Proverbs 12:28 - Printer Friendly

ESV: In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.

NIV: In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.

NASB: In the way of righteousness there is life, And in its pathway there is no death.

CSB: There is life in the path of righteousness, and in its path there is no death.

NLT: The way of the godly leads to life; that path does not lead to death.

KJV: In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

NKJV: In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.

A common theme in the book of Proverbs is that pursuit of God's truth—righteousness—leads a person to greater safety and success (Proverbs 3:9–12). The Bible takes note that life is not always just; evil people sometimes succeed (Psalm 73:2–3; Habakkuk 1:2–4) and good people can suffer tragedy (Job 1:20–21). The truth of this proverb is much like that of a doctor who tells a patient, "exercise and eat well and you will live longer." While accidents and illnesses may occur, it's clearly true that those who make good decisions put themselves at less risk than those who are foolish. Nowhere is that more impactful than whether a person chooses to follow God (Proverbs 9:1–6), or their own desire (Proverbs 9:13–18).

Solomon's meaning here might be temporal blessing or everlasting life. Those who possess righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21) have abundant life (John 10:10). Furthermore, righteous individuals carry the message of life to others. They and all who respond to the gospel have passed from death unto life and will never experience eternal death. The righteous enjoy a good life now and an even better life in eternity. The path of life is one that follows the steps of Jesus. He is the resurrection and the life, and all who trust in Him as Savior will never experience eternal death (John 11:25–26). Romans 8:1 affirms: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

The wicked may think they are on the right path, but they are headed for eternal condemnation (Proverbs 11:7; John 3:36).

Proverbs 12 continues Solomon's wise sayings. A large portion of the book of Proverbs includes these short, common sense pieces of advice. After a series of introductions and lessons in chapters 1—9, chapter 10 began a long list of individual statements. In this chapter he continues to contrast the righteous and the wicked, showing that the life of the righteous is far better than the life of the wicked. This pattern will continue, covering the same basic theme, through chapter 15.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.