Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
Parallel translations
- WEB in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows 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 beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
- Mic 2:1Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
- Prov 6:18–19An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
- Hos 8:7For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
- Prov 26:17–22He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
- Ps 36:4He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
- Prov 2:14Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
- Prov 22:8He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
- Isa 32:7The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
- Prov 16:28–30A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
- Prov 3:29Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
- Isa 57:20But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
- Ezek 11:2Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city:
- Prov 21:8The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.
- Gal 6:7–8Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
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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
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