Proverbs 1:10
My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 1:10
My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The word "entice" literally means "to open the way," suggesting that sinners don't just invite you to sin, they actively try to create an easy path for you to do so. True rebellion against God isn't in being tempted, but in giving your consent and "opening the way" yourself.
The father in Proverbs is continuing his instruction to his "son," shifting from general wisdom to a specific warning about the dangers of bad company. He's describing how hardened sinners, whose lives are characterized by violence and illegal gain, actively seek to recruit others into their schemes. This warning is not just about petty misbehavior but about joining a life of crime, and the father urges his son to firmly reject any such enticements.
Sinners try to pull you in, but the real battle happens within. Your decision is key.
The verse hits us with a direct command: 'do not consent.' It's not just about avoiding bad company; it's about guarding your will. Commentaries highlight that even the devil can't force you into sin. Your 'yes' is where the harm truly begins.
Consent is the Turning Point
The 'sinners' Proverbs warns about aren't just occasional offenders – they're actively recruiting.
When Proverbs speaks of 'sinners,' it's often referring to those who have made sin their lifestyle. They aren't just individuals who have missed the mark; they are 'habitual, abandoned sinners' who actively seek to lead others astray.
The Active Pursuit of Sin
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 contrasts the 'righteous' who do not 'stand in the path of sinners' with the 'wicked,' mirroring Proverbs' urgent call to refuse the enticement of sinners.
Matthew 6:13The Lord's Prayer includes a plea to be led 'not into temptation,' which powerfully echoes the proactive refusal to 'consent' to sinful enticement that Proverbs teaches.
Ephesians 5:11This verse directly instructs believers to 'have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them,' underscoring the wisdom of Proverbs' warning against yielding to sin's allure.
1 Corinthians 15:33The New Testament reiterates the danger of bad influence with 'Do not be deceived: 'Bad company ruins good morals,'' which is a direct parallel to the warning about sinners' enticements in Proverbs.
1 John 2:15-17This passage speaks to the alluring 'desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and pride in possessions' that often characterize sinful enticements, reminding us what we are to refuse when sinners call.
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 word "entice" literally means "to open the way," suggesting that sinners don't just invite you to sin, they actively try to create an easy path for you to do so. True rebellion against God isn't in being tempted, but in giving your consent and "opening the way" yourself.
The father in Proverbs is continuing his instruction to his "son," shifting from general wisdom to a specific warning about the dangers of bad company. He's describing how hardened sinners, whose lives are characterized by violence and illegal gain, actively seek to recruit others into their schemes. This warning is not just about petty misbehavior but about joining a life of crime, and the father urges his son to firmly reject any such enticements.
The father in Proverbs is continuing his instruction to his "son," shifting from general wisdom to a specific warning about the dangers of bad company. He's describing how hardened sinners, whose lives are characterized by violence and illegal gain, actively seek to recruit others into their schemes. This warning is not just about petty misbehavior but about joining a life of crime, and the father urges his son to firmly reject any such enticements.
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"My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent." — The word "entice" literally means "to open the way," suggesting that sinners don't just invite you to sin, they actively try to create an easy path for you to do so. True rebellion against God isn't…