Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 20:27
27The Lord’s lamp sheds light on a person’s life, searching the innermost parts.
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 anyone to dedicate something rashly and later to reconsider his vows. 26A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them. The Lord’s lamp sheds light on a person’s life, searching the innermost parts. 28Loyalty and faithfulness guard a king; through loyalty he maintains his throne. 29The glory of young men is their strength, and the splendor of old men is gray hair.
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 the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.
- Job 32:8But it is the spirit in a person— the breath from the Almighty— that gives anyone understanding.
- Romans 2:15They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them
- 1 Corinthians 2:11For who knows a person’s thoughts except his spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
- 2 Corinthians 4:2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful things, not acting deceitfully or distorting the word of God, but commending ourselves before God to everyone’s conscience by an open display of the truth.
- 1 John 3:19This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and will reassure our hearts before him
- Proverbs 20:20Whoever curses his father or mother — his lamp will go out in deep darkness.
- Proverbs 20:30Lashes and wounds purge away evil, and beatings cleanse the innermost parts.
- Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the 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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