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Sunday, April 27th, 2025
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Proverbs 18:23

The poor speak in soft supplications; the rich bark out answers.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Poor;   Rich, the;   Speaking;   Thompson Chain Reference - Courtesy-Discourtesy;   Discourtesy;   The Topic Concordance - Poverty;   Wealth;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Riches;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Poor and Poverty, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Poverty;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The poor person pleads,but the rich one answers roughly.
Hebrew Names Version
The poor pleads for mercy, But the rich answers harshly.
King James Version
The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
English Standard Version
The poor use entreaties, but the rich answer roughly.
New American Standard Bible
A poor person utters pleadings, But a rich person answers defiantly.
New Century Version
The poor beg for mercy, but the rich give rude answers.
Amplified Bible
The poor man pleads, But the rich man answers roughly.
World English Bible
The poor pleads for mercy, But the rich answers harshly.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The poore speaketh with prayers: but the rich answereth roughly.
Legacy Standard Bible
The poor man speaks supplications,But the rich man answers with strong words.
Berean Standard Bible
The poor man pleads for mercy, but the rich man answers harshly.
Contemporary English Version
The poor must beg for help, but the rich can give a harsh reply.
Complete Jewish Bible
The poor man speaks beseechingly, the rich man's answer is blunt.
Darby Translation
He that is poor speaketh with supplications, but the rich answereth roughly.
Easy-to-Read Version
The poor are polite when they beg for help. The rich are rude with their answer.
George Lamsa Translation
The poor speak humbly; but the rich talk of great things.
Good News Translation
When the poor speak, they have to be polite, but when the rich answer, they are rude.
Lexham English Bible
The poor may speak entreaties, but the rich will answer roughly.
Literal Translation
The poor speak with entreaties, but the rich answer fiercely.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The poore maketh supplicacion and prayeth mekely, but the riche geueth a rough answere.
American Standard Version
The poor useth entreaties; But the rich answereth roughly.
Bible in Basic English
The poor man makes requests for grace, but the man of wealth gives a rough answer.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The poor useth entreaties; but the rich answereth impudently.
King James Version (1611)
The poore vseth intreaties, but the rich answereth roughly.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The poore prayeth meekely: but the riche geueth a rough aunswere.
English Revised Version
The poor useth entreaties: but the rich answereth roughly.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A pore man schal speke with bisechingis; and a riche man schal speke sterneli.
Update Bible Version
The poor uses entreaties; But the rich answers roughly.
Webster's Bible Translation
The poor useth entreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
New English Translation
A poor person makes supplications, but a rich man answers harshly.
New King James Version
The poor man uses entreaties, But the rich answers roughly.
New Living Translation
The poor plead for mercy; the rich answer with insults.
New Life Bible
The poor man asks for loving-kindness, but the rich man is hard in his answers.
New Revised Standard
The poor use entreaties, but the rich answer roughly.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Supplications, doth the poor man utter, but, the rich, answereth fiercely.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The poor will speak with supplications, and the rich will speak roughly.
Revised Standard Version
The poor use entreaties, but the rich answer roughly.
Young's Literal Translation
[With] supplications doth the poor speak, And the rich answereth fierce things.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The poor man utters supplications, But the rich man answers roughly.

Contextual Overview

23 The poor speak in soft supplications; the rich bark out answers.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

poor: Ruth 2:7, 1 Samuel 2:36, 2 Kings 4:1, 2 Kings 4:2, Isaiah 66:2, Matthew 5:3, James 1:9-11

rich: Genesis 42:7, Genesis 42:30, Exodus 5:2, 1 Samuel 25:10, 1 Samuel 25:17, James 2:3

Reciprocal: Judges 8:6 - General 1 Samuel 20:10 - answer thee 1 Kings 12:13 - answered Job 41:3 - General Proverbs 19:7 - yet Proverbs 22:7 - rich

Cross-References

Genesis 18:6
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. He said, "Hurry. Get three cups of our best flour; knead it and make bread."
Genesis 18:7
Then Abraham ran to the cattle pen and picked out a nice plump calf and gave it to the servant who lost no time getting it ready. Then he got curds and milk, brought them with the calf that had been roasted, set the meal before the men, and stood there under the tree while they ate.
Genesis 20:4
Now Abimelech had not yet slept with her, hadn't so much as touched her. He said, "Master, would you kill an innocent man? Didn't he tell me, ‘She's my sister'? And didn't she herself say, ‘He's my brother'? I had no idea I was doing anything wrong when I did this."
2 Samuel 24:17
When David saw the angel about to destroy the people, he prayed, "Please! I'm the one who sinned; I, the shepherd, did the wrong. But these sheep, what did they do wrong? Punish me and my family, not them."
Hebrews 10:22
So let's do it—full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The poor useth entreaties,.... Or "supplications" a; he is an humble supplicant to others for favours he asks in a submissive and lowly manner; he does not demand anything, nor prescribe what shall be done for him, but modestly tells his case, and submits it; so such who are poor in spirit are humble supplicants at the throne of grace;

but the rich answereth roughly; being proud and haughty, lifted up with their riches, and in fear of none, they answer others with hard and rough words, especially their inferiors, and particularly the poor. This is not what ought to be, but what commonly is. This verse and

Proverbs 18:24 are not in the Arabic version.

a תחנונים "supplicationes", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Note the paradox. The poor man, of whom one might expect roughness, supplicates; the rich, well nurtured, from whom one might look for courtesy, answers harshly and brusquely.


 
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