Ecclesiastes 3:6

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

A time to search, and a time to give something up as lost; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Matt 16:25-26 : 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. 26 For what does it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life?
  • Mark 8:35-37 : 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and because of the gospel will save it. 36 For what benefit is it for a person to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his life? 37 What can a person give in exchange for his life?
  • Luke 9:24-25 : 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it. 25 For what does it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself?
  • Phil 3:7-8 : 7 But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ. 8 More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things– indeed, I regard them as dung!– that I may gain Christ,
  • Heb 10:34-35 : 34 For in fact you shared the sufferings of those in prison, and you accepted the confiscation of your belongings with joy, because you knew that you certainly had a better and lasting possession. 35 So do not throw away your confidence, because it has great reward.
  • Acts 27:19 : 19 and on the third day they threw the ship’s gear overboard with their own hands.
  • Mark 10:28-30 : 28 Peter began to speak to him,“Look, we have left everything to follow you!” 29 Jesus said,“I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel 30 who will not receive in this age a hundred times as much– homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, all with persecutions– and in the age to come, eternal life.
  • Matt 19:29 : 29 And whoever has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
  • Gen 30:30-43 : 30 Indeed, you had little before I arrived, but now your possessions have increased many times over. The LORD has blessed you wherever I worked. But now, how long must it be before I do something for my own family too?” 31 So Laban asked,“What should I give you?”“You don’t need to give me a thing,” Jacob replied,“but if you agree to this one condition, I will continue to care for your flocks and protect them: 32 Let me walk among all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, and the spotted or speckled goats. These animals will be my wages. 33 My integrity will testify for me later on. When you come to verify that I’ve taken only the wages we agreed on, if I have in my possession any goat that is not speckled or spotted or any sheep that is not dark-colored, it will be considered stolen.” 34 “Agreed!” said Laban,“It will be as you say.” 35 So that day Laban removed the male goats that were streaked or spotted, all the female goats that were speckled or spotted(all that had any white on them), and all the dark-colored lambs, and put them in the care of his sons. 36 Then he separated them from Jacob by a three-day journey, while Jacob was taking care of the rest of Laban’s flocks. 37 But Jacob took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees. He made white streaks by peeling them, making the white inner wood in the branches visible. 38 Then he set up the peeled branches in all the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. He set up the branches in front of the flocks when they were in heat and came to drink. 39 When the sheep mated in front of the branches, they gave birth to young that were streaked or speckled or spotted. 40 Jacob removed these lambs, but he made the rest of the flock face the streaked and completely dark-colored animals in Laban’s flock. So he made separate flocks for himself and did not mix them with Laban’s flocks. 41 When the stronger females were in heat, Jacob would set up the branches in the troughs in front of the flock, so they would mate near the branches. 42 But if the animals were weaker, he did not set the branches there. So the weaker animals ended up belonging to Laban and the stronger animals to Jacob. 43 In this way Jacob became extremely prosperous. He owned large flocks, male and female servants, camels, and donkeys.
  • Gen 31:18 : 18 He took away all the livestock he had acquired in Paddan Aram and all his moveable property that he had accumulated. Then he set out toward the land of Canaan to return to his father Isaac.
  • Exod 12:35-36 : 35 Now the Israelites had done as Moses told them– they had requested from the Egyptians silver and gold items and clothing. 36 The LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and they gave them whatever they wanted, and so they plundered Egypt.
  • Deut 8:17-18 : 17 Be careful not to say,“My own ability and skill have gotten me this wealth.” 18 You must remember the LORD your God, for he is the one who gives ability to get wealth; if you do this he will confirm his covenant that he made by oath to your ancestors, even as he has to this day.
  • 2 Kgs 5:26 : 26 Elisha replied,“I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you. This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants.
  • 2 Kgs 7:15 : 15 So they tracked them as far as the Jordan. The road was filled with clothes and equipment that the Syrians had discarded in their haste. The scouts went back and told the king.
  • 2 Kgs 8:9 : 9 So Hazael went to visit Elisha. He took along a gift, as well as forty camel loads of all the fine things of Damascus. When he arrived, he stood before him and said,“Your son, King Ben Hadad of Syria, has sent me to you with this question,‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”
  • Ps 112:9 : 9 He generously gives to the needy; his integrity endures. He will be vindicated and honored.
  • Eccl 11:1 : 1 Ignorance of the Future Demands Diligence in the Present Send your grain overseas, for after many days you will get a return.
  • Isa 2:20 : 20 At that time men will throw their silver and gold idols, which they made for themselves to worship, into the caves where rodents and bats live,
  • Jonah 1:5 : 5 The sailors were so afraid that each cried out to his own god and they flung the ship’s cargo overboard to make the ship lighter. Jonah, meanwhile, had gone down into the hold below deck, had lain down, and was sound asleep.
  • Acts 27:38 : 38 When they had eaten enough to be satisfied, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 3:1-5
    5 verses
    87%

    1A Time for All Events in Life For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth:

    2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;

    3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

    4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

    5A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

  • Eccl 3:7-12
    6 verses
    85%

    7A time to rip, and a time to sew; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak.

