What does Proverbs 21:21 mean?
ESV: Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.
NIV: Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
NASB: One who pursues righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
CSB: The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love will find life, righteousness, and honor.
NLT: Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor.
KJV: He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
NKJV: He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
Verse Commentary:
Solomon (Proverbs 10:1) wisely points out that a life marked by virtues such as kindness and morality tends to result in longer life, spiritual growth, and a good reputation. This pursuit involves a proper relationship to God, tied to "righteousness." It also demands a proper relationship to others, characterized by "kindness." These are sometimes referred to as "vertical" and "horizontal" relationships, respectively. Of course, this is not an absolute rule, since good people can suffer unfair treatment in this life. But those who sincerely seek Christ, and His goodness, can expect eternal rewards (Matthew 6:33).
Jesus echoed the lesson of this verse by saying, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" (Matthew 5:6). When a person believes on Jesus as Savior, he receives eternal life and righteousness (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:21), and when he shows kindness to others, they honor him. In the early church a woman named Dorcas was righteous and kind. According to Acts 9:36, "she was full of good works and acts of charity." When she died, her peers honored her. They summoned Peter, and with tears, all the widows showed him the tunics and other garments that Dorcas had made (Acts 9:39).
Verse Context:
Proverbs 21:17–31 continues the recorded wisdom of Solomon (Proverbs 10:1). He contrasts the wise person with the foolish person, the righteous with the wicked, the lazy person with the diligent, and human wisdom with the Lord's sovereignty.
Chapter Summary:
This chapter begins and ends with a declaration of God's sovereignty. He alone judges the heart; the Lord considers intentions just as important as physical actions. Other comments include statements about unpleasant spouses, proper perspectives on wealth, work ethic, and the essential nature of godly wisdom. Human wisdom is no match for the sovereign Lord, who alone is ultimately responsible for victory in battle.
Chapter Context:
This is part of the second major section of the book (Proverbs 10—22) featuring nearly four hundred statements. Most of these are two-line comments presenting common sense and general wisdom. The vague theme of chapter 21 is God's control. Man may believe he is in control of his circumstances, but God superintends everything. The chapter begins and ends by assuring the readers that God holds ultimate sway over all things.
Book Summary:
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.
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