In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.
Parallel translations
- WEB By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of Yahweh men depart from evil.
- KJV By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD 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.
- 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 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 fears and shuns evil, but the fool is hot headed and reckless.
- 2 Cor 7:1Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
- Job 28:28To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”
- Dan 4:27Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of your tranquility.
- Prov 8:13The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
- Luke 11:41But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.
- Prov 14:27The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life, turning people from the snares of death.
- Job 1:1–8There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil.
- Prov 20:28Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.
- Acts 15:9He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
- Mic 7:18–20Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.
- Neh 5:15But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people; but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God.
- Neh 5:9Also I said, “The thing that you do is not good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?
- Ps 85:10Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
- John 15:2Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
- Gen 20:11Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’
- Eph 5:21subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ.
- 1 Pet 1:22Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the 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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