    8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

    9Man is Ignorant of God’s Timing What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?

    10I have observed the burden that God has given to people to keep them occupied.

    11God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time, but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart so that people cannot discover what God has ordained, from the beginning to the end of their lives.

    12Enjoy Life in the Present I have concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live,

  • Eccl 8:5-6
    2 verses
    74%

    5Whoever obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person knows the proper time and procedure.

    6For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, for the oppression of the king is severe upon his victim.

  • Eccl 8:9
    71%

    9While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.

  • Eccl 9:10-13
    4 verses
    71%

    10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, the place where you will eventually go.

    11Wisdom Cannot Protect against Seemingly Chance Events Again, I observed this on the earth: the race is not always won by the swiftest, the battle is not always won by the strongest; prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest, wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge– for time and chance may overcome them all.

    12Surely, no one knows his appointed time! Like fish that are caught in a deadly net, and like birds that are caught in a snare– just like them, all people are ensnared at an unfortunate time that falls upon them suddenly.

    13Most People Are Not Receptive to Wise Counsel This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me:

  • Eccl 3:15-17
    3 verses
    71%

    15Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been; for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past.

    16The Problem of Injustice and Oppression I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.

    17I thought to myself,“God will judge both the righteous and the wicked; for there is an appropriate time for every activity, and there is a time of judgment for every deed.

  • Eccl 7:14
    69%

    14In times of prosperity be joyful, but in times of adversity consider this: God has made one as well as the other, so that no one can discover what the future holds.

  • Eccl 11:6
    69%

    6Sow your seed in the morning, and do not stop working until the evening; for you do not know which activity will succeed– whether this one or that one, or whether both will prosper equally.

  • Eccl 6:1
    69%

    1Not Everyone Enjoys Life Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    69%

    11The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes. How does that benefit him?

    12For no one knows what is best for a person during his life– during the few days of his fleeting life– for they pass away like a shadow. Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.

  • Eccl 1:3-5
    3 verses
    69%

    3Futility Illustrated from Nature What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?

    4A generation comes and a generation goes, but the earth remains the same through the ages.

    5The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries away to a place from which it rises again.

  • Eccl 2:11
    68%

    11Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded:“All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless– like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth.”

  • Eccl 3:22
    68%

    22So I perceived there is nothing better than for people to enjoy their work, because that is their reward; for who can show them what the future holds?

  • Eccl 1:9-10
    2 verses
    68%

    9What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth.

    10Is there anything about which someone can say,“Look at this! It is new!”? It was already done long ago, before our time.

  • Eccl 12:6-8
    3 verses
    68%

    6before the silver cord is removed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the well, or the water wheel is broken at the cistern–

    7and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the life’s breath returns to God who gave it.

    8Concluding Refrain: Qoheleth Restates His Thesis“Absolutely futile!” laments the Teacher,“All of these things are futile!”

  • Eccl 2:26
    68%

    26For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth– only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile– like chasing the wind!

  • Eccl 9:1
    68%

    1Everyone Will Die So I reflected on all this, attempting to clear it all up. I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated– no one knows what lies ahead.

  • Eccl 1:13-14
    2 verses
    67%

    13I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied.

    14I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile– like chasing the wind!

  • Eccl 9:3
    67%

    3This is the unfortunate fact about everything that happens on earth: the same fate awaits everyone. In addition to this, the hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives– then they die.

  • Eccl 11:1
    67%

    1Ignorance of the Future Demands Diligence in the Present Send your grain overseas, for after many days you will get a return.

  • Eccl 7:2
    67%

    2It is better to go to a funeral than a feast. For death is the destiny of every person, and the living should take this to heart.

  • Eccl 3:20
    67%

    20Both go to the same place, both come from the dust, and to dust both return.

  • Eccl 2:20-21
    2 verses
    67%

    20So I began to despair about all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so hard on earth.

    21For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice!

  • Eccl 5:16
    67%

    16This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?

  • Eccl 11:9
    67%

    9Enjoy Life to the Fullest under the Fear of God Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes, but know that God will judge your motives and actions.

  • Eph 5:16
    67%

    16taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

  • Eccl 8:14
    66%

    14Here is another enigma that occurs on earth: Sometimes there are righteous people who get what the wicked deserve, and sometimes there are wicked people who get what the righteous deserve. I said,“This also is an enigma.”