Ecclesiastes 9:11

New International Reader's Version

Here’s something else I’ve seen on this earth. Races aren’t always won by those who run fast. Battles aren’t always won by those who are strong. Wise people don’t always have plenty of food. Clever people aren’t always wealthy. Those who have learned a lot aren’t always successful. God controls the timing of every event. He also controls how things turn out.

Cross References

2 Samuel 17:14

Absalom and all the men of Israel agreed. They said, “The advice of Hushai, the Arkite, is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” The Lord had decided that Ahithophel’s good advice would fail. The Lord wanted to bring horrible trouble on Absalom.

2 Samuel 17:23

Ahithophel saw that his advice wasn’t being followed. So he put a saddle on his donkey. He started out for his house in his hometown. When he arrived, he made everything ready for his death. He made out his will. Then he killed himself. And so he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

2 Chronicles 20:15

Jahaziel said, “King Jehoshaphat, listen! All you who live in Judah and Jerusalem, listen! The Lord says to you, ‘Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope because of this huge army. The battle is not yours. It is God’s.

Job 34:29

But if he remains silent, who can judge him? If he turns his face away, who can see him? He rules over individual people and nations alike.

Psalm 76:5

Brave soldiers have been robbed of everything they had. Now they lie there, sleeping in death. Not one of them can even lift his hands.

Proverbs 1:5

Let wise people listen and add to what they have learned. Let those who understand what is right get guidance.

Ecclesiastes 2:12

I decided to think about wisdom. I also thought about foolish pleasure. What more can a new king do? Can he do anything more than others have already done?

Ecclesiastes 3:14

I know that everything God does will last forever. Nothing can be added to it. And nothing can be taken from it. God does that so people will have respect for him.

Ecclesiastes 3:17

I said to myself, “God will judge godly and sinful people alike. He has a time for every act. He has a time to judge everything that is done.”

Ecclesiastes 4:1

I looked and saw how much people were suffering on this earth. I saw the tears of those who are suffering. They don’t have anyone to comfort them. Power is on the side of those who treat them badly. Those who are suffering don’t have anyone to comfort them.

Ecclesiastes 4:4

I also saw that a person works hard and accomplishes a lot. But they do it only because they want what another person has. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 7:13

Think about what God has done. Who can make straight what he has made crooked?

Ecclesiastes 9:2

Everyone will die someday. Death comes to godly and sinful people alike. It comes to good and bad people alike. It comes to “clean” and “unclean” people alike. Those who offer sacrifices and those who don’t offer them also die. A good person dies, and so does a sinner. Those who make promises die. So do those who are afraid to make them.

Ecclesiastes 9:3

Here’s what is so bad about everything that happens on this earth. Death catches up with all of us. Also, the hearts of people are full of evil. They live in foolish pleasure. After that, they join those who have already died.

Jeremiah 46:6

“Those who run fast can’t get away. Those who are strong can’t escape. In the north by the Euphrates River they trip and fall.

Jeremiah 48:14

“How can you say, ‘We are soldiers. We are men who are brave in battle’?

Jeremiah 9:23

The Lord says, “Do not let wise people brag about how wise they are. Do not let strong people boast about how strong they are. Do not let rich people brag about how rich they are.

Daniel 4:35

He considers all the nations on earth to be nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven. He does what he wants with the nations of the earth. No one can hold back his hand. No one can say to him, “What have you done?”

Zechariah 4:6

So he said to me, “A message from the Lord came to Zerubbabel. The Lord said, ‘Your strength will not get my temple rebuilt. Your power will not do it either. Only the power of my Spirit will do it,’ says the Lord who rules over all.

Malachi 3:18

Then once again you will see the difference between godly people and sinful people. And you will see the difference between those who serve me and those who do not.

Ephesians 1:11

We were also chosen to belong to him. God decided to choose us long ago in keeping with his plan. He works out everything to fit his plan and purpose.

Deuteronomy 8:17

You might say to yourself, “My power and my strong hands have made me rich.”

Deuteronomy 8:18

But remember the Lord your God. He gives you the ability to produce wealth. That shows he stands by the terms of the covenant he made with you. He promised it to your people of long ago. And he’s still faithful to his covenant today.

1 Samuel 17:50

So David won the fight against Goliath with a sling and a stone. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. He did it without even using a sword.

1 Samuel 6:9

But keep an eye on the cart. See if it goes up toward Beth Shemesh to its own territory. If it does, then it’s the Lord who has brought this horrible trouble on us. But if it doesn’t, then we’ll know it wasn’t his hand that struck us. We’ll know it happened to us by chance.”