Ecclesiastes 8:12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.

Bible > Ecclesiastes > Chapter 8 > Verse 12

◄ Ecclesiastes 8:12 ►

New International Version
Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.

New Living Translation
But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off.

English Standard Version
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him.

Berean Standard Bible
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.

King James Bible
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

New King James Version
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.

New American Standard Bible
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will go well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

NASB 1995
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

NASB 1977
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

Legacy Standard Bible
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may prolong his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

Amplified Bible
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and his life [seemingly] is prolonged [in spite of his wickedness], still I know that it will be well with those who [reverently] fear God, who fear and worship Him openly [realizing His omnipresence and His power].

Christian Standard Bible
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, I also know that it will go well with God-fearing people, for they are reverent before him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Although a sinner commits crime a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I also know that it will go well with God-fearing people, for they are reverent before Him.

American Standard Version
Though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and prolong his days, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before him:

Contemporary English Version
They commit hundreds of crimes and live a long time, in spite of the saying: Everyone who lives right and respects God will prosper,

English Revised Version
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and prolong his days, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A sinner may commit a hundred crimes and yet live a long life. Still, I know with certainty that it will go well for those who fear God, because they fear him.

Good News Translation
A sinner may commit a hundred crimes and still live. Oh yes, I know what they say: "If you obey God, everything will be all right,

International Standard Version
Even though a sinner does what is wrong a hundred times and still survives, nevertheless I also know that things will go well for those who fear God, who fear in his presence.

Majority Standard Bible
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.

NET Bible
Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes and still live a long time, yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people--for they stand in fear before him.

New Heart English Bible
Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Though a sinner doeth evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet surely I know that it will be well with them that fear God, who fear before him:

World English Bible
Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
Though a sinner is doing evil one hundred [times], and prolonging [himself] for it, surely also I know that there is good to those fearing God, who fear before Him.

Young's Literal Translation
Though a sinner is doing evil a hundred times, and prolonging himself for it, surely also I know that there is good to those fearing God, who fear before Him.

Smith's Literal Translation
Whoever sinned, doing evil a hundred, and it being prolonged to him, for also I know that it will be to those fearing God, who shall be afraid from his face.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
But though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and by patience be borne withal, I know from thence that it shall be well with them that fear God, who dread his face.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But although a sinner may do evil of himself one hundred times, and by patience still endure, I realize that it will be well with those who fear God, who revere his face.

New American Bible
because the sinner does evil a hundred times and survives. Though indeed I know that it shall be well with those who fear God, for their reverence toward him;

New Revised Standard Version
Though sinners do evil a hundred times and prolong their lives, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they stand in fear before him,

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
He who sins does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with the worshippers of the LORD, that they may fear before him;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Whoever sins does a hundred evils and prolongs himself, and I know that it will be good for the worshipers of LORD JEHOVAH who will stand in awe before him

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
because a sinner doeth evil a hundred times, and prolongeth his days--though yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before Him;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
He that has sinned has done evil from that time, and long from beforehand: nevertheless I know, that it is well with them that fear God, that they may fear before him:

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Fear God
…11When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil. 12Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence. 13Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Psalm 37:9-11
For the evildoers will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. / Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. / But the meek will inherit the land and delight in abundant prosperity.

Proverbs 1:33
But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”

Isaiah 3:10-11
Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor. / Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.

Psalm 73:17-20
until I entered God’s sanctuary; then I discerned their end. / Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin. / How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors! ...

Proverbs 10:27-30
The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be cut short. / The hope of the righteous is joy, but the expectations of the wicked will perish. / The way of the LORD is a refuge to the upright, but destruction awaits those who do evil. ...

Job 21:7-16
Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power? / Their descendants are established around them, and their offspring before their eyes. / Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them. ...

Malachi 3:16-18
At that time those who feared the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened and heard them. So a scroll of remembrance was written before Him regarding those who feared the LORD and honored His name. / “They will be Mine,” says the LORD of Hosts, “on the day when I prepare My treasured possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. / So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”

Psalm 1:5-6
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. / For the LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Proverbs 11:18-19
The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward. / Genuine righteousness leads to life, but the pursuit of evil brings death.

Isaiah 57:20-21
But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck. / “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

Romans 2:6-11
God “will repay each one according to his deeds.” / To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life. / But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger. ...

2 Peter 2:9
if all this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.

Matthew 25:46
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Galatians 6:7-9
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. / The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. / Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Hebrews 10:26-27
If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains, / but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries.

Treasury of Scripture

Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

a sinner

Ecclesiastes 5:16
And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

Ecclesiastes 7:15
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

1 Kings 2:5-9
Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet…

surely

Ecclesiastes 7:18
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

Psalm 37:11,18,19
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace…

Psalm 112:1
Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

fear before

Ecclesiastes 3:14
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

1 Chronicles 16:30
Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.

Psalm 96:9
O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

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Ecclesiastes 8

1. true wisdom is modest
2. Kings are to be respected
6. Divine providence is to be observed
12. It is better with the godly in adversity, than with the wicked in prosperity
16. The work of God is unsearchable

Berean Study Bible

Although a sinner does evil a hundred times
The phrase "a sinner" refers to one who habitually misses the mark of God's standards, as derived from the Hebrew word "chata." The repetition of "a hundred times" emphasizes the persistence and frequency of sin, suggesting a life characterized by continual wrongdoing. Historically, this reflects the human condition and the tendency to fall into patterns of sin, despite the awareness of divine law. The phrase challenges the reader to consider the apparent prosperity of the wicked, a common theme in wisdom literature, which often grapples with the justice of God in the face of human inequity.

