Ecclesiastes 12:13 (GNV)

Passage

Let vs heare the end of all: feare God and keepe his commandements: for this is the whole duetie of man.

Nearby Context

Ecclesiastes 12:11 The wordes of the wise are like goads, and like nailes fastened by the masters of the assemblies, which are giuen by one pastour.

Ecclesiastes 12:12 And of other things beside these, my sone, take thou heede: for there is none ende in making many bookes, and much reading is a wearines of the flesh.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let vs heare the end of all: feare God and keepe his commandements: for this is the whole duetie of man.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgement, with euery secret thing, whether it be good or euill.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "heare", "feare", "keepe", "commandements", "whole", and "duetie". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "heare" and "feare", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "And of other things beside these my..." into verse 14's "For God will bring euery worke vnto...", so "heare" and "feare" 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 "heare" and "feare" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.