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Read the Bible

King James Version

Proverbs 21:15

It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Holiness;   Integrity;   Wicked (People);   Scofield Reference Index - Righteousness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Righteous, the;   Righteous-Wicked;   Saints;   The Topic Concordance - Destruction;   Iniquity;   Judges;   Justice;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Joy;   Justice;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Evil;   Justice;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Worker;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Joy;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Justice executed is a joy to the righteousbut a terror to those who practice iniquity.
Hebrew Names Version
It is joy to the righteous to do justice; But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
English Standard Version
When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.
New American Standard Bible
The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous, But terror to those who practice injustice.
New Century Version
When justice is done, good people are happy, but evil people are ruined.
Amplified Bible
When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous (the upright, the one in right standing with God), But to the evildoers it is disaster.
World English Bible
It is joy to the righteous to do justice; But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
Geneva Bible (1587)
It is ioye to the iust to doe iudgement: but destruction shalbe to the workers of iniquitie.
Legacy Standard Bible
To do justice is pleasure for the righteous,But is ruin to the workers of iniquity.
Berean Standard Bible
Justice executed is a joy to the righteous, but a terror to the workers of iniquity.
Contemporary English Version
When justice is done, good citizens are glad and crooks are terrified.
Complete Jewish Bible
Acting justly is a joy for the righteous but it terrifies evildoers.
Darby Translation
It is joy to a righteous [man] to do what is right; but it is ruin for the workers of iniquity.
Easy-to-Read Version
A decision that is fair makes good people happy, but it makes those who are evil very afraid.
George Lamsa Translation
It is joy to the righteous to do justice, but destruction to the workers of iniquity.
Good News Translation
When justice is done, good people are happy, but evil people are brought to despair.
Lexham English Bible
It is a joy to the righteous to do justice, but dismay to those who do evil.
Literal Translation
It is joy to the just to do justice, but ruin shall come to the workers of iniquity.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The iust delyteth in doynge the thynge that is right, but the workers of wickednesse abhorre the same.
American Standard Version
It is joy to the righteous to do justice; But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
Bible in Basic English
It is a joy to the good man to do right, but it is destruction to the workers of evil.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
To do justly is joy to the righteous, but ruin to the workers of iniquity.
King James Version (1611)
It is ioy to the iust to doe iudgement: but destruction shalbe to the workers of iniquitie.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The iust delighteth in doing the thing that is right: but destruction shalbe to the workers of wickednesse.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
It is the joy of the righteous to do judgement: but a holy man is abominable with evil-doers.
English Revised Version
It is joy to the righteous to do judgment; but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
It is ioye to a iust man to make doom; and it is drede to hem that worchen wickidnesse.
Update Bible Version
It is joy to the righteous to do justice; But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
Webster's Bible Translation
[It is] joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction [shall be] to the workers of iniquity.
New English Translation
Doing justice brings joy to the righteous and terror to those who do evil.
New King James Version
It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.
New Living Translation
Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.
New Life Bible
When what is right and fair is done, it is a joy for those who are right with God. But it fills the sinful with fear.
New Revised Standard
When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous, but dismay to evildoers.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
It is a joy, to a righteous man, to do justice, but, dismay, to the workers of iniquity.
Douay-Rheims Bible
It is joy to the just to do judgment: and dread to them that work iniquity.
Revised Standard Version
When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous, but dismay to evildoers.
Young's Literal Translation
To do justice [is] joy to the righteous, But ruin to workers of iniquity.
THE MESSAGE
Good people celebrate when justice triumphs, but for the workers of evil it's a bad day.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous, But is terror to the workers of iniquity.

Contextual Overview

15 It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

joy: Job 29:12-17, Psalms 40:8, Psalms 112:1, Psalms 119:16, Psalms 119:92, Ecclesiastes 3:12, Isaiah 64:5, John 4:34, Romans 7:22

destruction: Proverbs 21:12, Proverbs 5:20, Proverbs 10:29, Matthew 7:23, Matthew 13:41, Matthew 13:42, Luke 13:27, Luke 13:28

Reciprocal: Job 31:3 - destruction

Cross-References

Genesis 21:1
And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
Genesis 21:3
And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
Genesis 21:14
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
Genesis 21:22
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
Genesis 21:25
And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
2 Kings 3:9
So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.
Psalms 63:1
O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
Isaiah 44:12
The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
Jeremiah 14:3
And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

[It is] joy to the, last to do judgment,.... It is with pleasure he does it; he delights in the law of God, after the inward man, and finds much peace of mind and joy in the Holy Ghost in keeping it, and observing its commands, which are holy, just, and good; yea, it gives him pleasure to see justice done by others; both by private persons in their dealings with one another; and especially by judges putting the laws in execution, as their office requires; whereby much good comes to a nation in general, and to particular persons;

but destruction [shall be] to the workers of iniquity; that make a trade of sinning; whose whole life is a continued series of sin and iniquity; who take much pains in committing sin, and are constant at it; everlasting destruction is in their ways, and they lead unto it: or, "terror" a shall be to them; terror of mind now at times, in opposition to the joy and peace a good man finds; and dreadful horror at death and to all eternity: or, as it is joy to a just man to see public justice done, and good laws put in execution, it is a terror to evildoers, Romans 13:3.

a מחתה "pavor", V. L. "horror", Tigurine version; "terror", Vatablus, Mercerus; "consternatio", Cocceius, Michaelis, Schultens.


 
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