for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
Parallel translations
- KJV For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
- BSB For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
- NKJV For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood.
- NASB For their feet run to evil, And they are quick to shed blood.
- NLT They rush to commit evil deeds. They hurry to commit murder.
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 sinners' feet rush eagerly toward evil and bloodshed. It matters because it exposes their inner bent toward destruction.
Overview
The reason for avoidance is the wicked's own eager haste to sin and shed blood. Their feet reveal their hearts. Paul quotes this very truth in Romans 3:15 to describe humanity's universal corruption, underscoring our need for the righteousness God provides in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Isa 59:7Their feet run to evil, and they hurry to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity. desolation and destruction are in their paths.
- Prov 6:18a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
- Prov 4:16For they don’t sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
- Rom 3:5But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 1:16 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.