New Living Translation
Ecclesiastes 3:13
13And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.
Ecclesiastes 3:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
- New International Version (NIV)That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.
- English Standard Version (ESV)also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.
Context of Ecclesiastes 3:13
11Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 12So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. 14And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. 15What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 3Ecclesiastes 3:13 word by word
וְגַ֤ם כָּל־הָאָדָם֙ שֶׁיֹּאכַ֣ל וְשָׁתָ֔ה וְרָאָ֥ה ט֖וֹב בְּכָל־עֲמָל֑וֹ מַתַּ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽיא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:13
- Ecclesiastes 2:24So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.
- Ecclesiastes 5:18Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life.
- Ecclesiastes 6:2God gives some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever want, but then he doesn’t give them the chance to enjoy these things. They die, and someone else, even a stranger, ends up enjoying their wealth! This is meaningless—a sickening tragedy.
- Ecclesiastes 9:7So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this!
- Deuteronomy 28:30“You will be engaged to a woman, but another man will sleep with her. You will build a house, but someone else will live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will never enjoy its fruit.
- Judges 6:3Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel,
- Psalms 128:2You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be!
- Isaiah 65:21In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3:13
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-15Verses 11-15 Every thing is as God made it; not as it appears to us. We have the world so much in our hearts, are so taken up with thoughts and cares of worldly things, that we have neither time nor spirit to see God's hand in them. The world has not only gained possession of the heart, but has formed thoughts against the beauty of God's works. We mistake if we think we were born for ourselves; no, it is our business to do good in this life, which is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-13rejoice and do good while they live: Even though life and work can be hard, the Teacher's conclusion (repeated from Ecclesiastes 2:24) can still be true.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. Literally, "And also as to every man who eats ... this is the gift of God" (Ec 3:22; 5:18). When received as God's gifts, and to God's glory, the good things of life are enjoyed in their due time and order (Ac 2:46; 1Co 10:31; 1Ti 4:3, 4).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 3:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3
- 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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