Proverbs 12:21 kjv

There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.

Proverbs 12:21 nkjv

No grave trouble will overtake the righteous, But the wicked shall be filled with evil.

Proverbs 12:21 niv

No harm overtakes the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

Proverbs 12:21 esv

No ill befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble.

Proverbs 12:21 nlt

No harm comes to the godly,
but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

Proverbs 12 verses

Proverbs 12 21 Meaning

Proverbs 12:21 states a foundational principle of divine justice: the righteous are ultimately protected from calamitous harm and ruin, whereas the wicked are inherently encompassed and overwhelmed by various forms of trouble and distress. It contrasts the ultimate secure standing of those who walk in uprightness before God with the precarious and doomed state of those who reject His ways, highlighting the intrinsic consequences of moral choices under divine Providence.

Proverbs 12 21 Context

Proverbs 12 belongs to the core collection of Solomonic proverbs (Proverbs 10-22:16), which are largely two-line antithetical couplets. These proverbs often draw sharp distinctions between the righteous and the wicked, highlighting their contrasting character, actions, and ultimate destinies. Chapter 12 specifically contrasts diligence with idleness, truth with lies, wise counsel with folly, and most profoundly, the intrinsic nature and eventual outcomes for those living righteously versus wickedly. Verse 21 functions within this framework by emphasizing that while life may present challenges to both, the type of challenge and its ultimate impact fundamentally differ based on one's moral standing before God. The ancient Near Eastern audience understood justice to be integral to divine order, where character was intrinsically linked to fate, a belief affirmed and expounded upon in Proverbs against any notion of arbitrary existence.

Proverbs 12 21 Word analysis

• No: The Hebrew word for "no" (לֹא, lo) here emphasizes a definite exclusion of a certain kind of harm for the righteous. It doesn't mean an absence of all difficult experiences, but rather that no ultimate, ruinous evil will come upon them that severs them from God's protection or purpose.
• harm: The Hebrew term for "harm" (אָוֶן, 'awen) is more specific than just "bad things." It often denotes mischief, wickedness, sorrow, distress, or calamity often brought about by evil deeds or leading to ruin. For the righteous, such destructive, calamitous distress stemming from wickedness will not permanently alight upon them.
• befalls: The verb here (אָנָה, 'anah) implies something happening to someone, often by external influence or circumstance. It's about what comes upon a person.
• the righteous: The Hebrew term for "righteous" (צַדִּיק, tzaddiq) denotes one who is in right relationship with God, characterized by integrity, moral uprightness, and obedience to God's commandments. This righteousness is not merely external conduct but springs from a right heart before God.
• but: This conjunction marks a strong contrast, emphasizing the stark difference between the fate of the righteous and the wicked.
• the wicked: The Hebrew term for "wicked" (רָשָׁע, rasha') refers to one who is estranged from God, habitually defies His will, and lives in opposition to divine standards, often characterized by evil acts, selfishness, and injustice.
• are filled with: The verb (מָלֵא, male') conveys being completely inundated or encompassed. It suggests that trouble is not merely incidental but a pervasive, overwhelming reality for the wicked, their very being saturated with it.
• trouble: The Hebrew term for "trouble" (רַע, ra') is broad, covering evil, distress, misery, disaster, or misfortune. For the wicked, this implies an abundance of calamities and adverse consequences, often self-inflicted through their own ways, leading to deep and inescapable suffering.

• "No harm befalls the righteous": This phrase asserts a divine promise of ultimate security. While righteous individuals may experience adversity or even persecution (as seen throughout Scripture), these do not ultimately define their existence or lead to their downfall or separation from God. God's providential care ensures that whatever trials they face are either for their refinement or do not succeed in causing lasting, soul-destroying harm or ruining their eternal standing. The phrase highlights God's protective shield around His own.
• "but the wicked are filled with trouble": This contrasting phrase speaks to the inescapable reality of the wicked. Their ungodly lifestyle inevitably generates internal and external difficulties, conflict, distress, and negative consequences. They are not merely prone to trouble; they are inherently immersed in it, suffering the natural and divine consequences of their moral deviation. This 'filling' suggests a comprehensive and consuming nature of their difficulties, both now and in their ultimate destiny.

Proverbs 12 21 Bonus section

This proverb, like many in the wisdom literature, should be understood as a general principle of divine operation rather than an absolute, immediate promise for every isolated circumstance. The "no harm" for the righteous points to the ultimate outcome and spiritual protection, rather than temporal immunity. Even when a righteous person suffers, that suffering is fundamentally different from the "trouble" of the wicked, in that it does not alienate the righteous from God, nor does it ultimately thwart His good plans for them (Rom 8:28). For the wicked, trouble is woven into the very fabric of their being and deeds; their path itself is one of self-destruction and divine judgment, regardless of any temporary worldly successes they may experience. It highlights a core aspect of biblical anthropology and eschatology – the intrinsic connection between moral character and ultimate destiny under a sovereign, just God.

Proverbs 12 21 Commentary

Proverbs 12:21 articulates a core principle of divine governance: moral alignment yields spiritual safety, while unrighteousness brings inescapable calamity. For the righteous, harm (specifically 'awen - mischief or distress leading to ruin) does not befall them in a destructive, ultimate sense. This isn't a blanket promise of earthly ease or immunity from all hardship, as even the righteous suffer, often due to their uprightness. Instead, it assures that any hardship encountered does not conquer or destroy their spirit, separate them from God's favor, or lead to their ultimate ruin. Their trials are either redemptive or cannot overturn God's purpose for them. In contrast, the wicked are not merely troubled; they are filled with ra' (evil, distress). Trouble is their very essence, a pervasive, inescapable consequence of their rebellion against God. Their path is inherently unstable and leads to a future dominated by adversity, both self-inflicted and divinely ordained, that ultimately culminates in ruin. The proverb points to God's steadfast justice in the moral order of His creation.