Who rejoice in doing evil, And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
Parallel translations
- WEB who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil;
- KJV Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
- BSB from those who enjoy doing evil and rejoice in the twistedness of evil,
- NASB Who delight in doing evil And rejoice in the perversity of evil;
- NLT They take pleasure in doing wrong, and they enjoy the twisted ways of 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
They actually rejoice in doing evil and delight in its perverseness. It matters because it reveals how deeply sin can corrupt the heart's affections.
Overview
The wicked do not merely sin but take pleasure in it, celebrating evil and perversity. When the heart delights in wrong, corruption has gone deep. This sobering portrait shows the need for the new heart that only God's grace can give.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Prov 10:23It is a fool’s pleasure to do wickedness, but wisdom is a man of understanding’s pleasure.
- Rom 1:32who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.
- Jer 11:15What has my beloved to do in my house, since she has worked lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from you? When you do evil, then you rejoice.”
- Luke 22:4–5He went away, and talked with the chief priests and captains about how he might deliver him to them.
- 1 Cor 13:6doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
- Hos 7:3They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
- Zeph 3:11In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings, in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out from among you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be haughty in my holy mountain.
- Hab 1:15He takes up all of them with the hook. He catches them in his net, and gathers them in his dragnet. Therefore he rejoices and is glad.
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 2:14 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.