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Thursday, July 31st, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Douay-Rheims Bible

Proverbs 20:6

Many men are called merciful: but who shall find a faithful man?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Depravity of Man;   Faithfulness;   Pride;   Profession;   Self-Righteousness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Self-Justification-Self-Condemnation;   Self-Righteousness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Faithfulness;   Self-Righteousness;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Kindness;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Faith;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Many a person proclaims his own loyalty,but who can find a trustworthy person?
Hebrew Names Version
Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, But who can find a faithful man?
King James Version
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
English Standard Version
Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?
New American Standard Bible
Many a person proclaims his own loyalty, But who can find a trustworthy person?
New Century Version
Many people claim to be loyal, but it is hard to find a trustworthy person.
Amplified Bible
Many a man proclaims his own loyalty and goodness, But who can find a faithful and trustworthy man?
World English Bible
Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, But who can find a faithful man?
Geneva Bible (1587)
Many men wil boast, euery one of his owne goodnes: but who can finde a faithfull man?
Legacy Standard Bible
Many a man will call out his own lovingkindness,But a faithful man, who can find?
Berean Standard Bible
Many a man proclaims his loving devotion, but who can find a trustworthy man?
Contemporary English Version
There are many who say, "You can trust me!" But can they be trusted?
Complete Jewish Bible
Most people announce that they show kindness, but who can find someone faithful [enough to do it]?
Darby Translation
Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; but a faithful man who shall find?
Easy-to-Read Version
You might call many people your "friends," but it is hard to find someone who can really be trusted.
George Lamsa Translation
Many men are considered merciful; but a faithful man who can find?
Good News Translation
Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is!
Lexham English Bible
Many a person will proclaim his loyalty for himself, but a man who is trustworthy, who can find?
Literal Translation
Most men will proclaim each his own kindness, but who can find a faithful man?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Many there be that are called good doers, but where shal one fynde a true faithful ma?
American Standard Version
Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; But a faithful man who can find?
Bible in Basic English
Most men make no secret of their kind acts: but where is a man of good faith to be seen?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness; but a faithful man who can find?
King James Version (1611)
Most men will proclaime euery one his owne goodnes: but a faithfull man who can finde?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Many there be that woulde be called good doers: but where shall one finde a faythfull man?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
A man is valuable, and a merciful man precious: but it is hard to find a faithful man.
English Revised Version
Most men wilt proclaim every one his own kindness: but a faithful man who can find?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Many men ben clepid merciful; but who schal fynde a feithful man?
Update Bible Version
Most of man will proclaim every one his own kindness; But a faithful man who can find?
Webster's Bible Translation
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
New English Translation
Many people profess their loyalty, but a faithful person—who can find?
New King James Version
Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?
New Living Translation
Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?
New Life Bible
Many men tell about their own loving-kindness and good ways but who can find a faithful man?
New Revised Standard
Many proclaim themselves loyal, but who can find one worthy of trust?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A kind man one may call, a great man, - but, a faithful man, who can find?
Revised Standard Version
Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but a faithful man who can find?
Young's Literal Translation
A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?
THE MESSAGE
Lots of people claim to be loyal and loving, but where on earth can you find one?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, But who can find a trustworthy man?

Contextual Overview

6 Many men are called merciful: but who shall find a faithful man?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

proclaim: Proverbs 25:14, Proverbs 27:2, Matthew 6:2, Luke 18:8, Luke 18:11, Luke 18:28, Luke 22:33, 2 Corinthians 12:11

goodness: or, bounty

but: Psalms 12:1, Ecclesiastes 7:28, Jeremiah 5:1, Micah 7:2, Luke 18:8, John 1:47

Reciprocal: Proverbs 21:2 - right Proverbs 28:20 - faithful Matthew 9:14 - Why Matthew 26:33 - yet Luke 16:15 - Ye

Cross-References

Genesis 3:3
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of paradise, God hath commanded us that we should not eat; and that we should not touch it, lest perhaps we die.
Genesis 20:6
And God said to him: And I know that thou didst it with a sincere heart: and therefore I withheld thee from sinning against me, and I suffered thee not to touch her.
Genesis 20:7
Now therefore restore the man his wife, for he is a prophet: and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: but if thou wilt not restore her, know that thou shalt surely die, thou and all that are thine.
Genesis 20:18
For the Lord had closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech, on account of Sara, Abraham’s wife.
Genesis 26:11
He that shall touch this man’s wife, shall surely be put to death.
Genesis 31:7
Yea your father hath also overreached me, and hath changed my wages ten times: and yet God hath not suffered him to hurt me.
Genesis 35:5
And when they were departed, the terror of God fell upon all the cities round about, and they durst not pursue after them as they went away.
Genesis 39:9
Neither is there any thing which is not in my power, or that he hath not delivered to me, but thee, who art his wife; how then can I do this wicked thing, and sin against my God?
Exodus 34:24
For when I shall have taken away the nations from thy face, and shall have enlarged thy borders, no man shall lie in wait against thy land when thou shalt go up, and appear in the sight of the Lord thy God thrice in a year.
Leviticus 6:2
Whosoever shall sin, and despising the Lord, shall deny to his neighbour the thing delivered to his keeping, which was committed to his trust; or shall by force extort any thing, or commit oppression;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness,.... As the Pharisee did, in Luke 18:11; and as the Pharisees in common did; who did all their works to be seen of men, and made clean the outside of the cup and platter; and were very careful to appear outwardly righteous to men, Matthew 23:5. And indeed this is the general cast of men; everyone is proclaiming his goodness to others, and would be thought to be good men; and cannot be easy with doing a good action, unless it is known, and particularly acts of beneficence and alms deeds; and are like the Pharisees, who, on such occasions, sounded a trumpet before them, Matthew 6:2. And the word may be rendered, "his mercy" b, or his kindness to the poor: the Targum renders it,

"many of the children of men are called merciful men;''

and so the Vulgate Latin version; and they like to be so called and accounted, whether they are so or not;

but a faithful man who can find? who answers to the character he gives of himself, or others upon his own representation give him; who is as good as his word, and, having promised assistance and relief, gives it; and who, having boasted that he has done a kindness to such an one and such an one, does the same likewise to another when applied to; or who sticks to his friend, and does not forsake him in his adversity, but supports and supplies him whom he knew in prosperity; it is hard and rare to find such a man; see Psalms 12:1. Or, though every man is talking of his good works, and boasting of his goodness, it is difficult to find an Israelite indeed, in whom the true grace of God is.

b חסדו "misericordiam suam", Pagninus, so some in Vatablus; "unius cujusque misericordiam", Mercerus, Gejerus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Goodness - With the special sense of bounty, beneficence. Contrast promise and performance. People boast of their liberality, yet we look in vain for the fulfillment of actual obligations.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 20:6. Most men will proclaimMany men merciful ben clepid: a feithful man forsoth, who schal finde? - Old MS. Bible.


 
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