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in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
Proverbs 6:14 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
  • BSB With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.
  • NKJV Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord.
  • NASB Who, with perversion in his heart, continually devises evil, Who spreads strife.
  • NLT Their perverted hearts plot evil, and they constantly 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

This man's heart constantly plots evil and stirs up conflict. Inner corruption overflows into sowing discord.

Overview

Behind the deceitful gestures lies a perverse heart continually devising evil and spreading strife. The root of his wickedness is internal, surfacing in division among people. Sowing discord is named here and again in 6:19 as especially hateful to God, who loves peace and unity.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 15

  • Rom 16:17Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.
  • Mic 2:1Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds! When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.
  • Prov 6:18–19a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
  • Hos 8:7For they sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The stalk will yield no head. If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.
  • Prov 26:17–22Like one who grabs a dog’s ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.
  • Ps 36:4He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He doesn’t abhor evil.
  • Prov 2:14who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil;
  • Prov 22:8He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
  • Isa 32:7The ways of the scoundrel are evil. He devises wicked devices to destroy the humble with lying words, even when the needy speaks right.
  • Prov 16:28–30A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends.
  • Prov 3:29Don’t devise evil against your neighbor, since he dwells securely by you.
  • Isa 57:20But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can’t rest, and its waters cast up mire and mud.
  • Ezek 11:2He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity, and who give wicked counsel in this city;
  • Prov 21:8The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
  • Gal 6:7–8Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

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 6:14YouTube · 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 6:14 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.