Proverbs 5:22 Meaning and Explanation
“His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A person's own wrongdoing captures and binds him.
The Context of Proverbs 5:22
Sin ensnares the person who commits it; we become bound by our own wrongdoing.
What Does Proverbs 5:22 Mean?
This verse describes a natural consequence: sin does not remain external or harmless. Instead, it binds the person who commits it. The cords of sin hold him captive—he becomes the prisoner of his own choices.
This teaching presents sin not as abstract transgression but as self-imprisonment. The wicked is not destroyed by God's direct punishment but caught in the consequences of his own actions.
Proverbs 5:22 in the Original Language
iniquities (עֲוֹנוֹת avonot) — iniquities, transgressions; the twisted choices that bind.
Frequently Asked Questions About Proverbs 5:22
What does Proverbs 5:22 mean?
A person's own wrongdoing captures and binds him.
What is the context of Proverbs 5:22?
Sin ensnares the person who commits it; we become bound by our own wrongdoing.