The righteous person is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray.
Parallel translations
- WEB A righteous person is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
- KJV The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.
- BSB A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.
- NKJV The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.
- NLT The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray.
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 righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. Wise discernment in relationships keeps us on the right path.
Overview
Though the Hebrew of this verse is somewhat difficult and variously rendered, the sense is that the righteous guide others or choose their associations wisely, while the way of the wicked misleads. It commends careful discernment in friendship and influence. Walking in righteousness, and choosing companions who do the same, helps keep believers on the path of life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Jn 2:26These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray.
- Jas 1:13–14Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.
- Matt 5:46–48For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?
- Prov 17:27He who spares his words has knowledge. He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.
- Ps 18:12–13At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire.
- Prov 12:13An evil man is trapped by sinfulness of lips, but the righteous shall come out of trouble.
- Luke 6:32–36If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
- 2 Pet 2:18–22For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error;
- Rev 12:9The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
- 1 Pet 2:18–21Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.
- Rev 13:14He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived.
- Ps 16:3As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.
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 12:26 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.