Ecclesiastes 3:16

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

The 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.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 4:1 : 1 Evil Oppression on Earth So I again considered all the oppression that continually occurs on earth. This is what I saw: The oppressed were in tears, but no one was comforting them; no one delivers them from the power of their oppressors.
  • Eccl 5:8 : 8 Government Corruption If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them!
  • Isa 59:14 : 14 Justice is driven back; godliness stands far off. Indeed, honesty stumbles in the city square and morality is not even able to enter.
  • Mic 2:2 : 2 They confiscate the fields they desire, and seize the houses they want. They defraud people of their homes, and deprive people of the land they have inherited.
  • Mic 7:3 : 3 They are experts at doing evil; government officials and judges take bribes, prominent men announce what they wish and then they plan it out.
  • Zeph 3:3 : 3 Her princes are as fierce as roaring lions; her rulers are as hungry as wolves in the desert, who completely devour their prey by morning.
  • Matt 26:59 : 59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death.
  • Acts 23:3 : 3 Then Paul said to him,“God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit there judging me according to the law, and in violation of the law you order me to be struck?”
  • Jas 2:6 : 6 But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts?
  • 1 Kgs 21:9-9 : 9 This is what she wrote:“Observe a time of fasting and seat Naboth in front of the people. 10 Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify,‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” 11 The men of the city, the leaders and the nobles who lived there, followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them. 12 They observed a time of fasting and put Naboth in front of the people. 13 The two villains arrived and sat opposite him. Then the villains testified against Naboth right before the people, saying,“Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death. 14 Then they reported to Jezebel,“Naboth has been stoned to death.” 15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab,“Get up, take possession of the vineyard Naboth the Jezreelite refused to sell you for silver, for Naboth is no longer alive; he’s dead.” 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 17 The LORD’S message came to Elijah the Tishbite: 18 “Get up, go down and meet King Ahab of Israel who lives in Samaria. He is at the vineyard of Naboth; he has gone down there to take possession of it. 19 Say to him,‘This is what the LORD has said:“Haven’t you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?”’ Then say to him,‘This is what the LORD has said:“In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood they will also lick up your blood– yes, yours!”’” 20 When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him,“So, you have found me, my enemy!” Elijah replied,“I have found you, because you are committed to doing evil in the sight of the LORD. 21 The LORD says,‘Look, I am ready to bring disaster on you. I will destroy you and cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated.
  • Ps 58:1-2 : 1 For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David. Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions? Do you judge people fairly? 2 No! You plan how to do what is unjust; you deal out violence in the earth.
  • Ps 82:2-5 : 2 He says,“How long will you make unjust legal decisions and show favoritism to the wicked?(Selah) 3 Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless! Vindicate the oppressed and suffering! 4 Rescue the poor and needy! Deliver them from the power of the wicked! 5 They neither know nor understand. They stumble around in the dark, while all the foundations of the earth crumble.
  • Ps 94:21-22 : 21 They conspire against the blameless, and condemn to death the innocent. 22 But the LORD will protect me, and my God will shelter me.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 3:17-18
    2 verses
    84%

    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.

    18I also thought to myself,“It is for the sake of people, so God can clearly show them that they are like animals.

  • Eccl 8:14
    81%

    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.”

  • Eccl 8:9-11
    3 verses
    79%

    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.

    10Contradictions to the Law of Retribution Not only that, but I have seen the wicked approaching and entering the temple, and as they left the holy temple, they boasted in the city that they had done so. This also is an enigma.

    11When a sentence is not executed at once against a crime, the human heart is encouraged to do evil.

  • Eccl 7:14-15
    2 verses
    79%

    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.

    15Exceptions to the Law of Retribution During the days of my fleeting life I have seen both of these things: Sometimes a righteous person dies prematurely in spite of his righteousness, and sometimes a wicked person lives long in spite of his evil deeds.

  • Eccl 6:1
    78%

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

  • Eccl 9:1-3
    3 verses
    77%

    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.

    2Everyone shares the same fate– the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the ceremonially clean and unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. What happens to the good person, also happens to the sinner; what happens to those who make vows, also happens to those who are afraid to make vows.

    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.

  • Hab 1:3-4
    2 verses
    77%

    3Why do you force me to witness injustice? Why do you put up with wrongdoing? Destruction and violence confront me; conflict is present and one must endure strife.

    4For this reason the law lacks power, and justice is never carried out. Indeed, the wicked intimidate the innocent. For this reason justice is perverted.

  • Eccl 3:15
    76%

    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.

  • Eccl 10:5
    75%

    5I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes.

  • Eccl 9:13
    75%

    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 1:13-15
    3 verses
    75%

    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!

    15What is bent cannot be straightened, and what is missing cannot be supplied.

  • Eccl 3:10
    74%

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

  • Eccl 4:7
    73%

    7Labor Motivated by Greed So I again considered another futile thing on earth:

  • Eccl 4:1
    73%

    1Evil Oppression on Earth So I again considered all the oppression that continually occurs on earth. This is what I saw: The oppressed were in tears, but no one was comforting them; no one delivers them from the power of their oppressors.

  • Eccl 8:6
    73%

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

  • Eccl 3:1
    73%

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

  • Eccl 1:9
    73%

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

  • Prov 11:31
    73%

    31If the righteous are recompensed on earth, how much more the wicked sinner!

  • Eccl 2:11-13
    3 verses
    73%

    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.”

    12Wisdom is Better than Folly Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king has already done?

    13I realized that wisdom is preferable to folly, just as light is preferable to darkness:

  • Eccl 4:3-4
    2 verses
    73%

    3But better than both is the one who has not been born and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth.

    4Labor Motivated by Envy Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless– like chasing the wind.

  • Eccl 2:17
    72%

    17So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile– like chasing the wind.

  • Eccl 3:12
    72%

    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,

  • Job 36:17
    72%

    17But now you are preoccupied with the judgment due the wicked, judgment and justice take hold of you.

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    72%

    16Limitations of Human Wisdom When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth– even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night–

    17then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.

  • Eccl 5:8
    72%

    8Government Corruption If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them!

  • Eccl 5:13
    72%

    13Materialism Thwarts Enjoyment of Life Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.

  • Isa 59:15
    72%

    15Honesty has disappeared; the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed. The LORD watches and is displeased, for there is no justice.

  • Ps 73:3
    71%

    3For I envied those who are proud, as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.

  • Eccl 12:14
    71%

    14For God will evaluate every deed, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

  • Eccl 3:22
    71%

    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?

  • Prov 29:27
    71%

    27An unjust person is an abomination to the righteous, and the one who lives an upright life is an abomination to the wicked.

  • Eccl 1:5
    71%

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

  • Deut 25:1
    71%

    1If controversy arises between people, they should go to court for judgment. When the judges hear the case, they shall exonerate the innocent but condemn the guilty.

  • Job 4:8
    71%

    8Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.

  • Eccl 7:20
    71%

    20For there is not one truly righteous person on the earth who continually does good and never sins.

  • Eccl 2:21
    71%

    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!

  • Prov 29:16
    71%

    16When the wicked increase, transgression increases, but the righteous will see their downfall.