Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.
Parallel translations
- KJV Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
- BSB Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright—but the righteous will live by faith—
- NKJV “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.
- NASB ¶“Behold, as for the impudent one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous one will live by his faith.
- NLT “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
In contrast to the proud whose soul is not upright, the righteous will live by his faith. This is the theological heart of the book and a cornerstone of the gospel of justification by faith.
Overview
God draws a sharp line between the puffed-up, self-reliant person and the righteous one who lives by faith, that is, by humble, persevering trust in God. Paul cites this verse in Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38 quotes it too, making it foundational for understanding that sinners are justified not by works but by faith. Ultimately this faith finds its object in Christ, through whom God reckons the believer righteous and grants true life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Rom 1:17For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”
- Heb 10:38But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”
- Gal 3:11–12Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.”
- Gal 2:16yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.
- John 3:36One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
- 1 Jn 5:10–12He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who doesn’t believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son.
- Luke 18:14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
- Dan 4:37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.
- Dan 5:20–23But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
- 1 Pet 5:5Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- 2 Th 2:4he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.
- Dan 4:30The king spoke and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?
- Job 40:11–12Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
'The righteous shall live by his faith' (2:4) becomes a cornerstone of the gospel in Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews — the faith that lays hold of Christ.
How Habakkuk 2:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.