Efesus 4:4

4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling,

Roma 8:28-30

8:28 And we know that all things work together ¹  for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, 8:29 because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son ²  would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³  8:30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

Filipi 3:14

3:14 with this goal in mind, ⁴  I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God ⁵  in Christ Jesus.

Filipi 3:2

3:2 Beware of the dogs, ⁶  beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh! ⁷ 

Filipi 1:11

1:11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Filipi 1:2

1:2 Grace and peace to you ⁸  from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Titus 1:9

1:9 He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught, ⁹  so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching ¹⁰  and correct those who speak against it.

Ibrani 3:1

Jesus and Moses

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, ¹¹  partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, ¹² 

Ibrani 3:1

Jesus and Moses

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, ¹³  partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, ¹⁴ 

Pengkhotbah 3:9

Man is Ignorant of God’s Timing

3:9 What benefit can a worker ¹⁵  gain from his toil? ¹⁶ 

Pengkhotbah 5:10

Covetousness

5:10 The one who loves money ¹⁷  will never be satisfied with money, ¹⁸ 

he who loves wealth ¹⁹  will never be satisfied ²⁰  with his ²¹  income.

This also is futile.

Pengkhotbah 5:2

5:2 Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God,

for God is in heaven and you are on earth!

Therefore, let your words be few.

Pengkhotbah 1:3

Futility Illustrated from Nature

1:3 What benefit ²²  do people ²³  get from all the effort

which ²⁴  they expend ²⁵  on earth? ²⁶ 

[8:28]  ¹ tc ὁ θεός (Jo qeos, “God”) is found after the verb συνεργεῖ (sunergei, “work”) in v. 28 by Ì⁴⁶ A B 81 sa; the shorter reading is found in א C D F G Ψ 33 1739 1881 Ï latt sy bo. Although the inclusion is supported by a significant early papyrus, the alliance of significant Alexandrian and Western witnesses favors the shorter reading. As well, the longer reading is evidently motivated by a need for clarification. Since ὁ θεός is textually suspect, it is better to read the text without it. This leaves two good translational options: either “he works all things together for good” or “all things work together for good.” In the first instance the subject is embedded in the verb and “God” is clearly implied (as in v. 29). In the second instance, πάντα (panta) becomes the subject of an intransitive verb. In either case, “What is expressed is a truly biblical confidence in the sovereignty of God” (C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:427).

[8:29]  ² tn Grk “he”; the referent (God’s Son) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:29]  ³ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.

[3:14]  ⁴ tn Grk “according to the goal.”

[3:14]  ⁵ tn Grk “prize, namely, the heavenly calling of God.”

[3:2]  ⁶ sn Dogs is a figurative reference to false teachers whom Paul regards as just as filthy as dogs.

[3:2]  ⁷ tn Grk “beware of the mutilation.”

[1:2]  ⁸ tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”

[1:9]  ⁹ tn Grk “the faithful message in accordance with the teaching” (referring to apostolic teaching).

[1:9]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “the healthy teaching” (referring to what was just mentioned).

[3:1]  ¹¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

[3:1]  ¹² tn Grk “of our confession.”

[3:1]  ¹³ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

[3:1]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “of our confession.”

[3:9]  ¹⁵ tn The term הָעוֹשֶׂה (ha’oseh, article + Qal active participle ms from עָשַׂה, ’asah, “to do”) functions substantively (“the worker”); see BDB 794 s.v. עָשַׂה II.1. This is a figurative description of man (metonymy of association), and plays on the repetition of עָשַׂה (verb: “to do,” noun: “work”) throughout the passage. In the light of God’s orchestration of human affairs, man’s efforts cannot change anything. It refers to man in general with the article functioning in a generic sense (see IBHS 244-45 §13.5.1f; Joüon 2:511 §137.m).

[3:9]  ¹⁶ sn This rhetorical question is an example of negative affirmation, expecting a negative answer: “Man gains nothing from his toil!” (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 949-51). Any advantage that man might gain from his toil is nullified by his ignorance of divine providence.

