He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
Parallel translations
- WEB He who walks in his uprightness fears Yahweh, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.
- BSB He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.
- NKJV He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.
- NASB One who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, But one who is devious in his ways despises Him.
- NLT Those who follow the right path fear the Lord; those who take the wrong path despise him.
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
Walking uprightly shows reverence for the LORD; crooked living despises Him. Conduct reveals one's true attitude toward God.
Overview
This proverb ties moral behavior directly to one's relationship with God: integrity expresses the fear of the LORD, while a perverse life shows contempt for Him. There is no neutral ground; how we live declares what we think of God. The gospel makes plain that genuine reverence flows from a heart renewed to love and obey God (1 John 5:3).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- 2 Tim 3:2–3For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
- Acts 10:35But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
- Prov 28:6Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
- Ps 112:1Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
- Job 28:28And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
- Eccl 12:13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
- Rom 2:4–5Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
- Luke 10:16He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
- Ps 25:21Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.
- Acts 9:31Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
- Prov 11:12He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
- 1 Kgs 3:6And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
- Prov 16:17The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
- Luke 16:14And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
- Job 1:1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
- Acts 10:22And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
- Prov 2:15Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
- Prov 19:1Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
- Mal 2:5–6My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
- Ps 123:3–4Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
- Job 12:4I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
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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 14:2 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
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