I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice.
Parallel translations
- WEB I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice;
- KJV I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
- 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,
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 5:32You shall observe to do therefore as Yahweh your God has commanded you. You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
- Ps 32:8I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you.
- Prov 4:11–12I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
- Ps 25:4–5Show me your ways, Yahweh. Teach me your paths.
- Isa 2:3Many peoples shall go and say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of Yahweh, 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 the law shall go out, and Yahweh’s word from Jerusalem.
- Prov 3:6In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
- Prov 6:22When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.
- Ps 23:3He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
- Rev 7:17for the Lamb who is in the middle of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
- John 10:3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
- Isa 49:10They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them. He will guide them by springs of water.
- Prov 4:25–27Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
- Isa 55:4Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander to the peoples.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 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.