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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

Proverbs 21:2

We may think we are doing the right thing, but the Lord always knows what is in our hearts.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - God Continued...;   Heart;   Self-Righteousness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Self-Justification-Self-Condemnation;   Self-Righteousness;   The Topic Concordance - Heart;   Man;   Spirit/souls;   Ways;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Heart, the;   Self-Righteousness;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Hannah;   Proverbs, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Heart;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ponder;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for September 16;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
All a person’s ways seem right to him,but the Lord weighs hearts.
Hebrew Names Version
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.
King James Version
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.
English Standard Version
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.
New American Standard Bible
Every person's way is right in his own eyes, But the LORD examines the hearts.
New Century Version
You may believe you are doing right, but the Lord judges your reasons.
Amplified Bible
Every man's way is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs and examines the hearts [of people and their motives].
World English Bible
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But Yahweh weighs the hearts.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Euery way of a man is right in his owne eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.
Legacy Standard Bible
Every man's way is right in his own eyes,But Yahweh weighs the hearts.
Berean Standard Bible
All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
Complete Jewish Bible
All a person's ways are right in his own view, but Adonai weighs the heart.
Darby Translation
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; but Jehovah weigheth the hearts.
Easy-to-Read Version
People think that whatever they do is right, but the Lord judges the reasons for everything they do.
George Lamsa Translation
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; but the LORD sets the heart in order.
Good News Translation
You may think that everything you do is right, but remember that the Lord judges your motives.
Lexham English Bible
Every way of a man is upright in his own eyes, but Yahweh weighs hearts.
Literal Translation
Every way of a man is upright in his own eyes, but Jehovah measures the hearts.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Euery man thinketh his owne waye to be right, but the LORDE iudgeth ye hertes.
American Standard Version
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; But Jehovah weigheth the hearts.
Bible in Basic English
Every way of a man seems right to himself, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the hearts.
King James Version (1611)
Euery way of a man is right in his owne eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Euery mans way seemeth right in his owne eyes: but the Lorde pondereth the heart.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Every man seems to himself righteous; but the Lord directs the hearts.
English Revised Version
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD weigheth the hearts.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Ech weye of a man semeth riytful to hym silf; but the Lord peisith the hertis.
Update Bible Version
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; But Yahweh weighs the hearts.
Webster's Bible Translation
Every way of a man [is] right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
New English Translation
All of a person's ways seem right in his own opinion, but the Lord evaluates the motives.
New King James Version
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.
New Living Translation
People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.
New Life Bible
Every man's way is right in his own eyes, but the Lord knows the hearts.
New Revised Standard
All deeds are right in the sight of the doer, but the Lord weighs the heart.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Every way of a man, may be right in his own eyes, but, he that testeth hearts, is Yahweh.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Every way of a man seemeth right to himself: but the Lord weigheth the hearts.
Revised Standard Version
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart.
Young's Literal Translation
Every way of a man [is] right in his own eyes, And Jehovah is pondering hearts.
THE MESSAGE
We justify our actions by appearances; God examines our motives.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Every man's way is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.

Contextual Overview

2 We may think we are doing the right thing, but the Lord always knows what is in our hearts.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

right: Proverbs 16:2, Proverbs 16:25, Proverbs 20:6, Proverbs 30:12, Psalms 36:2, Luke 18:11, Luke 18:12, Galatians 6:3, James 1:22

the Lord: Proverbs 24:12, 1 Samuel 16:7, Jeremiah 17:10, Luke 16:15, John 2:24, John 2:25, Revelation 2:23

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 12:8 - every man 1 Chronicles 29:17 - triest the heart Matthew 18:35 - from Mark 14:15 - he will 1 Corinthians 4:4 - yet 2 Corinthians 10:18 - not

Cross-References

Genesis 17:19
But God answered: No! You and Sarah will have a son. His name will be Isaac, and I will make an everlasting promise to him and his descendants.
Genesis 17:21
But your son Isaac will be born about this time next year, and the promise I am making to you and your family will be for him and his descendants forever.
Genesis 18:10
One of the guests was the Lord , and he said, "I'll come back about this time next year, and when I do, Sarah will already have a son." Sarah was behind Abraham, listening at the entrance to the tent.
Genesis 18:14
I am the Lord ! There is nothing too difficult for me. I'll come back next year at the time I promised, and Sarah will already have a son."
Genesis 21:16
Then she sat down a long way off, because she could not bear to watch him die. And she cried bitterly.
Genesis 21:17
When God heard the boy crying, the angel of God called out to Hagar from heaven and said, "Hagar, why are you worried? Don't be afraid. I have heard your son crying.
Genesis 21:24
And so, Abraham promised.
Genesis 21:25
One day, Abraham told Abimelech, "Some of your servants have taken over one of my wells."
Luke 1:36
Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son.
Acts 7:8
God said to Abraham, "Every son in each family must be circumcised to show that you have kept your agreement with me." So when Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him. Later, Isaac circumcised his son Jacob, and Jacob circumcised his twelve sons.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Every way of a man [is] right in his own eyes,.... This is repeated, from Proverbs 16:2; for the confirmation of it; and that it might be observed and taken notice of, and men be brought under a conviction of it; which is not easily done, it being what affects all men: every man is conceited of himself and his own way, and is not easily persuaded off of it; his sinful ways are agreeable to him promising him pleasure, profit, or honour; and his self-righteous ways suit with the vain opinion he has of himself, whereby he promises himself eternal life and happiness. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it to this sense,

"every man seems righteous to himself;''

but the Lord pondereth the hearts: weighs them in the balance of righteousness and truth; considers them, having a perfect knowledge of them, and all the springs of action in them; and knows that every way of man is not right, though they may seem so to him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 21:2. The Lord pondereth the hearts. — Every man feels strongly attached to his own opinions, modes of acting, c. and though he will not easily give up any thing to the judgment of a neighbour, whom he will naturally consider at least as fallible as himself, yet he should consider that the unerring eye of God is upon him; and he should endeavour to see that what he does is acceptable in the eye of his Maker and Judge.


 
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