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KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Proverbs 4:18–23

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
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.
For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
¶ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
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PASSAGE SELECTION

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6 selected · 4 available

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

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

30 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 18

  1. John 8:12Rank 1 from verse 18
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    1MY son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:

  2. Isaiah 55:3Rank 2 from verse 20
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    21¶ My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

  2. Proverbs 3:3Rank 2 from verse 21
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    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
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    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
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    8I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

  5. Proverbs 2:1Rank 5 from verse 21
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    1MY son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

From verse 22

  1. Proverbs 12:18Rank 1 from verse 22
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    18There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

  2. Jeremiah 33:6Rank 2 from verse 22
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    6Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

  3. Proverbs 4:10Rank 3 from verse 22
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    10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

  4. Proverbs 3:8Rank 4 from verse 22
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    8It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

  5. Proverbs 4:4Rank 5 from verse 22
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    4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

From verse 23

  1. Luke 6:45Rank 1 from verse 23
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    45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

  2. Matthew 12:34–35Rank 2 from verse 23
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    34O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

    35A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

  3. Mark 7:21–23Rank 3 from verse 23
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    21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

    22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

    23All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

  4. Psalms 139:23–24Rank 4 from verse 23
    Open

    23Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

    24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

  5. Proverbs 13:3Rank 5 from verse 23
    Open

    3He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

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

DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 4:22

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

find

↗

To discover, meet with, obtain, perceive, or learn by search or experience.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

health

↗

Sense 1: Soundness or well-being of body. Sense 2: Healing, cure, or restoration to soundness. Sense 3: Saving help or deliverance.

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

COMBINED MEANING

flesh

↗

Sense 1: The soft substance of the body. Sense 2: The body, human nature, kindred, or mankind.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Proverbs 4:23

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

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

COMBINED MEANING

diligence

↗

Earnest, careful, attentive, and persistent effort; prompt application of oneself to accomplish what is required.

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

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

out

↗

Outside, away from within, forth, absent, or no longer in a stated condition.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

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Surrounding Verses

Nearby Scripture remains separate from the selected passage until you add it.

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

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

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

Selected passage

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

Selected passage

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

Selected passage

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

Selected passage

23¶ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Selected passage

24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

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