My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The truly critical part of this verse isn't just about saying "no" to temptation, but understanding that sin happens when you consent. Enticement is the offer, but the active choice to agree and go along is where the real yielding to wickedness takes place.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The father is shifting from general instruction to a direct warning about the dangers of bad company. He’s addressing his son, emphasizing the allure of those who actively seek to lead others into sin, particularly those involved in violent crime and greed. This passage lays the groundwork for the extensive description of the sinners' seductive arguments and the ruinous consequences that follow if one yields to them.
The Bible uses a strong word for 'sinners' here, and it's not just about someone who messes up occasionally. It points to a deliberate choice.
What does this distinction mean for how we view and respond to temptation?
The Hebrew word used for 'sinners' (khattaim) literally means 'those who miss the mark' or 'those who err.' But in Proverbs, it often describes those who habitually and wilfully deviate from God's way.
More Than Occasional Slip-Ups
These aren't people who occasionally stumble. They are actively pursuing a path of rebellion against God's commands, often making a profession out of it. Think of highway robbers or those who make their living by harming others. They've moved past mere mistakes into a settled state of opposition to righteousness.
The Danger of Habitual Sin
This is why the warning is so urgent. When 'sinners' entice you, they aren't just inviting you to a casual mistake. They're inviting you into their established pattern of missing the mark, a pattern that can easily become your own if you aren't careful.
Ever felt like you were just forced into sinning? The Bible offers a different perspective.
Understanding this helps us see where our real responsibility lies.
The core of the warning lies in the word 'consent.' The original languages highlight that temptation itself isn't the sin; it's our agreement to it.
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The Power of the Will
Sinners can entice you, they can persuade you, they can even 'open the way' for you to sin. But they cannot force you. Your will remains free. As one commentator put it, 'God's eternal purpose with respect to man is that his will shall be free... Not even the devil himself can lead a man into sin till he consents.'
'No' is Your First Defense
The instruction 'consent thou not' is a direct command to guard your will. It means refusing to agree, refusing to yield, refusing to give your approval, whether through words or actions. Your decision to say 'no' is the critical moment where you deflect the temptation.
Understand the original words
chatta'im · Hebrew Noun
Those who miss the mark of God's moral standard. They are people whose lives are characterized by rebellion, error, and deviation from the path of righteousness.
pathah · Hebrew Verb
To attempt to lure, persuade, or deceive someone into doing wrong. It describes a calculated effort to lead another away from the path of righteousness.
This Psalm directly parallels Proverbs 1:10 by warning against walking in the counsel of the wicked and standing in the way of sinners, highlighting the pervasive danger of bad company.
1 Corinthians 15:33The Apostle Paul echoes this warning, stating 'Do not be deceived: 'Bad company ruins good morals,' emphasizing the destructive influence of sinners on one's character and choices.
Ephesians 5:11This passage calls believers to 'take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them,' reinforcing the idea of not consenting to or participating in sinful activities.
Matthew 4:10Jesus' response to Satan's final temptation, 'Away with you, Satan!' illustrates the firm refusal of consent that is needed when enticed by evil, even when the temptation comes from a powerful source.
clarkeProverbs 1:10: "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."
If sinners entice thee, consent thou not - אל תבא al tobe, Will-not. They can do thee no harm unless thy will join in with them. God's eternal purpose with respect to man is that his will shall be free; or, rather, that the will, which is essentially Free, shall never be forced nor be forceable by any power. Not even the devil himself can lead a man into sin till he consents. Were it not so, how could God judge the world?
bensonProverbs 1:10: "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."
Proverbs 1:10-14 . My son, if sinners — Sinners of any description; entice thee — To sin, to commit any known iniquity, or to omit any known duty; consent thou not — Yield not in any degree to their advice, persuasions, or solicitations, for why shouldest thou destroy thyself to gratify them? If they say, Come with us — We are numerous, and strong, and sociable. Let us lay wait for blood — That is, to shed blood. He does not int…
The truly critical part of this verse isn't just about saying "no" to temptation, but understanding that sin happens when you consent. Enticement is the offer, but the active choice to agree and go along is where the real yielding to wickedness takes place.
The father is shifting from general instruction to a direct warning about the dangers of bad company. He’s addressing his son, emphasizing the allure of those who actively seek to lead others into sin, particularly those involved in violent crime and greed. This passage lays the groundwork for the extensive description of the sinners' seductive arguments and the ruinous consequences that follow if one yields to them.
The father is shifting from general instruction to a direct warning about the dangers of bad company. He’s addressing his son, emphasizing the allure of those who actively seek to lead others into sin, particularly those involved in violent crime and greed. This passage lays the groundwork for the extensive description of the sinners' seductive arguments and the ruinous consequences that follow if one yields to them.
"My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent." — The truly critical part of this verse isn't just about saying "no" to temptation, but understanding that sin happens when you consent. Enticement is the offer, but the active choice to agree and go…
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Last reviewed October 2026