Amplified Bible
Proverbs 20:27
27The spirit (conscience) of man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching and examining all the innermost parts of his being.
Proverbs 20:27 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
- New International Version (NIV)The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord that sheds light on one’s inmost being.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart.
Context of Proverbs 20:27
25It is a trap for a man to [speak a vow of consecration and] say rashly, “It is holy!” And [not until] afterward consider [whether he can fulfill it]. 26A wise king sifts out the wicked [from among the good] And drives the [threshing] wheel over them [to separate the chaff from the grain]. The spirit (conscience) of man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching and examining all the innermost parts of his being. 28Loyalty and mercy, truth and faithfulness, protect the king, And he upholds his throne by lovingkindness. 29The glory of young men is their [physical] strength, And the honor of aged men is their gray head [representing wisdom and experience].
Read all of Proverbs 20Proverbs 20:27 word by word
נֵ֣ר יְ֭הוָה נִשְׁמַ֣ת אָדָ֑ם חֹ֝פֵ֗שׂ כָּל־חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 20:27
- Genesis 2:7then the Lord God formed [that is, created the body of] man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being [an individual complete in body and spirit].
- Job 32:8But there is [a vital force and] a spirit [of intelligence] in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.
- Romans 2:15They show that the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts; and their conscience [their sense of right and wrong, their moral choices] bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or perhaps defending them
- 1 Corinthians 2:11For what person knows the thoughts and motives of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So also no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
- 2 Corinthians 4:2But we have renounced the disgraceful things hidden because of shame; not walking in trickery or adulterating the word of God, but by stating the truth [openly and plainly], we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
- 1 John 3:19By this we will know [without any doubt] that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart and quiet our conscience before Him
- Proverbs 20:20Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp [of life] will be extinguished in time of darkness.
- Proverbs 20:30Blows that wound cleanse away evil, And strokes reach to the innermost parts.
- Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Commentaries on Proverbs 20:27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord - God has given to every man a mind, which he so enlightens by his own Spirit, that the man knows how to distinguish good from evil; and conscience, which springs from this, searches the inmost recesses of the soul.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27The spirit of man - The “breath” of Genesis 2:7, the higher life, above that which he has in common with lower animals, coming to him direct from God. Such a life, with all its powers of insight, consciousness, reflection, is as a lamp which God has lighted, throwing its rays into the darkest recesses of the heart. A still higher truth is proclaimed in the Prologue of John‘s Gospel. The candle, or lamp of Yahweh, derives its light from “the Light that…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 27Verse 27 The rational soul and conscience are as a lamp within us, which should be used in examining our dispositions and motives with the revealed will of God.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 27The Lord's light reaches the human spirit, and God sees deep into people's hearts (see Proverbs 16:2).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2727. The spirit ... Lord--Men's minds are God's gifts, and thus able to search one another (compare Pr 20:5; Pr 18:8, 17; 1Co 2:11).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 20:27
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 20
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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