Topic
Simple
9 passages cited, from 1 classic reference work.
These works date from 1915 and are in the public domain. They reflect the Protestant scholarship of their time: their history, archaeology and dates can be out of date, and where they interpret, other traditions read the text differently. The verses are shown in the King James Version, the wording these works were written against.
The verses
The passages the works cite, those cited by more of them first.
- Psalms 19:7ISBE
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
- Psalms 116:6ISBE
The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.
- Psalms 119:130ISBE
The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
- Proverbs 7:7ISBE
And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
- Proverbs 8:5ISBE
O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
- Proverbs 14:15ISBE
The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.
- Romans 16:18ISBE
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
- Romans 16:19ISBE
For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
- Hebrews 7:26ISBE
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
In the reference works
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915) · 11 references
sim'-p'l: In the Old Testament the uniform tranlation of the Hebrew word pethi (root pathah, "be open"). Like the English word "simple" (etymologically "of one fold"), the Hebrew pethi is used sometimes in a good sense, i.e. "open-minded" (Ps 19:7; 116:6; 119:130, possibly in all three cases the sense is neutral rather than positively good), and sometimes in a bad sense (Pr 7:7, parallel to "destitute of understanding"; Pr 8:5, parallel to "fools" (blockheads); Pr 14:15, opposed to prudent). The fundamental idea of pethi seems to be open to influence, i.e. easily influenced. That one open to influence should as a rule be classed with the irreligious is one of many instances in which language is an unwilling witness to the miasmatic moral atmosphere in which we live. The line between moral weakness and moral turpitude, between negative goodness (if indeed such a thing be conceivable) and positive badness, is soon passed.
In the New Testament the word "simple" is found only in Ro 16:18,19 the King James Version. In the first of these passages it is used to translate akakos (the Revised Version (British and American) "innocent"). In Heb 7:26 the King James Version the same word is rendered "harmless," the rendering of the Revised Version (British and American) in this instance being "guileless." This would suit Ro 16:18 better than "innocent." Guilelessness is not a synonym for gullibility; but the guileless are frequently the prey of designing men. In Ro 16:19 the word translated "simple" is akeraios, literally, "unmixed," "sincere" (Trench and Godet; Young, erroneously "hornless" and so "harmless"). "Uncontaminated" seems to be the idea of the apostle. He would have those to whom he wrote "wise as regards good" and not ignorant as regards evil--for that would be impossible, even if desirable--but without that kind of knowledge of evil that comes from engaging in it, as we say, mixing themselves up with it, unalloyed with evil.
W. M. McPheeters
Texts: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915), from the CrossWire SWORD modules (public domain). Verse references were parsed from the works' own markup and checked against the KJV verse list.