Proverbs 21:21 kjv
He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
Proverbs 21:21 nkjv
He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
Proverbs 21:21 niv
Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
Proverbs 21:21 esv
Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.
Proverbs 21:21 nlt
Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
Proverbs 21 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Dt 16:20 | "Justice, justice you shall pursue, that you may live and inherit..." | Emphasis on active pursuit of justice and its link to life. |
| Amos 5:14 | "Seek good, and not evil, that you may live..." | Call to actively seek good for life. |
| Zep 2:3 | "Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do His just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility..." | Instruction to seek righteousness and its benefits. |
| Mt 6:33 | "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." | Prioritizing God's righteousness leads to all necessities. |
| Lk 12:31 | "Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you." | Echoes Mt 6:33, seeking God's reign for provision. |
| 1 Tim 6:11 | "But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness." | A direct command to actively pursue righteousness and other virtues. |
| 2 Tim 2:22 | "So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." | Similar instruction to pursue righteousness. |
| Heb 12:14 | "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." | Active striving (pursuit) for holiness. |
| Pro 3:1-2 | "My son, do not forget my teaching... for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you." | Obedience to wisdom leads to prolonged and peaceful life. |
| Pro 4:10 | "Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many." | Accepting wisdom's words leads to longevity. |
| Pro 8:35 | "For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD." | Finding wisdom results in life and divine favor. |
| Pro 10:2 | "Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death." | Righteousness secures life and protection. |
| Pro 11:4 | "Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death." | Righteousness is of eternal benefit, leading to deliverance and life. |
| Pro 12:28 | "In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death." | Clear connection between righteousness and life. |
| Isa 32:17 | "And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quiet confidence and trust forever." | Righteousness yields peace and security. |
| Rom 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." | Contrasts death from sin with life from righteousness (through Christ). |
| Gal 6:8 | "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." | Sowing to Spirit (righteous living) yields eternal life. |
| John 10:10 | "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." | Jesus' purpose to provide full, abundant life. |
| Ps 23:6 | "Surely goodness and mercy [chesed] shall follow me all the days of my life..." | Goodness and chesed accompany the righteous. |
| Ps 84:11 | "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor." | God is the source of favor and honor for the righteous. |
| Ps 97:11 | "Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart." | Blessings are prepared for the righteous. |
| Pro 3:16 | "Long life is in her [wisdom's] right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor." | Wisdom (leading to righteousness) bestows honor. |
| Pro 8:18 | "Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness." | Wisdom itself has wealth, honor, and righteousness. |
| 1 Sam 2:30 | "...for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed." | God's principle of honoring those who honor Him. |
| Mic 6:8 | "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice [mishpat], and to love kindness [chesed], and to walk humbly with your God?" | The quintessential summary of living justly and mercifully, which encompasses Pro 21:21. |
| Ex 34:6-7 | "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love [chesed] and faithfulness..." | Describes God's own character as abounding in chesed and righteousness. |
Proverbs 21 verses
Proverbs 21 21 Meaning
Proverbs 21:21 declares that an individual who actively and persistently strives for conformity to God's standard of justice (tsedeq) and steadfast, loyal love (chesed) will attain a rich and flourishing life, a deeper embodiment of righteousness itself, and respect or dignity in the eyes of God and others. It describes the divine order where righteous character and actions lead to comprehensive blessings.
Proverbs 21 21 Context
Proverbs 21 is part of the collection of Solomonic proverbs, concise wisdom sayings designed to instruct in righteous living. The chapter emphasizes various facets of wisdom, contrasting the path and fate of the righteous with that of the wicked. Recurring themes include the sovereignty of God, the futility of human plans without divine approval, the consequences of idleness versus diligence, and the rewards of righteousness versus the destitution of wickedness. Verse 21 specifically focuses on the active pursuit of key virtues (righteousness and loyalty) and outlines the comprehensive benefits derived from such a pursuit, placing it within the broader framework of God's moral order for a well-lived life. The verse presents an absolute principle of cause and effect in the moral realm, assuring that devoted ethical conduct will inevitably lead to blessings.
