The soul of the wicked man craves evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
Parallel translations
- WEB The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
- KJV The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.
- NKJV The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
- NASB The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor is shown no compassion in his eyes.
- NLT Evil people desire evil; their neighbors get no mercy from them.
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
The wicked crave evil and show no mercy even to their neighbor. It matters because it exposes the merciless heart bent on doing harm.
Overview
The soul of the wicked is set on evil, so that not even a neighbor receives compassion (Proverbs 4:16; 12:10). This reveals how sin hardens the heart against others. By contrast, those renewed by God love their neighbor and show the mercy they themselves have received in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Mic 3:2–3You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones.
- 1 Jn 2:16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.
- Prov 3:29Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you.
- 1 Cor 10:6These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.
- Mark 7:21–22For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
- Ps 36:4Even on his bed he plots wickedness; he sets himself on a path that is not good; he fails to reject evil.
- Isa 32:6–8For a fool speaks foolishness; his mind plots iniquity. He practices ungodliness and speaks falsely about the LORD; he leaves the hungry empty and deprives the thirsty of drink.
- Ps 112:9He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.
- Prov 21:13Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
- Ps 52:2–3Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit.
- Jas 2:13For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- 1 Sam 25:8–11Ask your young men, and they will tell you. So let my young men find favor with you, for we have come on the day of a feast. Please give whatever you can afford to your servants and to your son David.’”
- Jas 5:4–6Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.
- Ps 112:5It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.
- Prov 12:12The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.
- Jas 4:1–5What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 21:10 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.