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When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
Psalms 50:18 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers.
  • BSB When you see a thief, you befriend him, and throw in your lot with adulterers.
  • NKJV When you saw a thief, you consented with him, And have been a partaker with adulterers.
  • NASB “When you see a thief, you become friends with him, And you associate with adulterers.
  • NLT When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers.

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

They side with thieves and keep company with adulterers. Their actions betray their false profession.

Overview

God charges these hypocrites with approving thieves and partnering with adulterers—breaking the eighth and seventh commandments. Their conduct reveals where their loyalties truly lie. Profession of God's covenant means nothing when one's deeds embrace the very sins His law forbids.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 13

  • Rom 1:32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
  • 1 Tim 5:22Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.
  • Heb 13:4Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
  • Matt 23:30And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
  • Mic 7:3That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
  • Lev 20:10And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
  • Prov 2:16–19To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
  • Job 31:9–11If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
  • Jer 5:8–9They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbour’s wife.
  • Eph 5:11–13And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
  • Prov 7:19–23For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
  • Isa 5:23Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
  • Prov 1:10–19My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 50:18YouTube · 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 PsalmsMatthew 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

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 50:18 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.