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Using Godly Wisdom to Protect You from Wrongdoers

Proverbs 2:12 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
¹²delivering you from the way of evil,
from the man who speaks perverse things,

A young man needs to be delivered (rescued, rescued, set free) by wisdom (2:10), thinking ability, and understanding (2:11), as he is confronted by two different dangers: the perverted or wicked man (2:12-15) and the immoral sensual woman that is estranged from God (2:16-19). The wise one possesses sound judgment based on knowledge and understanding, which enables him to determine what is right and what is wrong. The young man needs the ability to use knowledge and understanding successfully (be wise) to solve these problems and avoid or avert these two dangers of the wrongdoers. Thinking ability will enable this man to think wisely and objectively, enabling him to see wicked ones for whom they really are, seeing beneath the surface, pretense, façade. Like Proverbs 1:10-19, this section gives a clear and sometimes graphic description of these immoral ones who are estranged from God, using the image of a path to illustrate their evil way of life that leads to death. The perverted man and the immoral woman have rejected what is right in life. Their ability to distinguish between right and wrong has become distorted so that they now twist the truth with their smooth and flattering words, persuading others to join them on their course of life. Twisted words are characteristic of those who reject wisdom – cf. Prov. 8:13; 10:31, 32).