Ecclesiastes 2:1

New International Reader's Version

I said to myself, “Come on. I’ll try out pleasure. I want to find out if it is good.” But it also proved to be meaningless.

Cross References

Genesis 11:7

Come on! Let us go down and mix up their language. Then they will not be able to understand one another.”

2 Kings 5:5

“I think you should go,” the king of Aram replied. “I’ll give you a letter to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left. He took 750 pounds of silver with him. He also took 150 pounds of gold. And he took ten sets of clothes.

Psalm 10:6

He says to himself, “I will always be secure.” He promises himself, “No one will ever harm me.”

Psalm 14:1

Foolish people say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They do all kinds of horrible and evil things. No one does anything good.

Psalm 27:8

My heart says, “Seek him!” Lord, I will seek you.

Proverbs 14:13

Even when you laugh, your heart can be hurting. And your joy can end in sadness.

Ecclesiastes 11:9

You young people, be happy while you are still young. Let your heart be joyful while you are still strong. Do what your heart tells you to do. Go after what your eyes look at. But I want you to know that God will judge you for everything you do.

Ecclesiastes 2:10

I gave myself everything my eyes wanted. There wasn’t any pleasure that I refused to give myself. I took delight in everything I did. And that was what I got for all my work.

Ecclesiastes 2:15

Then I said to myself, “What happens to a foolish person will catch up with me too. So what do I gain by being wise?” I said to myself, “That doesn’t have any meaning either.”

Ecclesiastes 2:25

Without his help, who can eat or find pleasure?

Ecclesiastes 7:4

Those who are wise are found where there is sorrow. But foolish people are found where there is pleasure.

Ecclesiastes 8:15

So I advise everyone to enjoy life. A person on this earth can’t do anything better than eat and drink and be glad. Then they will enjoy their work. They’ll be happy all the days of the life God has given them on earth.

Isaiah 5:5

Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard. I will take away its fence. And the vineyard will be destroyed. I will break down its wall. And people will walk all over my vineyard.

Isaiah 50:11

But all you sinners who light fires should go ahead and walk in their light. You who carry flaming torches should walk in their light. Here’s what I’m going to do to you. I’ll make you lie down in great pain.

Isaiah 50:5

The Lord and King has unplugged my ears. I’ve always obeyed him. I haven’t turned away from him.

Luke 12:19

I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain stored away for many years. Take life easy. Eat, drink and have a good time.” ’

Luke 16:19

“Once there was a rich man. He was dressed in purple cloth and fine linen. He lived an easy life every day.

Luke 16:23

In the place of the dead, the rich man was suffering terribly. He looked up and saw Abraham far away. Lazarus was by his side.

Titus 3:3

At one time we too acted like fools. We didn’t obey God. We were tricked. We were controlled by all kinds of desires and pleasures. We were full of evil. We wanted what belongs to others. People hated us, and we hated one another.

James 4:13

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city. We will spend a year there. We will buy and sell and make money.”

James 5:1

You rich people, listen to me. Cry and weep, because you will soon be suffering.

James 5:5

You have lived an easy life on earth. You have given yourselves everything you wanted. You have made yourselves fat like cattle that will soon be butchered.