Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 · KJV
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two Are Better Than One
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 praises the strength of companionship: "Two are better than one," for they help each other up, keep each other warm, and stand stronger together — "a threefold cord is not quickly broken."
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (KJV)
9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
11Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
What Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 means
"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour." The passage gives practical reasons: if one falls, the other lifts him up; two keep each other warm; two can withstand an attack one could not.
It builds to the memorable image: "a threefold cord is not quickly broken" — a third strand (often read as God at the center) makes the bond stronger still. It is one of the most-loved readings for weddings and friendship.
Key verses
“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9 · KJV — "Two are better than one."
“And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
Ecclesiastes 4:12 · KJV — "A threefold cord is not quickly broken."
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A prayer from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Lord, thank You for the strength of companionship. Give me people to lift me when I fall, and let You be the third strand that makes every bond unbreakable. Amen.
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Frequently asked
What does Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 mean?
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 praises the strength of companionship: "Two are better than one," for they help each other up, keep each other warm, and stand stronger together — "a threefold cord is not quickly broken."
What is Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 about?
"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour." The passage gives practical reasons: if one falls, the other lifts him up; two keep each other warm; two can withstand an attack one could not.
What is the key verse in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12?
Ecclesiastes 4:9 — “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.”
Is Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 in the King James Version?
Yes. The full text of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 on this page is the King James Version (KJV), which is in the public domain.