Proverbs 21 21 Word analysis
- He who pursues: From the Hebrew verb radaph (רָדַף), meaning to chase, hunt, follow after with intent, vigorously pursue. This is not passive desire but active, diligent, and sustained effort. It denotes a lifestyle of constantly seeking after these virtues, with determination and zeal.
- righteousness: From the Hebrew noun tsedeq (צֶדֶק). This refers to conformity to God's revealed will and standard, ethical uprightness, moral purity, justice, and rectitude in all one's dealings. It encompasses both personal integrity and fair conduct towards others, rooted in divine character.
- and loyalty: From the Hebrew noun chesed (חֶסֶד). This is a rich, covenantal term, often translated as "steadfast love," "lovingkindness," "mercy," or "faithfulness." It denotes an active, committed love and fidelity, particularly in a relationship. In humans, it refers to faithfulness to God and compassionate, loyal kindness towards others. Paired with tsedeq, it signifies a balanced character of both justice and mercy, reflecting God's own attributes.
- finds: From the Hebrew verb matsa' (מָצָא), meaning to find, attain, acquire, or meet with. It implies success in the active pursuit, indicating that the sought-after outcome is indeed achieved. It is a promise that diligent seeking yields results.
- life: From the Hebrew noun chayyim (חַיִּים), typically plural to express totality or intensity. It signifies not just mere existence, but full, abundant, flourishing life in all its dimensions: physical vitality, spiritual well-being, prosperity, peace, and ultimate blessedness. It implies a wholesome and satisfying existence granted by God.
- righteousness: tsedeq (צֶדֶק) again. The repetition is significant. It implies that the very quality pursued is also among the rewards received. This suggests a deepening, a greater embodiment, and a fuller possession of righteousness itself. The pursuit of righteousness makes one more righteous; it's a process of character transformation and growth. The virtue itself becomes a reward.
- and honor: From the Hebrew noun kavod (כָּבוֹד), signifying glory, dignity, respect, weight, or renown. It speaks to a positive reputation and standing, not earned through pride but bestowed by God and recognized by others, consistent with a life lived uprightly. It encompasses public acknowledgment and intrinsic worth.
Proverbs 21 21 Bonus section
- The structure of the verse with two initial terms (tsedeq and chesed) followed by three resulting terms (life, righteousness, and honor) demonstrates a bountiful return for commitment to virtue.
- The re-occurrence of tsedeq (righteousness) as both a pursued object and a found reward implies that the very act of seeking aligns one more closely with the nature of God, who is righteousness personified. One not only does righteousness but becomes more righteous in character.
- This Proverb underlines the active role of humanity in their spiritual walk, demonstrating that blessings are not passively received but are attained through intentional, God-honoring effort and living. It directly contradicts any notion of merely wishing for goodness without actively living it out.
- The combined tsedeq and chesed is a significant ethical summary found throughout the Old Testament, representing the heart of God's covenant expectations for His people (e.g., God Himself is characterized by them in Ex 34:6-7, and humans are called to manifest them, as in Mic 6:8).
Proverbs 21 21 Commentary
Proverbs 21:21 beautifully articulates a foundational principle of divine justice and wisdom: active devotion to God's moral order brings comprehensive reward. The "pursuit" is not casual; radaph describes an earnest, determined chase, a continuous lifestyle. The virtues pursued, tsedeq (righteousness/justice) and chesed (covenant loyalty/steadfast love), represent the two pillars of biblical character—vertical conformity to God and horizontal relational fidelity. Their pairing indicates a holistic and balanced approach to godliness, demonstrating both ethical rectitude and compassionate care. The "finding" signifies assured attainment. The blessings are threefold: "life" (abundant, holistic existence), "righteousness" (deeper internal transformation and embodiment of the virtue itself), and "honor" (respect and dignity). This verse highlights that God's ways lead to flourishing both internally in character and externally in lived experience, emphasizing a lifestyle of intentional virtue that results in blessed outcomes and divine favor.