[5:10]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “silver.” The Hebrew term כֶּסֶף (kesef, “silver”) refers to “money” (HALOT 490–91 s.v. כֶּסֶף 3). It is a synecdoche of specific (i.e., silver) for the general (i.e., money); see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 625-29.

[5:10]  ¹⁸ sn The Hebrew term “silver” (translated “money”) is repeated twice in this line for rhetorical emphasis.

[5:10]  ¹⁹ tn The term הָמוֹן (hamon, “abundance; wealth”) has a wide range of meanings: (1) agitation; (2) turmoil; (3) noise; (4) pomp; (5) multitude; crowd = noisy crowd; and (6) abundance; wealth (HALOT 250 s.v. הָמוֹן 1–6). Here, it refers to abundant wealth (related to “pomp”); cf. HALOT 250 s.v. הָמוֹן 6, that is, lavish abundant wealth (Ezek 29:19; 30:4; 1 Chr 29:16).

[5:10]  ²⁰ tn The phrase “will never be satisfied” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity. Note the previous line.

[5:10]  ²¹ tn The word “his” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:3]  ²² tn The term “profit” (יֹתְרוֹן, yotÿron) is used in Ecclesiastes to evaluate the ultimate benefit/effects of human activities, as is טוֹב (tov, “good, worthwhile”) as well (e.g., 2:1, 3). While some relative advantage/profit is recognized (e.g., light over darkness, and wisdom over folly), Qoheleth denies the ultimate advantage of all human endeavors (e.g., 2:11, 15).

[1:3]  ²³ tn Heb “the man.” The Hebrew term could be used here in a generic sense, referring to the typical man (hence, “a man”). However, it is more likely that the form is collective and that humankind in general is in view (note NIV “man”). Note the reference to “a generation” coming and going in the next verse, as well as v. 13, where the phrase “the sons of man” (= humankind) appears. In this case the singular pronominal suffix and singular verb later in v. 3 reflect grammatical agreement, not individuality.

[1:3]  ²⁴ tn The use of the relative pronoun שֶׁ (she, “which”) – rather than the more common אֲשֶׁר (’asher, “which”) – is a linguistic feature that is often used to try to date the Book of Ecclesiastes. Noting that שֶׁ is the dominant relative pronoun in Mishnaic Hebrew and that אֲשֶׁר does not appear as frequently (Jastrow 130 s.v. אֲשֶׁר), many scholars conclude that אֲשֶׁר is early and שֶׁ is late. They conclude that the use of שֶׁ in Ecclesiastes points to a late date for the book. However, as Samuel-Kings suggest, the שֶׁ versus אֲשֶׁר phenomena may simply be a dialectical issue: אֲשֶׁר is commonly used in the south, and שֶׁ in the north. The use of שֶׁ in Ecclesiastes may indicate that the book was written in a northern rather than a southern province, not that it is a late book. This is supported from related Akkadian terms which occur in texts from the same periods: אֲשֶׁר is related to asru (“place”) and שֶׁ is related to sa (“what”).

[1:3]  ²⁵ sn The Hebrew root עָמָל, (’amal, “toil”) is repeated here for emphasis: “What gain does anyone have in his toil with which he toils.” For all his efforts, man’s endeavors and secular achievements will not produce anything of ultimate value that will radically revolutionize anything in the world. The term “toil” is used in a pejorative sense to emphasize that the only thing that man obtains ultimately from all his efforts is weariness and exhaustion. Due to sin, mankind has been cursed with the futility of his labor that renders work a “toilsome” task (Gen 3:17-19). Although it was not yet revealed to Qoheleth, God will one day deliver the redeemed from this plight in the future kingdom when man’s labor will no longer be toilsome, but profitable, fulfilling, and enjoyable (Isa 65:17-23).

[1:3]  ²⁶ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[1:3]  sn This rhetorical question expects a negative answer: “Man has no gain in all his toil.” Ecclesiastes often uses rhetorical questions in this manner (e.g., 2:2; 3:9; 6:8, 11, 12; see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 949).