Proverbs 20
Proverbs on integrity, wine, and justice. Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler. It is a trap to dedicate something rashly. The Lord detests differing weights. A king's wrath is a lion's roar.
ProverbsChapter 20 of 3130 versesBerean Standard Bible
If God speaks to you through Proverbs 20, record what He said in Doxa and come back to it.
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.
It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.
The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.
The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.
Many a man proclaims his loving devotion, but who can find a trustworthy man?
The righteous man walks with integrity; blessed are his children after him.
A king who sits on a throne to judge sifts out all evil with his eyes.
Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?
Differing weights and unequal measures—both are detestable to the LORD.
Even a young man is known by his actions—whether his conduct is pure and upright.
Ears that hear and eyes that see—the LORD has made them both.
Do not love sleep, or you will grow poor; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of food.
“Worthless, worthless!” says the buyer, but on the way out, he gloats.
There is an abundance of gold and rubies, but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.
Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.
Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.
He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.
Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.
An inheritance gained quickly will not be blessed in the end.
Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.
Unequal weights are detestable to the LORD, and dishonest scales are no good.
A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?
It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.
A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them.
The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching out his inmost being.
Quoted in the Deeper Dive, day 2: What does neshamah mean in Genesis 2:7?
Loving devotion and faithfulness preserve a king; by these he maintains his throne.
The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.
Lashes and wounds scour evil, and beatings cleanse the inmost parts.
Read next
How to Hear God’s Voice: A Practical Guide for BelieversScripture is the record of a God who speaks. This guide covers how to hear Him today and keep what He says.Cross-references for Proverbs 20
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.”
Proverbs 20:221 Thessalonians 5:15
“Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.”
“A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.”
“I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not his own; no one who walks directs his own steps.”
Proverbs 20:271 Corinthians 2:11
“For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”
Cross-references from OpenBible.info, licensed CC BY.
Proverbs 20 on Doxa
- Adam and Eve: How a Potter's Hands Made a Soul (Genesis 2) · Quoted in the Deeper Dive, day 2
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If God speaks to you through Proverbs 20
Doxa is where you record what God has said to you, in the words it came in, weigh it against Scripture with people you trust, and come back to it in the years that follow.
