Ecclesiastes 12:13

The King James Version renders this verse "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." The word duty is in italics indicating that it has been supplied, and is not in the original Hebrew. The New King James Version renders this verse "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all." Even the New International Version inserts the word duty, as follows: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind." The reading of the NKJV almost seems to be saying, "This is all man can do," putting a negative aspect on the verse. The import of the verse, without the word duty, seems to be "This is everything for a man," "this is the most important thing for a man," "this is what matters most for a man," or "this is where it's at for a man." Perhaps the NKJV translators were influenced by a negative attitude towards the law of God. The KJV gives the idea by adding the word "duty" but otherwise staying very close to the literal Hebrew.