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Thursday, July 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

New American Standard Bible

Ecclesiastes 3:12

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime;

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Contentment;   Happiness;   The Topic Concordance - Enjoyment;   God;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Life, Natural;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Time;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ecclesiastes;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Life;   Nothing;   Providence;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for September 21;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life.
Hebrew Names Version
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
King James Version
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
English Standard Version
I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live;
New Century Version
So I realize that the best thing for them is to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live.
Amplified Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good as long as they live;
World English Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
Geneva Bible (1587)
I know that there is nothing good in them, but to reioyce, and to doe good in his life.
Legacy Standard Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them than to be glad and to do good in one's lifetime;
Berean Standard Bible
I know that there is nothing better for men than to rejoice and do good while they live,
Contemporary English Version
I know the best thing we can do is to always enjoy life,
Complete Jewish Bible
I know that there is nothing better for them to do than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live.
Darby Translation
I know that there is nothing good for them but to rejoice and to do well in their life;
Easy-to-Read Version
I learned that the best thing for people to do is to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live.
George Lamsa Translation
I know that there is no good in worldly things, but for men to rejoice and to do good in their lives.
Good News Translation
So I realized that all we can do is be happy and do the best we can while we are still alive.
Lexham English Bible
So I realized that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy themselves during their lives.
Literal Translation
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice to do good in his life.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
So I perceaued, yt in these thinges there is nothinge better for a man, the to be mery & to do well so longe as he lyueth.
American Standard Version
I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.
Bible in Basic English
I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to get pleasure so long as they live.
King James Version (1611)
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to reioyce, and to doe good in his life.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
So I perceaued that in those thinges there is nothyng better for a man then to be mery, and to do well as long as he lyueth.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
I know that there is no good in them, except for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
English Revised Version
I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y knew that no thing was betere `to a man, `no but to be glad, and to do good werkis in his lijf.
Update Bible Version
I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.
Webster's Bible Translation
I know that [there is] no good in them, but for [a man] to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
New English Translation
I have concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live,
New King James Version
I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives,
New Living Translation
So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can.
New Life Bible
I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and to do good as long as they live.
New Revised Standard
I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I know that there is no blessedness in them, - save to be glad, and to do well with one's life.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I have known that there was no better thing than to rejoice, and to do well in this life.
Revised Standard Version
I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live;
Young's Literal Translation
I have known that there is no good for them except to rejoice and to do good during their life,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime;

Contextual Overview

11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, without the possibility that mankind will find out the work which 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 in one's lifetime;13 moreover, that every person who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it. And God has so worked, that people will fear Him. 15 That which is, is what has already been, and that which will be has already been; and God seeks what has passed by.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

but: Ecclesiastes 3:22, Ecclesiastes 9:7-9, Deuteronomy 28:63, Psalms 37:3, Isaiah 64:5, Luke 11:41, Acts 20:35, Philippians 4:4-9, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 1 Timothy 6:18

Reciprocal: Ruth 3:7 - his heart 1 Chronicles 29:22 - eat and drink Proverbs 21:15 - joy Ecclesiastes 2:24 - nothing Ecclesiastes 5:18 - it is good and comely Ecclesiastes 6:9 - Better Ecclesiastes 8:15 - Then I Ecclesiastes 11:8 - rejoice 1 Corinthians 7:31 - use Galatians 6:10 - do good 1 Timothy 2:2 - that 1 Timothy 6:8 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 2:18
Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
Genesis 2:20
The man gave names to all the livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.
Genesis 2:22
And the LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.
Genesis 3:13
Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
Genesis 3:15
And I will make enemies Of you and the woman, And of your offspring and her Descendant; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise Him on the heel."
Genesis 3:20
Now the man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.
Genesis 3:21
And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.
Genesis 3:24
So He drove the man out; and at the east of the Garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.
Job 31:33
"Have I covered my wrongdoings like a man, By hiding my guilt in my shirt pocket,
Proverbs 19:3
The foolishness of a person ruins his way, And his heart rages against the LORD.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I know that [there is] no good in them,.... In these things; as the Arabic version; in the creatures, as Jarchi; in all sublunary enjoyments; in everything the wise man had made a trial of before, as natural Wisdom and knowledge, worldly pleasure, riches, and wealth; the "summun bonum", or happiness of men, did not lie in these things; this he knew by experience, and had the strongest assurance of it: or in them, that is, the children of men, as the Targum: there is no real good thing in them, nor comes out of them, nor is done by them; they cannot think a good thought, nor do a good action, of themselves. Or rather the sense is, I know there is nothing better for them than what follows:

but for [a man] to rejoice; not in sin and sinful pleasures, in a riotous, voluptuous, and epicurean manner; but to be cheerful, and enjoy the blessings of life in a comfortable way, and with a thankful heart; and especially to rejoice in spiritual things, and above all in Christ; and not in any self-boastings or carnal confidences, all such rejoicing is evil; see Ecclesiastes 9:7. The Targum is,

"but that they rejoice in the joy of the law;''

but it is much better to rejoice in the things of the Gospel, which is indeed a joyful sound;

and to do good in his life: to himself and family, by making use of the good things of life, and not withholding and hoarding them up; and to others, to all men, as opportunity offers, and especially to the household of faith; and not only by liberality and alms deeds, but by doing all good works, from right principles and to right ends, and that always, as long as he lives, Galatians 6:9.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In them - i. e., in the sons of men.

To do good - In a moral sense. Physical enjoyment is referred to in Ecclesiastes 3:13.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 3:12. I know that there is no good in them, but, c. — Since God has so disposed the affairs of this world, that the great events of providence cannot be accelerated or retarded by human cares and anxieties, submit to God make a proper use of what he has given: do thyself no harm, and endeavour as much as possible to do others good.

Enjoy, and bless thyself; let others share

The transient blessing: 'tis the gift of God.


 
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