By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that atonement for sin isn't achieved by ritual alone, but by the internal graces of "steadfast love" and "faithfulness"—qualities that reflect God's own character. Furthermore, it connects turning from evil not to a rigid adherence to rules, but to a deep, reverent "fear of the Lord," an awe that naturally prompts a desire to live righteously.
By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This proverb is part of a larger collection in Proverbs that offers wisdom for living a righteous life, often contrasting the ways of the wise with the ways of the foolish. It follows verses that discuss the Lord's sovereignty over all actions and intentions, setting the stage for how human behavior relates to divine judgment and favor. The verses that follow will continue this theme, exploring topics like pride, humility, and the consequences of one's words.
How can 'steadfast love and faithfulness' cover our wrongdoings? This verse points beyond mere human action to a divine promise.
The first part of the verse, 'By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,' is crucial. It's not about us earning atonement through our own love and faithfulness. Instead, it points to God's character and His covenant promises. His 'steadfast love' (often translated as 'mercy') and His 'faithfulness' (or 'truth') are the very foundation of how sin is covered in God's sight. This points directly to God's action through Jesus Christ, fulfilling His promises and providing the ultimate atonement. Our actions of mercy and truth flow from this divine work, not the other way around.
We know we're supposed to turn from evil, but how? This verse links it to a profound respect for God.
The second half of the verse, 'and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil,' describes the human response to God's work. The 'fear of the LORD' here isn't terror, but a deep, reverential awe and respect for God's holiness and authority. This holy fear motivates us to actively turn away from wrongdoing. It’s the internal compass that guides our actions, preventing us from abusing God’s grace or returning to destructive habits. It's the ongoing process of sanctification that works inseparably with our justification.
Understand the original words
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chesed · Hebrew Noun
A covenantal attribute of God representing loyal, committed, and persistent love; it is often translated as 'lovingkindness' or 'mercy' and reflects God's active, faithful devotion to His people.
emeth · Hebrew Noun
Relates to truth, reliability, and stability; it describes the character of one who is trustworthy, constant, and in alignment with God’s revealed truth.
avon · Hebrew Noun
Moral perversion, twistedness, or guilt; it refers to acts that miss the mark of God's holiness and require a means of covering or payment to be rectified.
kaphar · Hebrew Verb
To cover, cleanse, or make reconciliation; it implies the removing of the barrier created by sin between God and humanity, ultimately pointing toward the sacrificial work of Christ.
yirah · Hebrew Noun
A reverential, awe-filled submission to the authority, holiness, and majesty of God; it is the foundational posture of wisdom that results in obedience and departure from wickedness.
ra · Hebrew Noun
Moral evil, wickedness, or calamity; it denotes that which is harmful to the soul, contrary to God's nature, and destructive to one's relationship with Him.
This passage echoes Proverbs 16:6 by stating that true worship involves 'doing justice, and loving kindness, and walking humbly with your God,' highlighting the moral and ethical dimensions of faith that align with 'mercy and truth.'
Luke 15:11-32The parable of the prodigal son powerfully illustrates God's mercy and faithfulness in atoning for sin when the wayward son returns, resonating with the idea that iniquity is purged by God's steadfast love.
Psalm 51:7This psalm, a prayer for forgiveness after sin, invokes God to 'purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean,' reflecting the theme of iniquity being cleansed, and finding its deepest sense in God's mercy and truth.
Romans 3:23-25Paul explains that believers are justified by God's grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith, directly connecting God's mercy and faithfulness to the atonement for sin.
Proverbs 3:5-7This earlier passage in Proverbs also links trust in the Lord, turning from evil, and the concept of mercy and truth, showing a consistent theme throughout the book about the connection between divine faithfulness and righteous living.
ellicottProverbs 16:6: "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil."
(6) Mercy and truth.— See above on Proverbs 3:3 . Mercy and truth cannot, of course, in themselves “purge iniquity,” only so far as they are signs of the “faith which worketh by love” ( Galatians 5:6 ), which accepts the salvation offered by God ( Romans 1:16-17 ). (Comp. the statement with regard to charity, 1Peter 4:8 .) By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.—Or, rather, escape mis…
pooleProverbs 16:6: "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil."
By mercy and truth; either, 1. By God’s mercy or grace, and by his truth in performing his promises made to sinners in Christ. Or, 2. By men’s mercy and truth, as those very words are jointly used, Proverbs 3:3 20:28 , and elsewhere; and as, in the following clause, the fear of the Lord is a grace or disposition in men; by a merciful, and just, and faithful frame of heart and course of life…
The verse highlights that atonement for sin isn't achieved by ritual alone, but by the internal graces of "steadfast love" and "faithfulness"—qualities that reflect God's own character. Furthermore, it connects turning from evil not to a rigid adherence to rules, but to a deep, reverent "fear of the Lord," an awe that naturally prompts a desire to live righteously.
This proverb is part of a larger collection in Proverbs that offers wisdom for living a righteous life, often contrasting the ways of the wise with the ways of the foolish. It follows verses that discuss the Lord's sovereignty over all actions and intentions, setting the stage for how human behavior relates to divine judgment and favor. The verses that follow will continue this theme, exploring topics like pride, humility, and the consequences of one's words.
This proverb is part of a larger collection in Proverbs that offers wisdom for living a righteous life, often contrasting the ways of the wise with the ways of the foolish. It follows verses that discuss the Lord's sovereignty over all actions and intentions, setting the stage for how human behavior relates to divine judgment and favor. The verses that follow will continue this theme, exploring topics like pride, humility, and the consequences of one's words.
"By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil." — The verse highlights that atonement for sin isn't achieved by ritual alone, but by the internal graces of "steadfast love" and "faithfulness"—qualities that reflect God's own character. Furthermore,…
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Last reviewed October 2026