¶“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?
Parallel translations
- WEB The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it?
- KJV The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
- BSB The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
- NKJV “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
- NLT “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?
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
The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately corrupt; who can truly understand it? This sober diagnosis reveals the depth of human sinfulness hidden within every person.
Overview
Jeremiah pierces to the core of the human condition, declaring the heart deceitful and incurably sick beyond our own understanding. This diagnosis explains why people trust in idols and forsake God, and it humbles every claim of self-righteousness. It magnifies the gospel, for the heart no one can know or cure is fully known by God, who alone gives a new heart through the saving work of Christ (Ezekiel 36:26).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Mark 7:21–22For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts,
- Matt 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.
- Eccl 9:3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
- Prov 28:26One who trusts in himself is a fool; but one who walks in wisdom is kept safe.
- Heb 3:12Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God;
- Gen 6:5Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil.
- Jas 1:14–15But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
- Gen 8:21Yahweh smelled the pleasant aroma. Yahweh said in his heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake because the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. I will never again strike every living thing, as I have done.
- Matt 13:15for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again; and I would heal them.’
- Ps 53:1–3For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Mahalath.” A contemplation by David. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity. There is no one who does good.
- Jer 16:12and you have done evil more than your fathers; for, behold, you walk every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart, so that you don’t listen to me.
- Ps 51:5Behold, I was born in iniquity. In sin my mother conceived me.
- Job 15:14–16What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 17:9 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.