Amos 5:14

14 Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.

Amos 5:14 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.
English Standard Version (ESV)
14 Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said.
New Living Translation (NLT)
14 Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the LORD God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed.
The Message Bible (MSG)
14 Seek good and not evil - and live! You talk about God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, being your best friend. Well, live like it, and maybe it will happen.
American Standard Version (ASV)
14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live; and so Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be with you, as ye say.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
14 Search for good instead of evil so that you may live. Then the LORD God of Armies will be with you, as you have said.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
14 Seek good and not evil so that you may live, and the Lord, the God of Hosts, will be with you, as you have claimed.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
14 Look to what is good, not to what is evil. Then you will live. And the LORD God who rules over all will be with you, just as you say he is.

Amos 5:14 Meaning and Commentary

Amos 5:14

Seek good, and not evil
Seek not unto, or after, evil persons and evil things; not the company and conversation of evil men, which is infectious and dangerous; nor anything that is evil, or has the appearance of it, especially the evil of evils, sin; which is hateful to God, contrary to his nature and will; is evil in its own nature, and bad in its consequences, and therefore not to be sought, but shunned and avoided; but seek that which is good, persons and things: seek the "summum bonnum", "the chief good", God, who is essentially, perfectly, immutably, and communicatively good, the fountain of all goodness, and the portion of his people; seek Christ the good Saviour and sacrifice, the good Shepherd, and the good Samaritan, who is good in all his relations, as a father, husband, and friend, and in whom all good things are laid up; seek the good Spirit of God, who works good things in his people, and shows good things to them, and is the Comforter of them; seek to him for assistance in prayer, and to help in the exercise of every grace, and in the discharge of every duty, and as the guide into all truth, and to eternal glory; seek the good ways of God, the way of truth, the path of faith and holiness, and especially the good way to the Father, the way of life and salvation by Christ; seek the good word of God, the Scriptures of truth, the promises contained in them, and the Gospel of them; seek the company of good men, and that good part that shall not be taken away, the true grace of God, the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; seek the glories of another world, the goodness of God laid up, the best things which are reserved to last: that ye may live;
comfortably, spiritually, and eternally, which is the consequence of all this; (See Gill on Amos 5:4); (See Gill on Amos 5:6); and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have
spoken;
as they used to say, and boasted of; though they had not the temple, the ark of the testimony, the symbols of the divine Presence, as Judah had; but this they would have in reality, both his gracious presence here, and his glorious presence hereafter, did they truly and rightly seek those things; than which nothing is more desirable to good men, or can make them more comfortable, or more happy. The Targum is,

``seek to do well, and not to do ill, that ye may live; and then the word of the Lord God of hosts shall be your help, as ye have said.''

Amos 5:14 In-Context

12 For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.
13 Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times, for the times are evil.
14 Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.
15 Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.
16 Therefore this is what the Lord, the LORD God Almighty, says: “There will be wailing in all the streets and cries of anguish in every public square. The farmers will be summoned to weep and the mourners to wail.

Cross References 1

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