New Living Translation
Proverbs 18:24
24There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
- New International Version (NIV)One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
- English Standard Version (ESV)A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
- New King James Version (NKJV)A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Context of Proverbs 18:24
22The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord. 23The poor plead for mercy; the rich answer with insults. There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
Read all of Proverbs 18Proverbs 18:24 word by word
אִ֣ישׁ רֵ֭עִים לְהִתְרֹעֵ֑עַ וְיֵ֥שׁ אֹ֝הֵ֗ב דָּבֵ֥ק מֵאָֽח׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 18:24
- Proverbs 17:17A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.
- Proverbs 27:9The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.
- 1 Samuel 19:4The next morning Jonathan spoke with his father about David, saying many good things about him. “The king must not sin against his servant David,” Jonathan said. “He’s never done anything to harm you. He has always helped you in any way he could.
- 1 Samuel 30:26When he arrived at Ziklag, David sent part of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends. “Here is a present for you, taken from the Lord’s enemies,” he said.
- 2 Samuel 9:1One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
- 2 Samuel 16:17“Is this the way you treat your friend David?” Absalom asked him. “Why aren’t you with him?”
- 2 Samuel 17:27When David arrived at Mahanaim, he was warmly greeted by Shobi son of Nahash, who came from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and by Makir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and by Barzillai of Gilead from Rogelim.
- 2 Samuel 19:30“Give him all of it,” Mephibosheth said. “I am content just to have you safely back again, my lord the king!”
- 2 Samuel 21:7The king spared Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, who was Saul’s grandson, because of the oath David and Jonathan had sworn before the Lord.
- 1 Chronicles 12:38All these men came in battle array to Hebron with the single purpose of making David the king over all Israel. In fact, everyone in Israel agreed that David should be their king.
- Matthew 26:49So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.
- 2 Samuel 1:26How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan! Oh, how much I loved you! And your love for me was deep, deeper than the love of women!
- John 15:14You are my friends if you do what I command.
Commentaries on Proverbs 18:24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24A man that hath friends must show himself friendly - Love begets love; and love requires love as its recompense. If a man do not maintain a friendly carriage, he cannot expect to retain his friends. Friendship is a good plant; but it requires cultivation to make it grow. There is a kind of factitious friendship in the world, that, to show one's self friendly in it, is very expensive, and in every way utterly unprofitable: it is maintained by expensive…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24Better, “A man of many companions is so to his own destruction, but there is a friend (the true, loving friend) etc.” It is not the multitude of so called friends that helps us. They may only embarrass and perplex. What we prize is the one whose love is stronger and purer even than all ties of kindred.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24Verse 24 Christ Jesus never will forsake those who trust in and love him. May we be such friends to others, for our Master's sake. Having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end; and we are his friends if we do whatever he commands us, Joh 15:14.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24Some people who call themselves "friends" are not. Wise people look past appearances. They tell real friends from fake ones by their actions in tough times.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. A man ... friendly--better, "A man ... (is) to, or, may triumph (Psa 108:9), or, shout for joy (Psa 5:11), that is, may congratulate himself." Indeed, there is a Friend who is better than a brother; such is the "Friend of sinners" [Mt 11:19; Lu 7:34], who may have been before the writer's mind.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 18:24
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 18
- 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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