Proverbs 13:21 kjv
Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.
Proverbs 13:21 nkjv
Evil pursues sinners, But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.
Proverbs 13:21 niv
Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things.
Proverbs 13:21 esv
Disaster pursues sinners, but the righteous are rewarded with good.
Proverbs 13:21 nlt
Trouble chases sinners,
while blessings reward the righteous.
Proverbs 13 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 7:16 | "His mischief comes back on his own head..." | Wicked's actions return upon them. |
| Psa 9:15-16 | "The nations have fallen into the pit... the wicked are ensnared." | Sinners trapped by their own ways. |
| Psa 34:21 | "Evil shall slay the wicked..." | Evil is destructive to the ungodly. |
| Psa 58:9 | "Like a snail that melts away as it moves along, like a stillborn child that never sees the sun." | Wicked perish swiftly. |
| Psa 37:25 | "I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken..." | God sustains the righteous. |
| Prov 1:31 | "Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and have their fill of their own devices." | Wicked reap consequences of choices. |
| Prov 2:21-22 | "For the upright will inhabit the land... but the wicked will be cut off." | Blessing for righteous, doom for wicked. |
| Prov 10:29 | "The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to the workers of iniquity." | Divine protection for upright, ruin for wicked. |
| Prov 11:5 | "The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness." | Righteousness guides, wickedness causes downfall. |
| Prov 11:18 | "The wicked earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness gets a true reward." | False versus true compensation for deeds. |
| Prov 11:21 | "Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered." | No escape from judgment for the wicked. |
| Prov 12:28 | "In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death." | Righteousness leads to life. |
| Prov 28:10 | "Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way will fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit good." | Evil deeds backfire, good is inherited. |
| Isa 3:10-11 | "Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them... Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him." | Clear blessing/woe based on conduct. |
| Jer 17:10 | "I the Lord search the heart... to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds." | God's direct recompense based on deeds. |
| Hos 8:7 | "For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind..." | Uncontrolled consequences for sin. |
| Rom 2:6-8 | "He will render to each one according to his works... eternal life to those who... seek glory... but wrath and fury to those who are self-seeking..." | God's just judgment based on deeds. |
| Gal 6:7-8 | "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." | Spiritual law of sowing and reaping. |
| Psa 1:1-3 | Blessedness of the righteous and their flourishing. | Righteous prosper and thrive. |
| Psa 1:4-6 | The perishing of the wicked, "The way of the wicked will perish." | Wickedness leads to ruin. |
| Eccl 8:12-13 | "Though a sinner does evil a hundred times... yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, but it will not be well with the wicked..." | Ultimate justice despite delay. |
| 1 Pet 3:12 | "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." | God's favor for righteous, opposition to wicked. |
Proverbs 13 verses
Proverbs 13 21 Meaning
Proverbs 13:21 declares the principle of divine retribution, stating that adverse consequences will inevitably find and attach to those who practice wickedness, while a just and beneficial outcome will certainly be granted to those who live in uprightness. It emphasizes that actions have consequences, demonstrating God's moral order in the world where justice ultimately prevails.
Proverbs 13 21 Context
Proverbs 13 stands within the broader collection of Solomon's proverbs (Proverbs 10-22), characterized by pithy, antithetical sayings that contrast the righteous with the wicked, the wise with the foolish. The chapter often highlights the practical consequences of living according to God's wisdom or foolishly departing from it, emphasizing themes such as the power of the tongue (vv. 2-3), the benefits of diligence (v. 4), the importance of instruction (v. 18), and the consequences of sin (v. 6, 21). Historically, wisdom literature in ancient Israel served to teach young men (and all) how to live a life pleasing to God and achieve earthly prosperity and success within God's moral order. Proverbs 13:21 firmly establishes God's retributive justice as an underlying principle of life, demonstrating that moral conduct, whether good or bad, carries inevitable consequences, a concept fundamental to the Deuteronomic covenant and Israel's understanding of God's interaction with humanity.
Proverbs 13 21 Word analysis
- Evil (רָע - ra'): This Hebrew term denotes not merely 'bad actions' but encompasses misfortune, disaster, calamity, and harmful consequences. It represents the active manifestation of adverse circumstances, often as a result of prior sinful conduct. Here, it is personified as an active agent that seeks out.
