Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but Yahweh weighs the hearts.
Parallel translations
- KJV Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
- BSB All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
- NKJV Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts.
- NASB Every person’s way is right in his own eyes, But the Lord examines the hearts.
- NLT People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.
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
People justify their own ways, but the Lord weighs the heart. It matters because God's evaluation, not our self-assessment, is what counts.
Overview
We are prone to self-deception, seeing our conduct as right while God examines our true motives (Proverbs 16:2; Jeremiah 17:9-10). The verse humbles self-righteousness and calls for honesty before God. Only the Lord, who searches hearts, can rightly judge — and only his grace can cleanse them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Prov 16:2All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Yahweh weighs the motives.
- Prov 16:25There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
- Luke 16:15He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
- Jer 17:10“I, Yahweh, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
- Prov 30:12There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.
- 1 Sam 16:7But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”
- Prov 24:12If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this”; doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?
- Ps 36:2For he flatters himself in his own eyes, too much to detect and hate his sin.
- Jas 1:22But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.
- Gal 6:3For if a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
- Luke 18:11–12The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
- Rev 2:23I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.
- Prov 20:6Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?
- John 2:24–25But Jesus didn’t trust himself to them, because he knew everyone,
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 21:2 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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