Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD.
Parallel translations
- WEB Don’t let your heart envy sinners; but rather fear Yahweh all day long.
- KJV Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
- NKJV Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;
- NASB ¶Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the Lord always.
- NLT Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord.
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
Do not envy sinners; instead, fear the LORD continually.
Overview
The prosperity or freedom of the wicked can tempt the godly to envy, but wisdom redirects the heart to reverent fear of God. Continual fear of the LORD is the antidote to coveting the sinner's apparent ease. The Psalms voice this same struggle and resolve it by considering the end of the wicked and the nearness of God (Ps. 73:17, 25-26).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Prov 28:14Blessed is the man who is always reverent, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.
- 2 Cor 7:1Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
- Prov 15:16Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure with turmoil.
- 1 Pet 1:17Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners.
- Eccl 5:7For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.
- Acts 9:31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced a time of peace. It grew in strength and numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.
- Ps 111:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!
- Prov 3:31Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways;
- Ps 37:1–3Of David. Do not fret over those who do evil; do not envy those who do wrong.
- Eccl 12:13–14When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
- Ps 73:3–7For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
- Prov 24:1Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
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 23:17 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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