Lectionary Calendar
Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

Proverbs 29:16

Crime increases when crooks are in power, but law-abiding citizens will see them fall.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Company;   Death;   Wicked (People);   The Topic Concordance - Government;   Righteousness;   Transgression;   Wickedness;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Greek Versions of Ot;   Proverbs, Book of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When the wicked increase, rebellion increases,but the righteous will see their downfall.
Hebrew Names Version
When the wicked increase, sin increases; But the righteous will see their downfall.
King James Version
When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.
English Standard Version
When the wicked increase, transgression increases, but the righteous will look upon their downfall.
New American Standard Bible
When the wicked increase, wrongdoing increases; But the righteous will see their downfall.
New Century Version
When there are many wicked people, there is much sin, but those who do right will see them destroyed.
Amplified Bible
When the wicked are in authority, transgression increases, But the righteous will see the downfall of the wicked.
World English Bible
When the wicked increase, sin increases; But the righteous will see their downfall.
Geneva Bible (1587)
When the wicked are increased, transgression increaseth: but ye righteous shall see their fall.
Legacy Standard Bible
When the wicked increase, transgression increases;But the righteous will see their fall.
Berean Standard Bible
When the wicked thrive, rebellion increases; but the righteous will see their downfall.
Complete Jewish Bible
When the wicked flourish, wrongdoing flourishes; but the righteous will witness their downfall.
Darby Translation
When the wicked increase, transgression increaseth; but the righteous shall see their fall.
Easy-to-Read Version
If the wicked are ruling the nation, sin will be everywhere, but those who live right will win in the end.
George Lamsa Translation
When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases; but the righteous shall rejoice in their fall.
Good News Translation
When evil people are in power, crime increases. But the righteous will live to see the downfall of such people.
Lexham English Bible
With the increase of the wicked, transgression will increase, but the righteous will look on his downfall.
Literal Translation
When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases; but the righteous shall see their fall.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
When the vngodly come vp, wickednesse increaseth: but the rightuous shall se their fall.
American Standard Version
When the wicked are increased, transgression increaseth; But the righteous shall look upon their fall.
Bible in Basic English
When evil men are in power, wrongdoing is increased; but the upright will have pleasure when they see their downfall.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
When the wicked are increased, transgression increaseth; but the righteous shall gaze upon their fall.
King James Version (1611)
When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
When the vngodly are multiplied, wickednesse encreaseth: but the ryghteous shall see their fall.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The north wind is sharp, but it is called by name propitious.
English Revised Version
When the wicked are increased, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall look upon their fall.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Grete trespassis schulen be multiplied in the multipliyng of wickid men; and iust men schulen se the fallyngis of hem.
Update Bible Version
When the wicked are increased, transgression increases; But the righteous shall look at their fall.
Webster's Bible Translation
When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.
New English Translation
When the wicked increase, transgression increases, but the righteous will see their downfall.
New King James Version
When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases; But the righteous will see their fall.
New Living Translation
When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes, but the godly will live to see their downfall.
New Life Bible
When the sinful are many, sins become many, but those who are right with God will see their fall.
New Revised Standard
When the wicked are in authority, transgression increases, but the righteous will look upon their downfall.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
When the lawless become great, transgression increaseth, but, the righteous, shall behold, their ruin.
Douay-Rheims Bible
When the wicked are multiplied, crimes shall be multiplied: but the just shall see their downfall.
Revised Standard Version
When the wicked are in authority, transgression increases; but the righteous will look upon their downfall.
Young's Literal Translation
In the multiplying of the wicked transgression multiplieth, And the righteous on their fall do look.
THE MESSAGE
When degenerates take charge, crime runs wild, but the righteous will eventually observe their collapse.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
When the wicked increase, transgression increases; But the righteous will see their fall.

Contextual Overview

16 Crime increases when crooks are in power, but law-abiding citizens will see them fall.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the wicked: Proverbs 29:2, *marg.

but: Psalms 37:34, Psalms 37:36, Psalms 58:10, Psalms 91:8, Psalms 92:9, Psalms 92:11, Psalms 112:8, Revelation 15:4, Revelation 18:20

Reciprocal: Proverbs 18:3 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 29:25
The next morning Jacob found out that he had married Leah, and he asked Laban, "Why did you do this to me? Didn't I work to get Rachel? Why did you trick me?"
Genesis 29:32
Leah gave birth to a son and named him Reuben, because she said, "The Lord has taken away my sorrow. Now my husband will love me more than he does Rachel."
Genesis 30:19
When Leah had another son,
Genesis 31:4
Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah to meet him in the field where he kept his sheep,
Genesis 33:2
The two servant women, Zilpah and Bilhah, together with their children went first, followed by Leah and her children, then by Rachel and Joseph.
Genesis 35:23
Jacob had twelve sons while living in northern Syria. His first-born Reuben was the son of Leah, who later gave birth to Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Leah's servant Zilpah had two sons: Gad and Asher. Jacob and his wife Rachel had Joseph and Benjamin. Rachel's servant woman Bilhah had two more sons: Dan and Naphtali.
Ruth 4:11
The town leaders and the others standing there said: We are witnesses to this. And we pray that the Lord will give your wife many children, just as he did Leah and Rachel, the wives of Jacob. May you be a rich man in the tribe of Ephrath and an important man in Bethlehem.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

When the wicked are multiplied,.... Or "are in authority" r; as the word is rendered, Proverbs 29:2;

transgression increaseth; among the common people, being encouraged by their wicked rulers, whose examples they follow; or as the wicked themselves increase, in numbers, in age, in power, and riches, their sins increase too;

but the righteous shall see their fall, from their places of authority and power, of honour, riches, and grandeur, into a low and despicable condition, into ruin and destruction; and that with pleasure, because of the glory of God, his wisdom, justice, truth, and faithfulness, displayed therein; see Psalms 58:10.

r ברבות "dominantibus impiis"; some in Mercerus; "quum praesunt impii", Tigurine version.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 29:16. When the wicked are multiplied — That, in the multiplication of the wicked transgression is increased, requires no proof; but an important doctrine attaches to this. On this account wicked nations and wicked families are cut off and rooted out. Were it not so righteousness would in process of time be banished from the earth. This will account for many of the numerous instances in which whole families fail.


 
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