An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.
Parallel translations
- WEB An angry man stirs up strife, and a wrathful man abounds in sin.
- BSB An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
- NKJV An angry man stirs up strife, And a furious man abounds in transgression.
- NASB An angry person stirs up strife, And a hot-tempered person abounds in wrongdoing.
- NLT An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.
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
An angry, hot-tempered person stirs up conflict and multiplies sin.
Overview
Uncontrolled anger does not stay contained; it spreads strife and produces a harvest of further transgressions. Proverbs treats a quick temper as a spiritual danger, not merely a personality flaw. The remedy is the peaceable wisdom from above, supremely seen in Christ, who reconciles enemies and pours out His Spirit to produce patience and self-control.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Prov 15:18A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
- Prov 17:19He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.
- Prov 26:21As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
- Prov 14:17He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
- Prov 10:12Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
- Prov 22:24Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
- Prov 30:33Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
- Jas 3:16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 29:22 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.