Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
Parallel translations
- WEB Good understanding wins favor; but the way of the unfaithful is hard.
- BSB Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the faithless is difficult.
- NKJV Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
- NASB Good understanding produces favor, But the way of the treacherous is their own disaster.
- NLT A person with good sense is respected; a treacherous person is headed for destruction.
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
Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the treacherous is hard. A wise, faithful life goes better than a faithless one.
Overview
Sound understanding commends a person to others and to God, gaining goodwill, while the path of the unfaithful is rough and ruinous. The proverb states a general tendency, not a guarantee, since the wise still suffer in a fallen world. It nonetheless affirms that the way of faithfulness is finally blessed, fulfilled in Christ who walked the hard road to win our favor with God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Jer 2:19Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.
- Prov 4:19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
- Prov 15:10Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.
- Rom 6:21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
- Acts 7:10And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
- Ps 111:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
- Prov 3:4So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
- Ps 95:9–11When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
- 1 Sam 18:14–16And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
- Luke 2:52And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
- Prov 14:35The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.
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 13:15 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.