Proverbs Chapter 20 verse 9 Holy Bible

ASV Proverbs 20:9

Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
read chapter 20 in ASV

BBE Proverbs 20:9

Who is able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin?
read chapter 20 in BBE

DARBY Proverbs 20:9

Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
read chapter 20 in DARBY

KJV Proverbs 20:9

Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
read chapter 20 in KJV

WBT Proverbs 20:9


read chapter 20 in WBT

WEB Proverbs 20:9

Who can say, "I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin?"
read chapter 20 in WEB

YLT Proverbs 20:9

Who saith, `I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?'
read chapter 20 in YLT

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 9. - Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? The question implies the answer, "No one." This is expressed in Job 14:4, "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one." At the dedication of the temple, Solomon enunciates this fact of man's corruption, "There is no man that sinneth not" (1 Kings 8:46). The prophet testifies, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is desperately sick: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). And St. John warns, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). The heart is cleansed by self-examination and repentance; but it is so easy to deceive one's self in this matter, sins may lurk undetected, motives may be overlooked, so that no one can rightly be self-righteous, or conceited, or proud of his spiritual state. The "my sin" at the end of the clause is rather possible than actual sin; and the expression means that no one can pride himself on being secure from yielding to temptation, however clean for a time his conscience may be. The verse, therefore, offers a stern corrective of two grievous spiritual errors - presumption and apathy.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(9) Who can say, I have made my heart clean?--Though we may have done our best by self-examination and confession, and repentance and trust in the atoning blood of Christ to obtain remission of sin, still the heart is so deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), sins may so easily have escaped our notice (Psalm 19:12, 1Corinthians 4:4), that satisfaction with ourselves ought never to be allowed (Romans 11:20).