- Pursues (יְרַדֵּף - yeraddef): This verb means to chase, hunt, persecute, or run after relentlessly. It suggests an active and inescapable pursuit. It is not merely that evil happens to sinners, but that it actively and deliberately tracks them down, leaving no escape.
- Sinners (חַטָּאִים - chattāʾîm): This refers to those who "miss the mark," transgress, or commit offenses against God's law. They are defined by their practice of sin, their inclination towards wickedness. The plural indicates a continuous pattern of behavior.
- Righteousness (צְדָקָה - tsᵉdāqāh): This term signifies conformity to a divine or ethical standard, uprightness, justice, or integrity. It often embodies acts of charity, moral uprightness, and adherence to God's will. In this context, it can also refer to the just vindication or reward that flows from living righteously.
- Rewards (יְשַׁלֵּם - yᵉshallēm): This verb means to repay, recompense, make good, or restore. It implies a complete and fitting return or payment, whether positive or negative. Here, it denotes a positive, beneficial recompense that is due to the righteous.
- Upright (צַדִּיקִים - tsaddîqîm): This describes those who are just, righteous, innocent, or in right standing before God and man. They are characterized by their adherence to ethical and divine standards, walking in integrity and doing what is right.
Words-group analysis:
- "Evil pursues sinners": This phrase conveys the unavoidable and active consequence of wickedness. The abstract concept of 'evil' is personified as a relentless hunter, suggesting that ill-fortune or punishment is not accidental but intrinsically linked to sinful behavior and will actively track down the transgressor. This is an emphatic statement of divine retribution.
- "Righteousness rewards the upright": This contrasting phrase speaks to the beneficial outcomes of righteous living. Here, 'righteousness' itself, perhaps as a channel for God's blessings or as an inherent characteristic of God's just ordering of the world, is portrayed as the active dispenser of recompense. It highlights that integrity and adherence to God's ways lead to appropriate and favorable compensation, reflecting God's commitment to vindicate His people. This parallelism presents a clear theological antithesis.
Proverbs 13 21 Bonus section
The active personification of both "Evil" and "Righteousness" as agents that "pursue" and "reward" respectively, underscores a critical aspect of biblical wisdom: the inherent moral order of the universe, established and maintained by God. This order ensures that there are natural and supernatural consequences attached to human actions. It implicitly states that the universe is not chaotic or indifferent to human morality, but rather is governed by a divine hand that ensures appropriate outcomes. While earthly experiences can sometimes seem to contradict this (e.g., the wicked prospering, as explored in Psalm 73 or Job), this proverb declares the overarching divine rule that, in the grand scheme of God's justice, this truth ultimately holds firm and is fully revealed.
Proverbs 13 21 Commentary
Proverbs 13:21 offers a foundational truth of biblical wisdom literature: a person's moral conduct has inevitable, divinely appointed consequences. The verse is a powerful declaration of God's active involvement in maintaining a moral order where neither good deeds nor wicked acts go without a corresponding recompense. "Evil pursues sinners" vividly paints a picture of adverse outcomes actively seeking out the unrighteous. This isn't passive misfortune; it is an inescapable consequence, a divine mechanism ensuring accountability. Conversely, "righteousness rewards the upright" conveys that a life lived in accordance with God's commands and moral integrity will inherently yield positive, beneficial returns. The 'reward' is not necessarily immediate material gain, though that is often implied in Proverbs, but also peace, favor, wisdom, protection, and divine vindication. This proverb, like many others, speaks to a general principle of divine justice, not necessarily promising an instantaneous or comprehensive earthly fulfillment for every single act. Ultimately, it reassures that God is just and faithful to His people, and that living righteously is always the pathway to flourishing in His sight.
Examples for practical usage:
- A person who consistently cheats in business (sinner) finds their reputation ruined and opportunities dwindling (evil pursues).
- Someone who diligently serves their community with integrity (upright) earns trust and respect, leading to lasting positive impact and well-being (righteousness rewards).