Limitless Word
Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
Proverbs 23:16 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB yes, my heart will rejoice, when your lips speak what is right.
  • BSB My inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
  • NKJV Yes, my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak right things.
  • NASB And my innermost being will rejoice When your lips speak what is right.
  • NLT Everything in me will celebrate when you speak what is right.

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

A child's truthful, righteous speech brings the parent heartfelt rejoicing.

Overview

Completing the previous verse, the teacher's joy overflows when a child's words reflect a wise heart. Right speech is the fruit and evidence of inner wisdom (Luke 6:45). The verse celebrates the deep gladness that comes from seeing those we love walk in truth, a joy God Himself shares over His children.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 5

  • Prov 8:6Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
  • Eph 5:4Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
  • Jas 3:2For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
  • Col 4:4That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
  • Eph 4:29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Proverbs videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Proverbs 23:16YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ProverbsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 23:16 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.