AISBT ReaderRom 12:17: Prov 3:4 in the MT and LXX, with Prov 20:22 and 24:29
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Rom 12:17: Prov 3:4 in the MT and LXX, with Prov 20:22 and 24:29

Says Rom 12:17b reads προνοούμενοι καλὰ ἐνώπιον πάντων ἀνθρώπων. Swete's Prov 3:4 has καὶ προνοοῦ καλὰ ἐνώπιον Κυρίου καὶ ἀνθρώπων ("and take thought for good things before the Lord and men").

Says The Hebrew is different: וּמְצָא־חֵן וְשֵׂכֶל־טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי אֱלֹהִים וְאָדָם (umetsa-khen vesekhel-tov be'eyney elohim ve'adam, "you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man," BSB). It has no word for "take thought for."

Says Paul's line is nearer the LXX: he shares προνοέω, καλά and ἐνώπιον … ἀνθρώπων, leaves out "the Lord," and adds πάντων. The Hebrew וְאָדָם ("man") is singular; the LXX and Paul have the plural.

Says 2 Cor 8:21 has καλὰ οὐ μόνον ἐνώπιον κυρίου ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνώπιον ἀνθρώπων, with both "Lord" and "men."

Says Prov 20:22 forbids private repayment: אַל־תֹּאמַר אֲשַׁלְּמָה־רָע (al-tomar ashallemah-ra', "Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!”" BSB); Swete (20:12) has μὴ εἴπῃς Τίσομαι τὸν ἐχθρόν. Prov 24:29 (Swete 24:44) is similar.

Uncertain Whether 12:17a, μηδενὶ κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ ἀποδιδόντες, echoes these sayings. The wording is not shared, so they are thematic parallels only.

Claims

  • SaysRom 12:17b reads προνοούμενοι καλὰ ἐνώπιον πάντων ἀνθρώπων; Swete Prov 3:4 has καὶ προνοοῦ καλὰ ἐνώπιον Κυρίου καὶ ἀνθρώπων.
  • SaysMT Prov 3:4 וּמְצָא־חֵן וְשֵׂכֶל־טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי אֱלֹהִים וְאָדָם ("find favor and high regard") has no word for "take thought for."
  • SaysPaul shares προνοέω, καλά and ἐνώπιον … ἀνθρώπων with the LXX, omits "the Lord," adds πάντων; MT וְאָדָם is singular, LXX and Paul plural.
  • Says2 Cor 8:21 has καλὰ οὐ μόνον ἐνώπιον κυρίου ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνώπιον ἀνθρώπων, with both "Lord" and "men."
  • SaysProv 20:22 MT אַל־תֹּאמַר אֲשַׁלְּמָה־רָע; Swete 20:12 μὴ εἴπῃς Τίσομαι τὸν ἐχθρόν; Prov 24:29 (Swete 24:44) is similar.
  • UncertainWhether Rom 12:17a μηδενὶ κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ ἀποδιδόντες echoes Prov 20:22 / 24:29; no shared wording, thematic only.

Citations

  • OSHB CC BY 4.0 Prov 3:4 (וּמְצָא morph HC/Vqv2ms; וְאָדָם morph HC/Ncmsa); Prov 20:22 (אֲשַׁלְּמָה morph HVph1cs); Prov 24:29
  • LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Prov 3:4 (vol. 2 p. 420; apparatus: nothing at 3:4); Prov 20:12, margin "(22)" (p. 454; apparatus: "αλλα] αλλ ℵ"); Prov 24:44, margin "(29)" (p. 465; apparatus: "με] μα A*"). LXX read on the Swete page image, vol. 2 (1896), pp. 420, 454, 465.
  • SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Rom 12:17; 2 Cor 8:21
  • BSB public domain Prov 3:4; 20:22
Sources OSHB CC BY 4.0 LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 BDB CC BY 4.0 BSB public domain Bible Scholarship & Tool CC BY 4.0

Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits

2026-11-05

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