Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man—of him who acts with excessive pride.
Parallel translations
- WEB The proud and haughty man, “scoffer” is his name; he works in the arrogance of pride.
- KJV Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.
- ESV “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.
- NKJV A proud and haughty man— “Scoffer” is his name; He acts with arrogant pride.
- NASB “Proud,” “Arrogant,” “Scoffer,” are his names, One who acts with insolent pride.
- NLT Mockers are proud and haughty; they act with boundless arrogance.
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
The proud, arrogant person is rightly called a 'scoffer.' It matters because it names pride as the source of mocking, insolent behavior.
Overview
The scoffer acts out of overflowing arrogance, despising correction and others (Proverbs 1:22; 9:7-8). The verse links pride directly to mockery and insolence. Scripture warns that God resists the proud scoffer and calls instead for humility, which receives grace (Proverbs 3:34).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Ps 1:1Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.
- Eccl 7:8–9The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
- Prov 18:12Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.
- Matt 2:16When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.
- Prov 19:29Judgments are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.
- Prov 1:22“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
- Prov 6:17haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
- Prov 16:18Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
- Jer 48:29We have heard of Moab’s pomposity, his exceeding pride and conceit, his proud arrogance and haughtiness of heart.
- Esth 3:5–6When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or pay him homage, he was filled with rage.
- Isa 16:6We have heard of Moab’s pomposity, his exceeding pride and conceit, his overflowing arrogance. But his boasting is empty.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 21:24 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.