He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
Parallel translations
- WEB He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king’s friend.
- BSB He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend.
- NKJV He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.
- NASB One who loves purity of heart And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend.
- NLT Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech will have the king as a friend.
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
One who loves a pure heart and gracious speech gains the king's friendship. It matters because inner purity and kind words win favor.
Overview
Purity of heart combined with gracious speech earns the regard even of rulers (Proverbs 16:13; Psalm 24:3-4). The verse links inward integrity with outward grace in words. Such qualities, gifts of God's renewing work, commend a person before others and before the King of kings.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Prov 16:13Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.
- Matt 5:8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
- Ps 101:6Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
- Prov 14:35The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.
- Ps 45:2Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
- Dan 6:20–23And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
- Ezra 7:6–11This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
- Dan 2:46–49Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
- Neh 2:4–6Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
- Luke 4:22And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
- Dan 3:30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
- Esth 10:3For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.
- Gen 41:39–57And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
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 22:11 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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