Proverbs 16:6 (GNV)

Passage

By mercy and trueth iniquitie shalbe forgiuen, and by the feare of the Lord they depart from euill.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:4 The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake: yea, euen the wicked for the day of euill.

Proverbs 16:5 All that are proude in heart, are an abomination to the Lord: though hand ioyne in hand, he shall not be vnpunished.

Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and trueth iniquitie shalbe forgiuen, and by the feare of the Lord they depart from euill.

Proverbs 16:7 When the wayes of a man please the Lord, he will make also his enemies at peace with him.

Proverbs 16:8 Better is a litle with righteousnesse, then great reuenues without equitie.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "mercy", "trueth", "iniquitie", "shalbe", "forgiuen", "feare", "lord", and "depart". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "mercy" and "trueth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "All that are proude in heart are..." into verse 7's "When the wayes of a man please...", so "mercy" and "trueth" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "mercy" and "trueth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.