The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.
Parallel translations
- WEB The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.
- KJV The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
- NKJV The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth.
- NASB The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.
- NLT The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Preacher aimed at words that were both pleasing and truthful, written with integrity. It assures us Scripture's wisdom is both beautiful and reliable.
Overview
The epilogue commends the Preacher's care to find "acceptable words" that were also upright and true, joining literary skill with honest accuracy. Biblical wisdom is meant to be winsome yet never compromise the truth, an apt model for all godly teaching. This union of grace and truth is perfectly fulfilled in Christ, who came "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Col 1:5the faith and love proceeding from the hope stored up for you in heaven, of which you have already heard in the word of truth, the gospel
- 1 Tim 1:15This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.
- Prov 16:21–24The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant speech promotes instruction.
- Prov 8:6–10Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.
- Prov 15:26The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but the words of the pure are pleasant to Him.
- Prov 1:1–6These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
- Prov 25:11–12A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
- Prov 22:17–21Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise—apply your mind to my knowledge—
- Eccl 1:1These are the words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
- Luke 1:1–4Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
- Prov 15:23A man takes joy in a fitting reply—and how good is a timely word!
- John 3:11Truly, truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, and yet you people do not accept our testimony.
- Eccl 1:12I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The search that finds everything 'under the sun' to be vapor exposes the emptiness of life without God and drives us to the one who alone gives meaning, the resurrection that makes our labor not in vain.
How Ecclesiastes 12:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.