God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 23:17
17Do not envy sinners in your heart. Instead, continue to fear the Lord.
Proverbs 23:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;
Context of Proverbs 23:17
15My son, if you have a wise heart, my heart will rejoice as well. 16My heart rejoices when you speak what is right. Do not envy sinners in your heart. Instead, continue to fear the Lord. 18There is indeed a future, and your hope will never be cut off. 19My son, listen, be wise, and keep your mind going in the right direction.
Read all of Proverbs 23Proverbs 23:17 word by word
אַל־יְקַנֵּ֣א לִ֭בְּךָ בַּֽחַטָּאִ֑ים כִּ֥י אִם־בְּיִרְאַת־יְ֝הוָ֗ה כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 23:17
- Proverbs 3:31Do not envy a violent person. Do not choose any of his ways.
- Proverbs 24:1Do not envy evil people or wish you were with them,
- Psalms 37:1Do not be preoccupied with evildoers. Do not envy those who do wicked things.
- Psalms 73:3because I was envious of arrogant people when I saw the prosperity that wicked people enjoy.
- Proverbs 15:16Better to have a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and turmoil.
- Proverbs 28:14Blessed is the one who is always fearful ⌞of sin⌟, but whoever is hard-hearted falls into disaster.
- Psalms 111:10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Good sense is shown by everyone who follows ⌞God’s guiding principles⌟. His praise continues forever.
- Psalms 112:1Hallelujah! Blessed is the person who fears the Lord and is happy to obey his commands.
- Ecclesiastes 5:7In spite of many daydreams, pointless actions, and empty words, you should still fear God.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13After having heard it all, this is the conclusion: Fear God, and keep his commands, because this applies to everyone.
- Acts 9:31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace. The number of people increased as people lived in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
- 2 Corinthians 7:1Since we have these promises, dear friends, we need to cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit and live a holy life in the fear of God.
- 1 Peter 1:17So if you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth in fear. He is the God who judges all people by what they have done, and he doesn’t play favorites.
Commentaries on Proverbs 23:17
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-35Verses 15-35 Another continuous exhortation rather than a collection of maxims. Proverbs 23:16 The teacher rejoices when the disciple‘s heart Proverbs 23:15 receives wisdom, and yet more when his lips can utter it. Reins - See Job 19:27 note. Proverbs 23:17 Envy sinners - Compare in Psalm 37:1; Psalm 73:3; the feeling which looks half-longingly at the prosperity of evil doers. Some connect the verb “envy” with the second clause, “envy not sinners, but…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-18Verses 17-18 The believer's expectation shall not be disappointed; the end of his trials, and of the sinner's prosperity, is at hand.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-18Saying 14: Sometimes sinners succeed, but the wise know that fearing the Lord brings true rewards (see Proverbs 1:7).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-1817-18. (Compare Margin). The prosperity of the wicked is short.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 23:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 23
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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