I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
Parallel translations
- WEB I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice;
- BSB I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
- NKJV I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,
- NASB “I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,
- NLT I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice.
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
Wisdom walks in righteousness and along the paths of justice. To follow her is to live a morally upright life.
Overview
Wisdom describes her own conduct as moving in the way of righteousness and justice, making clear that true wisdom is inseparable from godly character. She does not lead down crooked paths but along straight ones of integrity. This righteous way is perfectly embodied in Christ, who is himself the way (John 14:6) and our righteousness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- John 10:27–28My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
- Deut 5:32Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
- Ps 32:8I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
- Prov 4:11–12I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
- Ps 25:4–5Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
- Isa 2:3And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
- Prov 3:6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
- Prov 6:22When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
- Ps 23:3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
- Rev 7:17For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
- John 10:3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
- Isa 49:10They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
- Prov 4:25–27Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
- Isa 55:4Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
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 8:20 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.