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Ecclesiastes 3:16–17

16 And I saw something else under the sun:

In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,

in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

17 I said to myself,

“God will bring into judgmentv

both the righteous and the wicked,

for there will be a time for every activity,

a time to judge every deed.”w

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Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 — English Standard Version (ESV)

16 Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.

Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. 17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 — New Living Translation (NLT)

16 I also noticed that under the sun there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt! 17 I said to myself, “In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.”

Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

16 Moreover I saw under the sun:

In the place of judgment,

Wickedness was there;

And in the place of righteousness,

Iniquity was there.

17 I said in my heart,

“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,

For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 — New Century Version (NCV)

16 I also saw this here on earth:

Where there should have been justice, there was evil;

where there should have been right, there was wrong.

17 I said to myself,

God has planned a time for every thing and every action,

so he will judge both good people and bad.

Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 — American Standard Version (ASV)

16 And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

16 And moreover I saw under the sun, that in the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

16 I saw something else under the sun: 

There is wickedness where justice should be found. 

There is wickedness where righteousness should be found. 

17 I thought to myself, “God will judge righteous people as well as wicked people, because there is a specific time for every activity and every work that is done.”

Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

16 I also observed under the sun: there is wickedness at the place of judgment and there is wickedness at the place of righteousness. 17 I said to myself, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every work.”

Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

16 Moreover I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there as well. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter, and for every work.

Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

16 I saw something else under the sun: instead of justice there was evil; instead of righteousness there was wickedness. 17 So I said to myself, “God will surely judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time of judgment for every deed and every work.”

Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

16 Here’s something else I saw on earth.

Where people should be treated right,

they are treated wrong.

Where people should be treated fairly,

they are treated unfairly.

17 I said to myself,

“God will judge

godly and sinful people alike.

He has a time for every act.

He has a time for everything that is done.”

Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

17 I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.


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