The Book ofEcclesiastes
Old Testament · Book 21 of 66 · 12 chapters · 222 verses
Ecclesiastes is the Bible's most unflinching look at life under the sun — wealth, pleasure, work, and wisdom all tested and found fleeting. Its honesty disarms cynics, then lands on bedrock: fear God, keep His commands, and receive each ordinary day as His gift.
Meaning & purposeSeasons of lifeThe gift of todayVanity of strivingFearing God
Its most loved verses
- To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:Ecclesiastes 3:1There is a time for everything — a season for every activity.
- He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.Ecclesiastes 3:11He has made everything beautiful in its time.
- Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.Ecclesiastes 12:13The conclusion: fear God and keep His commandments.
12 chapters
- 1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.18 verses
- 2I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth…26 verses
- 3To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose…22 verses
- 4So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done…16 verses
- 5Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more…20 verses
- 6There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is…12 verses
- 7A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of…29 verses
- 8Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a…17 verses
- 9For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this…18 verses
- 10Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a…20 verses
- 11Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after…10 verses
- 12Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the…14 verses
Pray with Ecclesiastes
GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SolomonIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation
Book overviews written by Collins Asein and checked against Scripture by the PrayerKey editorial team. Bible text: King James Version.