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KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Ecclesiastes 1:3–4

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
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PASSAGE SELECTION

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2 selected · 8 available

Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

10 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 3

  1. Ecclesiastes 3:9Rank 1 from verse 3
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    9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

  2. Ecclesiastes 2:22Rank 2 from verse 3
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    22For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

  3. Ecclesiastes 5:16Rank 3 from verse 3
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    16And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

  4. Ecclesiastes 2:11Rank 4 from verse 3
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    11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

  5. Mark 8:36–37Rank 5 from verse 3
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    36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

    37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

From verse 4

  1. Psalms 104:5Rank 1 from verse 4
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    5Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

  2. Ecclesiastes 6:12Rank 2 from verse 4
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    12For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

  3. Zechariah 1:5Rank 3 from verse 4
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    5Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?

  4. Matthew 24:35Rank 4 from verse 4
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    35Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

  5. Psalms 119:90–91Rank 5 from verse 4
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    90Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

    91They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 1:3

COMBINED MEANING

profit

↗

Sense 1: Benefit or advantage. Sense 2: To benefit, improve, or advance.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

man

↗

1. A human being or person. 2. Mankind collectively. 3. A male person.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

labour

↗

1. Work, toil, effort, exertion, service, or the product of work. 2. Weariness or trouble. 3. Travail in childbirth. 4. To work, strive, serve, or exert oneself.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

which

↗

1. An interrogative or relative pronoun identifying one or more persons or things from a stated or implied set. 2. That which; what.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

taketh

↗

Third-person singular present form of take: receives, seizes, carries, accepts, chooses, or lays hold of.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sun

↗

The great light that rules the day and gives light and heat.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 1:4

COMBINED MEANING

passeth

↗

Third-person singular present form of pass, meaning to go by, through, over, or beyond; to happen, cease, or be transferred.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

another

↗

1. In "one another" and like reciprocal or distributive constructions, each the other, or one in relation to the other or others. 2. One other, one more, or a different or additional person or thing.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

earth

↗

Sense 1: The world in distinction from heaven. Sense 2: Dry land, ground, soil, or dust. Sense 3: A land, region, or its inhabitants.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

for ever

↗

1. Without end; for all time. 2. Continually or permanently throughout the duration in view.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

ever

↗

At any time; always or continually; throughout all time or for ever.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

READ BEFORE AND AFTER

Surrounding Verses

Nearby Scripture remains separate from the selected passage until you add it.

2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

3What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

Selected passage

4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

Selected passage

5The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

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