New International Version
Proverbs 20:9
9Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”?
Proverbs 20:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Who can say, "I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin"?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”?
- New Living Translation (NLT)Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin”?
Context of Proverbs 20:9
7The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them. 8When a king sits on his throne to judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes. Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”? 10Differing weights and differing measures— the Lord detests them both. 11Even small children are known by their actions, so is their conduct really pure and upright?
Read all of Proverbs 20Proverbs 20:9 word by word
מִֽי־יֹ֭אמַר זִכִּ֣יתִי לִבִּ֑י טָ֝הַ֗רְתִּי מֵחַטָּאתִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 20:9
- 1 Kings 8:46“When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive to their own lands, far away or near;
- 2 Chronicles 6:36“When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near;
- Job 14:4Who can bring what is pure from the impure? No one!
- Job 15:14“What are mortals, that they could be pure, or those born of woman, that they could be righteous?
- Job 25:4How then can a mortal be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure?
- Psalms 51:5Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
- Ecclesiastes 7:20Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.
- 1 Corinthians 4:4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
- James 3:2We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
- 1 John 1:8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
Commentaries on Proverbs 20:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Who can say, I have made any heart clean - No man. But thousands can testify that the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed them from all unrighteousness. And he is pure from his sin, who is justified freely through the redemption that is in Jesus.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9A warning voice against the spirit, which, ignorant of its own guilt, is forward to condemn others.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9Verse 9 Some can say, Through grace, we are cleaner than we have been; but it was the work of the Holy Spirit.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Wise people know their own weaknesses. Pride stops people from seeing their faults (Proverbs 6:17–18; 11:2; 13:10; 15:33; 16:18; 18:12; see also 1 John 1:8–10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. The interrogation in the affirmative strengthens the implied negation (compare Job 15:14; Ec 7:20).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 20:9
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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