Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Parallel translations
- WEB Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will 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 therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
- Heb 10:38Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
- Gal 3:11–12But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
- Gal 2:16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
- John 3:36He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
- 1 Jn 5:10–12He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
- Luke 18:14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
- Dan 4:37Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
- Dan 5:20–23But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
- 1 Pet 5:5Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
- 2 Th 2:4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
- Dan 4:30The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
- Job 40:11–12Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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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.