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Scripture · Old Testament

Jeremiah 9:23

Jeremiah 9:23 is verse 23 of Jeremiah chapter 9, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.

Berean Standard Bible

This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.

BSB source and public domain terms

King James Version

Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

World English Bible

Yahweh says, “Don’t let the wise man glory in his wisdom. Don’t let the mighty man glory in his might. Don’t let the rich man glory in his riches.

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Jeremiah 9:21–25 · Berean Standard Bible

21 For death has climbed in through our windows; it has entered our fortresses to cut off the children from the streets, the young men from the town squares.

22 Declare that this is what the LORD says: “The corpses of men will fall like dung upon the open field, like newly cut grain behind the reaper, with no one to gather it.”

23 This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.

24 But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth— for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

25 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will punish all who are circumcised yet uncircumcised:

Read all of Jeremiah 9

Hebrew words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Read the commentary on Jeremiah 9

Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Job 5:12

He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success.

Job 5:13

He catches the wise in their craftiness, and sweeps away the plans of the cunning.

Job 5:14

They encounter darkness by day and grope at noon as in the night.

Psalms 49:10

For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.

Psalms 49:11

Their graves are their eternal homes— their dwellings for endless generations— even though their lands were their namesakes.

Psalms 49:12

But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.

Psalms 49:13

This is the fate of the self-confident and their followers who endorse their sayings. Selah

Psalms 49:16

Do not be amazed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.

Psalms 49:17

For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.

Psalms 49:18

Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul— and men praise you when you prosper—

Ecclesiastes 2:13

And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:

Ecclesiastes 2:14

The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.

Ecclesiastes 2:15

So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.

Ecclesiastes 2:16

For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!

Ecclesiastes 2:19

And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all.

Isaiah 5:21

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.

Isaiah 10:12

So when the Lord has completed all His work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the fruit of his arrogant heart and the proud look in his eyes.

Isaiah 10:13

For he says: ‘By the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, for I am clever. I have removed the boundaries of nations and plundered their treasures; like a mighty one I subdued their rulers.

Ezekiel 28:2

“Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the sea.’ Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have regarded your heart as that of a god.

Ezekiel 28:3

Behold, you are wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you!

Ezekiel 28:4

By your wisdom and understanding you have gained your wealth and amassed gold and silver for your treasuries.

Ezekiel 28:5

By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, but your heart has grown proud because of it.

Ezekiel 28:6

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Because you regard your heart as the heart of a god,

Ezekiel 28:7

behold, I will bring foreigners against you, the most ruthless of nations. They will draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and will defile your splendor.

Ezekiel 28:8

They will bring you down to the Pit, and you will die a violent death in the heart of the seas.

Ezekiel 28:9

Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’ in the presence of those who slay you? You will be only a man, not a god, in the hands of those who wound you.

Romans 1:22

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,

1 Corinthians 1:19

For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

1 Corinthians 1:20

Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

1 Corinthians 1:21

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

1 Corinthians 1:27

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

1 Corinthians 1:28

He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are,

1 Corinthians 1:29

so that no one may boast in His presence.

1 Corinthians 3:18

Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.

1 Corinthians 3:19

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”

1 Corinthians 3:20

And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”

James 3:14

But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.

James 3:15

Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

James 3:16

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.

Deuteronomy 8:17

You might say in your heart, “The power and strength of my hands have made this wealth for me.”

1 Samuel 17:4

Then a champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was six cubits and a span in height,

1 Samuel 17:5

and he had a bronze helmet on his head. He wore a bronze coat of mail weighing five thousand shekels,

1 Samuel 17:6

and he had armor of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.

1 Samuel 17:7

The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. In addition, his shield bearer went before him.

1 Samuel 17:8

And Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and array yourselves for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me.

1 Samuel 17:9

If he is able to fight me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and labor for us.”

1 Samuel 17:10

Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day! Give me a man to fight!”

1 Samuel 17:42

When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome.

1 Kings 20:10

Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”

1 Kings 20:11

And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’”

Psalms 33:16

No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength.

Psalms 33:17

A horse is a vain hope for salvation; even its great strength cannot save.

Isaiah 10:8

“Are not all my commanders kings?” he says.

Isaiah 36:8

Now, therefore, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them!

Isaiah 36:9

For how can you repel a single officer among the least of my master’s servants when you depend on Egypt for chariots and horsemen?

Ezekiel 29:9

The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the LORD. Because you said, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it,’

Daniel 3:15

Now, if you are ready, as soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the statue I have made. But if you refuse to worship, you will be thrown at once into the blazing fiery furnace. Then what god will be able to deliver you from my hands?”

Daniel 4:30

the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built by the might of my power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”

Daniel 4:31

While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “It is decreed to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that the kingdom has departed from you.

Daniel 4:37

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.

Daniel 5:18

As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.

Daniel 5:19

Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.

Daniel 5:20

But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.

Daniel 5:21

He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.

Daniel 5:22

But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.

Daniel 5:23

Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.

Amos 2:14

Escape will fail the swift, the strong will not prevail by his strength, and the mighty will not save his life.

Amos 2:15

The archer will not stand his ground, the fleet of foot will not escape, and the horseman will not save his life.

Amos 2:16

Even the bravest of mighty men will flee naked on that day,” declares the LORD.

Acts 12:22

And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!”

Acts 12:23

Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Job 31:24

If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,

Job 31:25

if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much,

Psalms 49:6

They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.

Psalms 49:7

No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.

Psalms 49:8

For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,

Psalms 49:9

that he should live on forever and not see decay.

Psalms 52:6

The righteous will see and fear; they will mock the evildoer, saying,

Psalms 52:7

“Look at the man who did not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his wealth and strengthened himself by destruction.”

Psalms 62:10

Place no trust in extortion, or false hope in stolen goods. If your riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.

Proverbs 11:4

Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.

Ezekiel 7:19

They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity.

Zephaniah 1:18

Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.

Mark 10:24

And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

Luke 12:19

Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

Luke 12:20

But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’

1 Timothy 6:10

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

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