Genuine righteousness leads to life, but the pursuit of evil brings death.
Parallel translations
- WEB He who is truly righteous gets life. He who pursues evil gets death.
- KJV As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
- NKJV As righteousness leads to life, So he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death.
- NASB One who is steadfast in righteousness attains life, But one who pursues evil attains his own death.
- NLT Godly people find life; evil people find death.
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
Genuine righteousness leads to life, but pursuing evil leads to death. The direction of our lives determines our destiny.
Overview
This proverb sets a stark choice before the reader: steadfast righteousness ends in life, while the pursuit of evil ends in death. It distills the two-ways theme that runs throughout wisdom literature. The fullness of this 'life' is realized in Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life for all who follow Him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Prov 10:16The labor of the righteous leads to life, but the gain of the wicked brings punishment.
- Rom 2:8–9But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.
- Prov 12:28There is life in the path of righteousness, but another path leads to death.
- Prov 19:23The fear of the LORD leads to life, that one may rest content, without visitation from harm.
- Prov 1:16–19For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
- Prov 8:36But he who fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”
- Prov 7:22–23He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
- 1 Jn 3:7Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.
- 1 Jn 3:10By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
- Rom 6:23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Acts 10:35but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.
- Prov 11:4Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 11:19 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.