Verse 4

A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

Other Translations

Referenced Verses

  • Prov 28:4 : 4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law contend with them.
  • 2 Tim 4:3-4 : 3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound teaching, but according to their own desires, they will gather teachers for themselves to satisfy their itching ears. 4 They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.
  • 1 John 4:5 : 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.
  • Isa 30:10 : 10 They say to the seers, 'See no more visions!' and to the prophets, 'Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions.'
  • Jer 5:31 : 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. And My people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?
  • 1 Kgs 22:6-9 : 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, 'Should I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?' They said, 'Go up, and the Lord will give it into the king’s hands.' 7 But Jehoshaphat asked, 'Is there not another prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?' 8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, only bad. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.' Jehoshaphat replied, 'The king should not say such a thing.' 9 So the king of Israel called an officer and said, 'Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.' 10 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, were sitting on their thrones, dressed in their royal robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance to the gate of Samaria, while all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 11 Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made iron horns, and he declared, 'This is what the LORD says: With these, you will gore the Arameans until they are completely destroyed.' 12 And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, 'Go up to Ramoth Gilead and triumph, for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.' 13 The messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, 'Behold, all the prophets are declaring good things to the king with one voice. Please let your word agree with theirs and say something favorable.' 14 But Micaiah said, 'As surely as the LORD lives, I can only speak what the LORD tells me.' 15 When Micaiah arrived before the king, the king said to him, 'Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or should we refrain?' Micaiah answered, 'Go and succeed, for the LORD will give it into the king’s hand.' 16 But the king said to him, 'How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?' 17 Then Micaiah said, 'I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, “These people have no master; each one should go home in peace.”' 18 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, only bad?' 19 Micaiah continued, 'Therefore, hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, with all the host of heaven standing around Him on His right and on His left.' 20 And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One suggested this, and another suggested that. 21 Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 ‘By what means?’ the LORD asked. 'I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,' he said. The LORD replied, 'You will succeed in enticing him. Go and do it.' 23 So now the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has decreed disaster for you. 24 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah on the cheek and demanded, 'Which way did the spirit of the LORD go when he left me to speak to you?' 25 Micaiah replied, 'You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.' 26 Then the king of Israel ordered, 'Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son.' 27 And say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water of affliction until I return safely.’ 28 Micaiah said, 'If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.' Then he added, 'Pay attention, all you people!'