Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV)

Passage

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Nearby Context

Ecclesiastes 12:11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

Ecclesiastes 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "hear", "conclusion", "whole", "matter", "fear", "keep", and "commandments". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "hear" and "conclusion", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "And further by these my son be..." into verse 14's "For God shall bring every work into...", so "hear" and "conclusion" belong inside that flow. In Ecclesiastes context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "hear" and "conclusion" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.