By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
Parallel translations
- WEB By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of Yahweh men depart from evil.
- BSB By loving devotion and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns aside from evil.
- ESV By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.
- NKJV In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.
- NASB By mercy and truth atonement is made for wrongdoing, And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
- NLT Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
Steadfast love and faithfulness cover guilt, and reverence for God turns people from evil. It matters because mercy and the fear of the Lord together address both sin's guilt and its power.
Overview
The proverb pairs atonement for iniquity through mercy and truth with departure from evil through the fear of Yahweh. In the Old Testament context this points to God's covenant faithfulness as the ground of forgiveness. It finds its fullest meaning in Christ, whose atoning death decisively covers sin (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 9:14).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Prov 14:16A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
- 2 Cor 7:1Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
- Job 28:28And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
- Dan 4:27Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
- Prov 8:13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
- Luke 11:41But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
- Prov 14:27The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
- Job 1:1–8There 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.
- Prov 20:28Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
- Acts 15:9And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
- Mic 7:18–20Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
- Neh 5:15But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
- Neh 5:9Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
- Ps 85:10Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
- John 15:2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
- Gen 20:11And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.
- Eph 5:21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
- 1 Pet 1:22Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
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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 16:6 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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