and may lengthen his life
The idea that a sinner might "lengthen his life" seems paradoxical, as it suggests that those who do evil might still enjoy longevity. This reflects the ancient Near Eastern observation that prosperity and long life were often seen as signs of divine favor. However, the Preacher in Ecclesiastes acknowledges the complexity of life under the sun, where outcomes do not always align with moral behavior. This phrase invites reflection on the temporal nature of earthly life and the ultimate justice of God, which transcends human understanding.

yet I also know
The phrase "yet I also know" introduces a contrast and a statement of faith. The Hebrew word "yada" for "know" implies a deep, experiential understanding, not just intellectual assent. This suggests that the speaker has a profound conviction about the truth that follows, despite the apparent contradictions observed in the world. It is a declaration of trust in divine wisdom and justice, even when circumstances seem to suggest otherwise.

that it will be well with those who fear God
"Those who fear God" refers to individuals who live in reverence and awe of the Almighty, acknowledging His sovereignty and aligning their lives with His commandments. The Hebrew word "yare" for "fear" encompasses both reverence and respect, not merely terror. The assurance that "it will be well" with such individuals is a recurring promise in Scripture, affirming that true peace and prosperity are found in a right relationship with God. This phrase encourages believers to maintain their faithfulness, trusting in God's ultimate justice and goodness.

who revere His presence
To "revere His presence" is to live with an awareness of God's omnipresence and holiness. The Hebrew concept of "presence" (often translated from "panim," meaning "face") implies a personal and intimate relationship with God. Reverence for God's presence involves acknowledging His constant watchfulness and living in a manner that honors Him. This phrase underscores the importance of a heart posture that seeks to honor God in all aspects of life, recognizing that true fulfillment and blessing come from living in alignment with His will.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(12) Though.--Better, Because; the first part of this verse being in continuation of the preceding. The latter part of the verse states the faith which the writer holds in spite of apparent contrary experience.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 12. - Though a sinner do evil a hundred times. The sentence begins again, as ver. 11, with asher, followed by a participle; and the conjunction ought to be rendered "because," the statement made in the former verse being resumed and strengthened. The Vulgate has attamen, which our version follows. The Septuagint goes astray, translating, ο{ς ἥμαρτεν, "He that has sinned has done evil from that time." The sinner is here supposed to have transgressed continually without cheek or punishment. The expression, "a hundred times," is used indefinitely, as Proverbs 17:10; Isaiah 65:20. And his days be prolonged; better, prolongeth his days for it; i.e. in the practice of evil, with a kind of contentment and satisfaction, the pronoun being the ethic dative. Contrary to the usual course of temporal retribution, the sinner often lives to old age The Vulgate has, Et per patientiam sustentatur, which signifies that he is kept in life by God's long-suffering. Ginsburg gives, "and is perpetuated," i.e. in his progeny - which is a possible, but not a probable, rendering. Yet surely I know; rather, though I for my part know. He has seen sinners prosper; this experience has been forced upon him; yet he holds an inward conviction that God's moral government will vindicate itself at some time and in some signal manner. It shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him. This is not really tautological; it is compared to St. Paul's expression (1 Timothy 5:3), "widows that are widows indeed" (ὄντως), implying that they are, in fact and life, what they profess to be. Delitzsch and Plumptre suggest that in Koheleth's time "God-fearers" had become the name of a religious class, as the Chasidim, or "Assideaus," in I Macc. 2:42; 7:13, etc. Certainly a trace of this so-named party is seen in Psalm 118:4; Malachi 3:16. When this adjustment of anomalies shall take place, whether in this life or in another, the writer says not here. In spite of all contrary appearances, he holds firm to his faith that it will be welt with the righteous in the long run. The comfort and peace of a conscience at rest, and the inward feeling that his life was ordered after God's will, would compensate a good man for much outward trouble; and if to this was added the assured hope of another life, it might indeed be said that it was well with him. The Septuagint has, "that they may fear before him," which implies that the mercy and loving-kindness of God, manifested in his care of the righteous, lead to piety and true religion. Cheyne ('Job and Solomon'), combining this verse with the next, produces a sense which is certainly not in the present Hebrew text, "For I know that it ever happens that a sinner does evil for a long time, and yet lives long, whilst he who fears before God is short-lived as a shadow."

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Although
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

a sinner
חֹטֶ֗א (ḥō·ṭe)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

does
עֹשֶׂ֥ה (‘ō·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

evil
רָ֛ע (rā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

a hundred [times]
מְאַ֖ת (mə·’aṯ)
Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3967: A hundred

and still lives long,
וּמַאֲרִ֣יךְ (ū·ma·’ă·rîḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 748: To be, long

yet
כִּ֚י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

I
אָ֔נִי (’ā·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

also
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

know
יוֹדֵ֣עַ (yō·w·ḏê·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

that
אֲשֶׁ֤ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

it will go
יִהְיֶה־ (yih·yeh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

well
טּוֹב֙ (ṭō·wḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

with those who
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

fear
יִֽירְא֖וּ (yî·rə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

God,
הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

who are reverent
לְיִרְאֵ֣י (lə·yir·’ê)
Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

in His presence.
מִלְּפָנָֽיו׃ (mil·lə·p̄ā·nāw)
Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 8:12 Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)