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15 [a](A)What now is has already been; what is to be, already is: God retrieves what has gone by.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:15 The verse is difficult. Literally it reads “and God seeks out what was pursued.” It appears to be a variation of the theme in 1:9, “There is nothing new under the sun.”

15 Whatever is has already been,(A)
    and what will be has been before;(B)
    and God will call the past to account.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 3:15 Or God calls back the past

II. Qoheleth’s Conclusions

10 Whatever is, was long ago given its name, and human nature is known; mortals cannot contend in judgment with One who is stronger.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 6:10–11 One who is stronger is, of course, God. The more vanity: contending with God is futile.

10 Whatever exists has already been named,(A)
    and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
    with someone who is stronger.

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