Proverbs 13:21

21 Evil pursues sinners, but to the righteous good shall be repaid.

Proverbs 13:21 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 13:21

Evil pursueth sinners
They pursue the evil of sin, and the evil of punishment pursues them, and at last overtakes them; their damnation, though it may seem to slumber and linger, it does not; it is upon the full speed after them, and will quickly seize upon them. Some understand this of the evil of sin in the conscience, which pursues the sinner, and fills him with terror; but to the righteous good shall be repaid;
or, "he shall recompense the righteous with good" F21, or "good to the righteous"; that is, God shall do it; for all the good things they have done, from a right principle, and to a right end; which good works of theirs will pursue and follow them; and for all the ill things they have suffered for righteousness's sake, a reward of grace, though not of debt, will be given them; as they have had their evil things here, they shall have their good things hereafter; as well as are often recompensed in this life, either in themselves or in their posterity, as follows.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 (bwj Mlvy Myqydu taw) "et justis reddet bonum", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Gejerus; "justes remunerabit Deus bono", Michaelis; "justis autem bonum rependet", Tigurine version, Piscator, so Cocceius.

Proverbs 13:21 In-Context

19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.
20 He that walks with wise men shall be wise, but the companion of fools shall be destroyed.
21 Evil pursues sinners, but to the righteous good shall be repaid.
22 A good man shall leave an inheritance to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
23 In the fallow ground of the poor there is much bread, but it is lost for lack of judgment.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010