Amplified Bible
Proverbs 14:21
21He who despises his neighbor sins [against God and his fellow man], But happy [blessed and favored by God] is he who is gracious and merciful to the poor.
Proverbs 14:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
- New International Version (NIV)It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He who despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.
Context of Proverbs 14:21
19The evil will bow down before the good, And the wicked [will bow down] at the gates of the righteous. 20The poor man is hated even by his neighbor, But those who love the rich are many. He who despises his neighbor sins [against God and his fellow man], But happy [blessed and favored by God] is he who is gracious and merciful to the poor. 22Do they not go astray who devise evil and wander from the way of righteousness? But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good. 23In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty.
Read all of Proverbs 14Proverbs 14:21 word by word
בָּז־לְרֵעֵ֥הוּ חוֹטֵ֑א וּמְחוֹנֵ֖ן עֲנָוִ֣ים אַשְׁרָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 14:21
- Proverbs 11:12He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a man of understanding keeps silent.
- Proverbs 17:5Whoever mocks the poor taunts his Maker, And he who rejoices at [another’s] disaster will not go unpunished.
- Proverbs 18:3When the wicked man comes [to the depth of evil], contempt [of all that is pure and good] also comes, And with inner baseness (dishonor) comes outer shame (scorn).
- Job 31:13“If I have despised and rejected the claim of my male or female servants When they filed a complaint against me,
- Job 35:5Look to the heavens and see; And behold the skies which are [much] higher than you.
- Psalms 22:24For He has not despised nor detested the suffering of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from him; But when he cried to Him for help, He listened.
- Luke 18:9He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves and were confident that they were righteous [posing outwardly as upright and in right standing with God], and who viewed others with contempt:
- James 2:5Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and [as believers to be] heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
- Proverbs 14:31He who oppresses the poor taunts and insults his Maker, But he who is kind and merciful and gracious to the needy honors Him.
- Proverbs 11:24There is the one who [generously] scatters [abroad], and yet increases all the more; And there is the one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want and poverty.
- Proverbs 19:17He who is gracious and lends a hand to the poor lends to the Lord, And the Lord will repay him for his good deed.
- Daniel 4:27Therefore, O king, let my advice to you be [considered and found] acceptable; break away now from your sins and exhibit your repentance by doing what is right, and from your wickedness by showing mercy to the poor, so that [if you repent] there may possibly be a continuance of your prosperity and tranquility and a healing of your error.’
- Matthew 25:34“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God, appointed to eternal salvation], inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
- Luke 6:30Give to everyone who asks of you. Whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.
- Acts 20:35In everything I showed you [by example] that by working hard in this way you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed [and brings greater joy] to give than to receive.’ ”
- Hebrews 6:12so that you will not be [spiritually] sluggish, but [will instead be] imitators of those who through faith [lean on God with absolute trust and confidence in Him and in His power] and by patient endurance [even when suffering] are [now] inheriting the promises.
Commentaries on Proverbs 14:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth - To despise a man because he has some natural blemish is unjust, cruel, and wicked. He is not the author of his own imperfections; they did not occur through his fault or folly; and if he could, he would not retain them. It is, therefore, unjust and wicked to despise him for what is not his fault, but his misfortune. But he that hath mercy on the poor - Who reproaches no man for his poverty or scanty intellect, but…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21Verse 21 To despise a man for his employment or appearance is a sin.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor: See also Proverbs 3:27–28; 11:24; 28:27; 29:7, 14.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. For such contempt of the poor is contrasted as sinful with the virtuous compassion of the good.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 14:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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