Proverbs 11:18

18 A wicked person earns dishonest wages, but whoever spreads righteousness earns honest pay.

Proverbs 11:18 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 11:18

The wicked worketh a deceitful work
Such a wicked man as before described; that neither enjoys the good things of life he has, nor suffers others to enjoy them; and all to accumulate riches, which are deceitful and perishing; and who abstains from meats, which God has created for use, under a pretence of religion, and so deceives his own soul; and indeed every sin which a wicked man commits is a deceitful work; it promises him that pleasure, or profit, or liberty, which it does not give him, and in the issue is the ruin of him; and so all false doctrines, propagated by deceitful workers, are deceitful works, by which they deceive the simple, and at last themselves; they "obtain a deceitful reward of [their] work", as Gussetius F23 renders it; but to him that soweth righteousness;
does acts of beneficence and liberality; see ( 2 Corinthians 9:9 2 Corinthians 9:10 ) ; and all other good works, or works of righteousness, [shall be] a sure reward;
according to what a man sows, and the manner in which he sows, so shall he reap, ( 2 Corinthians 9:6 ) ( Galatians 6:8 ) ; or, "a reward of truth"; instead of being given up to believe a lie, he shall receive the love of the truth, and abide in it, which will bring him to eternal glory and happiness; he being chosen to it through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, ( 2 Thessalonians 2:10-13 ) ; and, instead of a deceitful reward, shall have a true, real, solid, and substantial one.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 Ebr. Comment. p. 692.

Proverbs 11:18 In-Context

16 A gracious woman wins respect, but ruthless men gain riches.
17 A merciful person helps himself, but a cruel person hurts himself.
18 A wicked person earns dishonest wages, but whoever spreads righteousness earns honest pay.
19 As righteousness leads to life, so whoever pursues evil finds his own death.
20 Devious people are disgusting to the LORD, but he is delighted with those whose ways are innocent.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.