Parallel Verses
Lexham Expanded Bible
For no one knows [whether] the spirit of a human ascends [to heaven] and [whether] the spirit of the beast descends to the ground!
New American Standard Bible
Who knows that the
King James Version
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
Holman Bible
Who knows if the spirit of people rises upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth?
International Standard Version
Who knows whether the spirit of human beings ascends, and whether the spirit of animals descends to the earth?
A Conservative Version
Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth?
American Standard Version
Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth?
Amplified
Who knows if the spirit of man ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth?
Bible in Basic English
Who is certain that the spirit of the sons of men goes up to heaven, or that the spirit of the beasts goes down to the earth?
Darby Translation
Who knoweth the spirit of the children of men? Doth it go upwards? and the spirit of the beasts, doth it go downwards to the earth?
Julia Smith Translation
Who shall know the spirit of the sons of man? it ascending to above, and the spirit of cattle, it going downwards to the earth.
King James 2000
Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth?
Modern King James verseion
Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward?
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the breath of the beast that goeth down into the earth?
NET Bible
Who really knows if the human spirit ascends upward, and the animal's spirit descends into the earth?
New Heart English Bible
Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?"
The Emphasized Bible
Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of men, whether it, ascendeth, above, - or the spirit of the beast, whether it, descendeth, below, to the earth?
Webster
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
World English Bible
Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?"
Youngs Literal Translation
Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of man that is going up on high, and the spirit of the beast that is going down below to the earth?
Topics
Interlinear
Yada`
`alah
ירד
Yarad
down, descend, variant, fell, let, abundantly, down by, indeed, put off, light off, out, sank, subdued, take
Usage: 378
Ma`al
References
Word Count of 20 Translations in Ecclesiastes 3:21
Verse Info
Context Readings
God's Mysterious Plan Allows Injustice To Exist In The World
20 Both go to one place--both came from dust and both return to dust. 21 For no one knows [whether] the spirit of a human ascends [to heaven] and [whether] the spirit of the beast descends to the ground! 22 So I concluded that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy [the fruit of] his labor, for this is his lot in life. {For no one knows what will happen in the future.}
Names
Cross References
Ecclesiastes 12:7
And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it.
Luke 16:22-23
Now it happened that the poor man died, and he was carried away by the angels to {Abraham's side}. And the rich man also died and was buried.
John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, so that where I am, you may be also.
Acts 1:25
to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to depart to his own place."
2 Corinthians 5:1
For we know that if our earthly house, the tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 Corinthians 5:8
so we are confident and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
Philippians 1:23
But I am hard pressed {between the two options}, having the desire to depart and to be with Christ, {for this is very much better}.