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Monday, July 7th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Proverbs 24:26

An honest answer is as pleasing as a kiss on the lips.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Rulers;   Young Men;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Honesty;   Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Greek Versions of Ot;   Lip;   Proverbs, Book of;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Prov'erbs, Book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Kiss;   Proverbs, Book of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Kiss and Kissing;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He who gives an honest answergives a kiss on the lips.
Hebrew Names Version
An honest answer Is like a kiss on the lips.
King James Version
Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.
English Standard Version
Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips.
New American Standard Bible
One who gives a right answer Kisses the lips.
New Century Version
An honest answer is as pleasing as a kiss on the lips.
Amplified Bible
He kisses the lips [and wins the hearts of people] Who gives a right and straightforward answer.
World English Bible
An honest answer Is like a kiss on the lips.
Geneva Bible (1587)
They shall kisse the lippes of him that answereth vpright wordes.
Legacy Standard Bible
He kisses the lipsWho responds with right words.
Berean Standard Bible
An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
Contemporary English Version
Giving an honest answer is a sign of true friendship.
Complete Jewish Bible
Giving an honest answer is like giving a kiss.
Darby Translation
He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer.
George Lamsa Translation
The people shall kiss the lips of those who give admonition.
Good News Translation
An honest answer is a sign of true friendship.
Lexham English Bible
He will kiss the lips, he who gives an honest answer.
Literal Translation
He kisses the lips of one who returns right words.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He maketh him self to be well loued, that geueth a good answere.
American Standard Version
He kisseth the lips Who giveth a right answer.
Bible in Basic English
He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.
King James Version (1611)
Euery man shall kisse his lippes that giueth a right answere.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Euery man shall kisse his lippes that geueth a good aunswere.
English Revised Version
He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He that answerith riytful wordis, schal kisse lippis.
Update Bible Version
He kisses the lips Who gives a right answer.
Webster's Bible Translation
[Every man] shall kiss [his] lips that giveth a right answer.
New English Translation
Like a kiss on the lips is the one who gives an honest answer.
New King James Version
He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
New Living Translation
An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship.
New Life Bible
To give the right answer is like a kiss on the lips.
New Revised Standard
One who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Lips, should one kiss with one who answereth in right words.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
Revised Standard Version
He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
Young's Literal Translation
Lips he kisseth who is returning straightforward words.
THE MESSAGE
An honest answer is like a warm hug.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He kisses the lips Who gives a right answer.

Contextual Overview

23 These are also words from the wise: A judge must be fair. He must not support some people simply because he knows them. 24 The people will turn against a judge who lets the guilty go free. Even the people of other nations will curse him. 25 But if a judge punishes the guilty, then people will be happy with him, and he will be a blessing to them. 26 An honest answer is as pleasing as a kiss on the lips.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

shall: Proverbs 15:23, Proverbs 16:1, Proverbs 25:11, Proverbs 25:12, Genesis 41:38-57, Daniel 2:46-48, Mark 12:17, Mark 12:18, Mark 12:32-34

giveth a right answer: Heb. answereth right words, Job 6:25

Reciprocal: Joshua 22:21 - answered

Cross-References

Genesis 22:5
Then he said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go to that place and worship. Then we will come back to you later."
Genesis 24:48
I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord . I praised the Lord , the God of my master Abraham. I thanked him for leading me straight to the granddaughter of my master's brother.
Genesis 24:52
When Abraham's servant heard this, he bowed to the ground before the Lord .
Exodus 4:31
and they believed what they had heard. Then the Israelites understood that the Lord had seen their troubles and had come to help them. So they bowed down and worshiped God.
Exodus 12:27
you will say, ‘This Passover is to honor the Lord , because when we were in Egypt, he passed over the houses of Israel. He killed the Egyptians, but he saved the people in our houses.'" Then the people bowed down and worshiped the Lord.
Exodus 34:8
Then Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped the Lord. Moses said,
1 Chronicles 29:20
Then David said to all the group of people gathered together, "Now give praise to the Lord your God." So all the people gave praise to the Lord God, the God their ancestors worshiped. They bowed to the ground to give honor to the Lord and to the king.
2 Chronicles 20:18
Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem bowed down before the Lord and worshiped him.
2 Chronicles 29:30
King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to give praise to the Lord . They sang songs that David and Asaph the seer had written. They praised God and became happy. They all bowed and worshiped God.
Nehemiah 8:6
Ezra praised the Lord , the great God, and all the people held up their hands and said, "Amen! Amen!" Then all the people bowed down and put their faces low to the ground and they worshiped the Lord .

Gill's Notes on the Bible

[Every man] shall kiss [his] lips that giveth a right answer. Either as a witness to a question put to him in court, to which he answers aptly and uprightly; or rather as a judge, who, having heard a cause, answers and gives his opinion of it faithfully, and pronounces a righteous sentence; everyone will love and respect him, and hearken to him and obey him; both affection and obedience are signified by a kiss; see Psalms 2:12.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Better, He shall kiss lips that giveth a right answer, i. e., he shall gain the hearts of men as much as by all outward signs of sympathy and favor. Compare 2 Samuel 15:1-6.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 24:26. Kiss his lips — Shall treat him with affection and respect.


 
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