God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 27:21
21The crucible is for refining silver and the smelter for gold, but a person ⌞is tested⌟ by the praise given to him.
Proverbs 27:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
- New International Version (NIV)The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, And a man is valued by what others say of him.
Context of Proverbs 27:21
19As a face is reflected in water, so a person is reflected by his heart. 20Hell and decay are never satisfied, and a person’s eyes are never satisfied. The crucible is for refining silver and the smelter for gold, but a person ⌞is tested⌟ by the praise given to him. 22If you crush a stubborn fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, ⌞even then⌟ his stupidity will not leave him. 23Be fully aware of the condition of your flock, and pay close attention to your herds.
Read all of Proverbs 27Proverbs 27:21 word by word
מַצְרֵ֣ף לַ֭כֶּסֶף וְכ֣וּר לַזָּהָ֑ב וְ֝אִ֗ישׁ לְפִ֣י מַהֲלָלֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 27:21
- Proverbs 17:3The crucible is for refining silver and the smelter for gold, but the one who purifies hearts ⌞by fire⌟ is the Lord.
- Psalms 12:6The promises of the Lord are pure, like silver refined in a furnace and purified seven times.
- Psalms 66:10You have tested us, O God. You have refined us in the same way silver is refined.
- Zechariah 13:9I will bring this third ⌞of the people⌟ through the fire. I will refine them as silver is refined. I will test them as gold is tested. They will call on me, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people.’ They will reply, ‘The Lord is our God.’ ”
- Malachi 3:3He will act like a refiner and a purifier of silver. He will purify Levi’s sons and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will bring acceptable offerings to the Lord.
- 1 Peter 1:7The purpose of these troubles is to test your faith as fire tests how genuine gold is. Your faith is more precious than gold, and by passing the test, it gives praise, glory, and honor to God. This will happen when Jesus Christ appears again.
- 1 Peter 4:12Dear friends, don’t be surprised by the fiery troubles that are coming in order to test you. Don’t feel as though something strange is happening to you,
- 1 Samuel 18:7The women who were celebrating sang, “Saul has defeated thousands but David tens of thousands!”
- 2 Samuel 14:25Now, no one in all Israel was praised for his good looks as much as Absalom was. He had no blemish from head to toe.
- 2 Samuel 15:6This is what he did for all Israelites who came to the king to have him try their case. So Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.
Commentaries on Proverbs 27:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21As the fining pot for silver - As silver and gold are tried by the art of the refiner, so is a man's heart by the praise he receives. If he feel it not, he deserves it; if he be puffed up by it, he is worthless.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21So is - Better, So let a man be to his praise, let him purify it from all the alloy of flattery and baseness with which it is too probably mixed up.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21Verse 21 Silver and gold are tried by putting them into the furnace and fining-pot; so is a man tried by praising him.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21A person who stays humble when praised shows a pure character (see Proverbs 17:3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Praise tests character. a man to his praise--according to his praise, as he bears it. Thus vain men seek it, weak men are inflated by it, wise men disregard it, &c.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 27:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 27
- 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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