Ecclesiastes 3 - There Is a Time For Everything

Betwys-Y-Coed 14th century, St Michael's Church
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Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 'A Time for Everything,' is a cherished Bible passage often quoted at funerals and memorial services. Tradition tells us that the book of Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon toward the end of his reign.

Contained in one of the Poetry and Wisdom books of the Bible, this particular passage lists 14 "opposites," a common element in Hebrew poetry indicating completion. While each time and season may seem random, the underlying significance in the poem denotes a divinely chosen purpose for everything we experience in our lives. The familiar lines offer a comforting reminder of God's sovereignty.

There Is a Time for Everything

The message in this passage of poetry centers on God’s ultimate authority in heaven and on earth. Humans have mastered many things in this world, but some elements of our existence are beyond our control. We cannot conquer time. God is the one who appoints each moment.

Our lives contain a mixture of joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, harmony and struggle, and life and death. Each season has its appropriate time in the cycle of life. Nothing stays the same, and we, as God’s children, must learn to accept and adjust to the ebb and flow of God’s design. Some seasons are difficult, and we may not understand what God is doing. In those times, we must humbly submit to the Lord's plans and trust that he is working out his good purposes.

See this passage in several popular Bible translations:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
(New International Version)
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
(NIV)

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
(English Standard Version)
For everything there is a season,
and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
(ESV)

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
(New Living Translation)
For everything there is a season,
A time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
(NLT)

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
(New King James Version)
To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, And a time to die;
A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill, And a time to heal;
A time to break down, And a time to build up;
A time to weep, And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain, And a time to lose;
A time to keep, And a time to throw away;
A time to tear, And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
A time to love, And a time to hate;
A time of war, And a time of peace.
(NKJV)

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Fairchild, Mary. "Ecclesiastes 3 - There Is a Time For Everything." Learn Religions, Apr. 5, 2023, learnreligions.com/ecclesiastes-3-a-time-for-everything-700374. Fairchild, Mary. (2023, April 5). Ecclesiastes 3 - There Is a Time For Everything. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/ecclesiastes-3-a-time-for-everything-700374 Fairchild, Mary. "Ecclesiastes 3 - There Is a Time For Everything." Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/ecclesiastes-3-a-time-for-everything-700374 (accessed March 28, 2024).