Darby Bible
Ecclesiastes 7:20
20Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
- New International Version (NIV)Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin.
Context of Ecclesiastes 7:20
18It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God cometh forth from them all. 19Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] that are in a city. Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not. 21Also give not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee. 22For also thine own heart knoweth that oftentimes thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 7Ecclesiastes 7:20 word by word
כִּ֣י אָדָ֔ם אֵ֥ין צַדִּ֖יק בָּאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֶׂה־טּ֖וֹב וְלֹ֥א יֶחֱטָֽא׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 7:20
- 1 Kings 8:46If they have sinned against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and give them up to the enemy, and they have carried them away captives unto the enemy's land, far or near;
- 2 Chronicles 6:36If they have sinned against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not), and thou be angry with them, and give them up to the enemy, and they have carried them away captives unto a land far off or near;
- Job 15:14What is man, that he should be pure? and he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
- Psalms 130:3If thou, Jah, shouldest mark iniquities, Lord, who shall stand?
- Psalms 143:2And enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight no man living shall be justified.
- Proverbs 20:9Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
- Isaiah 53:6All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all.
- Romans 3:23for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
- James 3:2For we all often offend. If any one offend not in word, he [is] a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body too.
- 1 John 1:8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- Isaiah 64:6And we are all become as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have carried us away;
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not - יחטא לא lo yechta, that may not sin. There is not a man upon earth, however just he may be, and habituated to do good, but is peccable - liable to commit sin; and therefore should continually watch and pray, and depend upon the Lord. But the text does not say, the just man does commit sin, but simply that he may sin; and so our translators have rendered it in 1 Samuel 2:25, twice in 1…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The connection of this verse with Ecclesiastes 7:18-19 becomes clearer if it is borne in mind that the fear of God, wisdom, and justice, are merely different sides of one and the same character, the formation of which is the aim of all the precepts in this chapter. The words “just” Ecclesiastes 7:15, Ecclesiastes 7:20 and “righteous” Ecclesiastes 7:16 are exactly the same in Hebrew.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-22Verses 11-22 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea better. It shelters from the storms and scorching heat of trouble. Wealth will not lengthen out the natural life; but true wisdom will give spiritual life, and strengthen men for services under their sufferings. Let us look upon the disposal of our condition as the work of God, and at last all will appear to have been for the best. In acts of righteousness, be not carried into heats or passions, no…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20no righteous man...never sins: See 1 Kings 8:46; Proverbs 20:9; Romans 3:23.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Referring to Ec 7:16. Be not "self-righteous," seek not to make thyself "just" before God by a superabundance of self-imposed performances; "for true 'wisdom,' or 'righteousness,' shows that there is not a just man," &c.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 7:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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