you eat bread until your return to the ground, for you have been taken out of it, for dust you [are], and to dust you return."
Genesis 5:7
And Seth lives after his begetting Enos eight hundred and seven years [[or seven hundred and seven years]], and begets sons and daughters.
And Seth lives after his begetting Enos eight hundred and seven years [[or seven hundred and seven years]], and begets sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:8
And all the days of Seth are nine hundred and twelve years, and he dies.
And all the days of Seth are nine hundred and twelve years, and he dies.
Genesis 5:10
And Enos lives after his begetting Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years [[or seven hundred and fifteen years]], and begets sons and daughters.
And Enos lives after his begetting Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years [[or seven hundred and fifteen years]], and begets sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:11
And all the days of Enos are nine hundred and five years, and he dies.
And all the days of Enos are nine hundred and five years, and he dies.
Genesis 5:12
And Cainan lives seventy years [[or one hundred and seventy years]], and begets Mahalaleel.
And Cainan lives seventy years [[or one hundred and seventy years]], and begets Mahalaleel.
Genesis 5:14
And all the days of Cainan are nine hundred and ten years, and he dies.
And all the days of Cainan are nine hundred and ten years, and he dies.
Genesis 5:21
And Enoch lives sixty-five years [[or one hundred and sixty-five years]], and begets Methuselah.
And Enoch lives sixty-five years [[or one hundred and sixty-five years]], and begets Methuselah.
Genesis 5:22
And Enoch habitually walks with God after his begetting Methuselah three hundred years [[or two hundred years]], and begets sons and daughters.
And Enoch habitually walks with God after his begetting Methuselah three hundred years [[or two hundred years]], and begets sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:32
And Noah is a son of five hundred years, and Noah begets Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
And Noah is a son of five hundred years, and Noah begets Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Better [is it] that thou shouldest not vow,.... For a vow is an arbitrary thing; a man is not bound to make it, and while he vows not, it is in his own power, and at his option, whether he will do this or that, or not; but when he has once vowed, he is then brought under an obligation, and must perform; see Acts 5:4; and therefore it is better not to vow; it is more acceptable to God, and, it is better for a man;
than that thou shouldest vow and not pay; for this shows great weakness and folly, levity and inconstancy, and is resented by the Lord.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Ecclesiastes 5:5. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, c. — We are under constant obligations to live to God no vow can make it more so. Yet, there may be cases in which we should bind ourselves to take up some particular cross, to perform some particular duty, to forego some particular attachment that does not tend to bring our souls nearer to God. Then, if fully determined, and strong in faith relative to the point, bind and hold fast; but if not fully, rationally, and conscientiously determined, "do not suffer thy mouth to cause thy soul to sin."
