Greed causes fighting; trusting the Lord leads to prosperity.
Parallel translations
- WEB One who is greedy stirs up strife; but one who trusts in Yahweh will prosper.
- KJV He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.
- BSB A greedy man stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.
- NKJV He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.
- NASB An arrogant person stirs up strife, But one who trusts in the Lord will prosper.
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
Greed breeds conflict, but trusting in the Lord leads to prosperity. It contrasts the strife of covetousness with the blessing of faith.
Overview
The greedy, grasping person stirs up strife, whereas the one who trusts Yahweh is made to flourish. The verse links contentment and faith to genuine prosperity, and greed to division. This anticipates the gospel call to seek first God's kingdom and trust the Father's provision rather than grasping anxiously for more (Matthew 6:33).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Prov 11:25The liberal soul shall be made fat. He who waters shall be watered also himself.
- 1 Tim 6:6But godliness with contentment is great gain.
- Prov 10:12Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all wrongs.
- Prov 13:4The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.
- Prov 13:10Pride only breeds quarrels, but with ones who take advice is wisdom.
- Prov 29:22An angry man stirs up strife, and a wrathful man abounds in sin.
- Ps 84:12Yahweh of Armies, blessed is the man who trusts in you.
- Prov 21:24The proud and haughty man, “scoffer” is his name; he works in the arrogance of pride.
- Prov 29:25The fear of man proves to be a snare, but whoever puts his trust in Yahweh is kept safe.
- Prov 22:10Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.
- Prov 15:18A wrathful man stirs up contention, but one who is slow to anger appeases strife.
- Isa 58:11and Yahweh will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters don’t fail.
- Jer 17:7–8“Blessed is the man who trusts in Yahweh, and whose confidence is in Yahweh.
- Prov 15:30The light of the eyes rejoices the heart. Good news gives health to the bones.
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 28:25 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.