For their minds plot violence, And their lips talk of trouble.
Parallel translations
- WEB for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about mischief.
- KJV For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
- BSB for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
- NKJV For their heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking.
- NLT For their hearts plot violence, and their words always stir up trouble.
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 wicked are not to be envied, for their hearts and words are bent on violence and trouble.
Overview
This gives the reason not to envy the wicked: their inner life is consumed with plotting harm. Heart and speech alike are devoted to mischief and destruction. Such a portrait reminds us that what looks enviable on the surface conceals a corrupt center, the very heart Christ came to renew (Ezek. 36:26).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Ps 7:14Behold, he travails with iniquity. Yes, he has conceived mischief, and brought out falsehood.
- Ps 10:7His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
- Ps 28:3Don’t draw me away with the wicked, with the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts.
- Isa 59:4No one sues in righteousness, and no one pleads in truth. They trust in vanity, and speak lies. They conceive mischief, and give birth to iniquity.
- 1 Sam 23:9David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”
- Job 15:35They conceive mischief, and produce iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit.”
- Esth 3:6–7But he scorned the thought of laying hands on Mordecai alone, for they had made known to him Mordecai’s people. Therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even Mordecai’s people.
- Matt 26:3–4Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas.
- Ps 36:4He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He doesn’t abhor evil.
- Acts 13:10and said, “Full of all deceit and all cunning, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
- Prov 6:14in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
- Mic 7:3Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; and the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.
- Ps 64:4–6to shoot innocent men from ambushes. They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly.
- Luke 23:20–21Then Pilate spoke to them again, wanting to release Jesus,
- Ps 140:2those who devise mischief in their hearts. They continually gather themselves together for war.
- Prov 24:8One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.
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 24:2 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
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.