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Wednesday, August 13th, 2025
the Week of Proper 14 / Ordinary 19
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Read the Bible

Wycliffe Bible

Proverbs 20:6

Many men ben clepid merciful; but who schal fynde a feithful 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?
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?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Many men are called merciful: but who shall find a faithful man?
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 ben clepid merciful; but who schal fynde a feithful 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
sothely God commaundide to vs, that we schulden not eate of the fruyt of the tre, which is in the myddis of paradijs, and that we schulden not touche it, lest perauenture we dien.
Genesis 20:6
And the Lord seide to hym, And Y woot that thou didist bi symple herte, and therfor Y kepte thee, lest thou didist synne ayens me, and I suffride not that thou touchidist hir;
Genesis 20:7
now therfor yelde thou the wijf to hir hosebonde, for he is a profete; and he schal preye for thee, and thou schalt lyue; sotheli if thou nylte yelde, wite thou that thou schalt die bi deeth, thou and alle thingis that ben thine.
Genesis 20:18
for God hadde closid ech wombe of the hows of Abymelech, for Sare, the wijf of Abraham.
Genesis 26:11
and seide, He that touchith the wijf of this man schal die bi deeth.
Genesis 31:7
but and youre fadir disseyuyde me, and chaungide my meede ten sithis; and netheles God suffride not hym to anoye me.
Genesis 35:5
And whanne thei yeden, drede assailide alle men by cumpas of the citee, and thei weren not hardi to pursue hem goynge a wei.
Genesis 39:9
nether ony thing is, which is not in my power, ether which `he hath not bitake to me, outakun thee, which art his wijf; how therfor may Y do this yuel, and do synne ayens my lord?
Exodus 34:24
For whanne Y schal take awei folkis fro thi face, and Y schal alarge thi termes, noon schal sette tresouns to thi lond, while thou stiest and apperist in the siyt of thi Lord God, thries in the yeer.
Leviticus 6:2
and seide, A soule that synneth, and dispisith the Lord, and denyeth to his neiybore a thing bitakun to kepyng, that was bitakun to his feith, ethir takith maisterfuli a thing bi violence, ether makith fals chaleng,

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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