Read the Bible
KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Proverbs 4:17–21

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
¶ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
Share
Email linkOpen a new message in your email app
Read chapter
More
Report an issueTell us about a text or study problem

PASSAGE SELECTION

Build from either side

5 selected · 5 available

Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

25 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 17

  1. James 5:4–5Rank 1 from verse 17
    Open

    4Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

    5Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

  2. Micah 6:12Rank 2 from verse 17
    Open

    12For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

  3. Proverbs 20:17Rank 3 from verse 17
    Open

    17Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

  4. Proverbs 9:17Rank 4 from verse 17
    Open

    17Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

  5. Psalms 14:4Rank 5 from verse 17
    Open

    4Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.

From verse 18

  1. John 8:12Rank 1 from verse 18
    Open

    12¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

  2. Job 11:17Rank 2 from verse 18
    Open

    17And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

  3. Daniel 12:3Rank 3 from verse 18
    Open

    3And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

  4. Philippians 2:15Rank 4 from verse 18
    Open

    15That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

  5. 2 Corinthians 3:18Rank 5 from verse 18
    Open

    18But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

From verse 19

  1. John 12:35Rank 1 from verse 19
    Open

    35Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

  2. Isaiah 59:9–10Rank 2 from verse 19
    Open

    9¶ Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.

    10We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

  3. Jeremiah 23:12Rank 3 from verse 19
    Open

    12Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.

  4. Job 18:5–6Rank 4 from verse 19
    Open

    5Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine.

    6The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.

  5. 1 Samuel 2:9Rank 5 from verse 19
    Open

    9He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

From verse 20

  1. Proverbs 5:1Rank 1 from verse 20
    Open

    1MY son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:

  2. Isaiah 55:3Rank 2 from verse 20
    Open

    3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

  3. Proverbs 6:20–21Rank 3 from verse 20
    Open

    20¶ My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

    21Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

  4. Proverbs 7:1Rank 4 from verse 20
    Open

    1MY son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

  5. Psalms 78:1Rank 5 from verse 20
    Open

    1GIVE ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

From verse 21

  1. Proverbs 3:21Rank 1 from verse 21
    Open

    21¶ My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

  2. Proverbs 3:3Rank 2 from verse 21
    Open

    3Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

  3. Proverbs 7:1–2Rank 3 from verse 21
    Open

    1MY son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

    2Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

  4. Psalms 40:8Rank 4 from verse 21
    Open

    8I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

  5. Proverbs 2:1Rank 5 from verse 21
    Open

    1MY son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 4:17

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

eat

↗

To take food into the body; to consume, devour, or waste away.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

wine

↗

The produce of grapes or other fruit used as a drink.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 4:18

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

shining

↗

Present-participial or verbal-noun form of shine, meaning to emit rays of light; to give light; to beam with steady radiance; to exhibit brightness or splendor. To give light, real or figurative.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

light

↗

Sense 1: Brightness or illumination. Sense 2: A source or opening that gives light. Sense 3: Figuratively, truth, knowledge, revelation, life, or favour contrasted with darkness. Sense 4: To illuminate or kindle. Sense 5: To alight or come upon. Sense 6: Slight, easy, swift, or not heavy.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

perfect

↗

Complete, whole, sound, mature, upright, fully fitted, finished, exact, or lacking nothing required for the person, work, knowledge, state, purpose, or standard in view; to perfect is to bring to that intended completion or maturity.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

day

↗

Sense 1: Light or the period of light between morning and evening, as distinguished from night. Sense 2: A complete daily cycle. Sense 3: A specified time, occasion, period, age, or season.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 4:19

COMBINED MEANING

darkness

↗

Sense 1: Absence of light. Sense 2: Obscurity, ignorance, distress, or moral evil by figure.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

know

↗

To perceive, understand, recognize, experience, or be assured of something.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

stumble

↗

Sense 1: To trip, lose footing, or fall by striking against something. Sense 2: To err, fall, or be hindered figuratively. Sense 3: To cause another to trip, fall, err, or be hindered.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 4:20

COMBINED MEANING

son

↗

1. A male child or descendant. 2. One belonging to, related to, or characterized by the person, people, place, condition, or quality named.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

attend

↗

1. To give heed, listen, or direct attention toward. 2. To wait upon, serve, or devote oneself to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

words

↗

Spoken or written expressions, sayings, statements, messages, commands, promises, reports, or units of meaningful speech.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

incline

↗

To bend, bow, turn, tend, or direct toward; to direct one's attention or desire.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Cawdrey 1604

COMBINED MEANING

ear

↗

Sense 1: The organ of hearing. Sense 2: The seed-bearing head of grain.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 4:21

COMBINED MEANING

let

↗

Sense 1: To allow or permit; in older KJV use, also to hinder or restrain. Sense 2: To lower or send down.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

depart

↗

1. To leave, go away, or move from a place or person. 2. To cease to remain, be removed, disappear, or pass away. 3. To turn or separate from a way, practice, allegiance, or relationship. 4. To leave earthly life or this world.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

eyes

↗

The bodily organs of sight; by extension, sight, attention, observation, perception, understanding, desire, judgment, estimation, favour, or the presence and view before which something occurs.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

keep

↗

To guard, watch, protect, preserve, secure, retain, possess, hold, maintain, support, tend, manage, observe, obey, fulfil, celebrate, continue in, refrain from, or remain faithful to a person, place, trust, command, promise, way, time, or thing.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

midst

↗

The middle, centre, interior, or intervening part of a place, body, company, or condition; among, within, surrounded by, or in the presence of persons or things.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

heart

↗

Sense 1: The bodily organ. Sense 2: The inward person: the mind, will, affections, conscience, or moral character.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

FOLLOW THE THEME

Related Concepts

Choose a connected KJV word or phrase to find where it appears in scripture.

READ THE PASSAGE

View in context

Suggested context · Proverbs 4:14–22

The selected passage is highlighted. Context is a study aid.

4:14¶ Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

4:15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

4:16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

4:17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

Selected passage

4:18But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Selected passage

4:19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

Selected passage

4:20¶ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

Selected passage

4:21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

Selected passage

4:22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

LOCAL PASTOR DIRECTORY

Find a Pastor Near You

Enter a U.S. ZIP code to find nearby pastors committed to holding fast the faithful word.

Your ZIP is processed in this browser from local data. It is not sent to a ZIP lookup service or to a church. ZIP coordinates from GeoNames, licensed under CC BY 4.0.