Proverbs 24:11-12

I've been studying & meditating on these verses.  Here are a few translations I've read...

 

Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. Don't excuse yourself by saying, "Look, we didn't know." For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve. (NLT)

 

Rescue the perishing; don't hesitate to step in and help. If you say, "Hey, that's none of my business," will that get you off the hook? Someone is watching you closely, you know— Someone not impressed with weak excuses.  (The Message)

 

Don't hesitate to rescue someone who is about to be executed unjustly. You may say that it is none of your business, but God knows and judges your motives. He keeps watch on you; he knows. And he will reward you according to what you do. (The Good News)

 

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done? (NIV)

 

Once our eyes are opened we cannot pretend we do not know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls knows we know and holds us responsible to act. (paraphrase of Proverbs 24:12)

While studying this verse, here's what I've learned so far... (most of this was copied from study sources that are referenced below)

• Neglect of known duty is SIN. (James 4:17)
• God's retributive justice cannot be avoided by professed ignorance.
• It is easy to make such an excuse as this, sufficient to avoid the censures of men, for perhaps they cannot disprove us when we say, We knew it not, or, We forgot; and the temptation to tell a lie for the excusing of a fault is very strong when we know that it is impossible to be disproved, the truth lying wholly in our own breast, as when we say, We thought so and so, and really designed it, which no one is conscious of but ourselves. It is not so easy with such excuses to evade the judgment of God; and to the discovery of that we lie open and by the determination of that we must abide.
• Jer. 17:10, I the Lord search the heart. He keeps the soul, holds it in life. This is a good reason why we should be tender of the lives of others, and do all we can to preserve them, because our lives have been precious in the sight of God and he has graciously kept them.
• He knows and considers whether the excuse we make be true or not, whether it was because we did not know it or whether the true reason was not because we did not love our neighbour as we ought, but were selfish, and regardless both of God and man.
• As his knowledge cannot be imposed upon, so his justice cannot be biassed, but he will render to every man according to his works, not only the commission of evil works, but the omission of good works.
• Consider - That this is only a frivolous excuse.
• God is a God of justice. He hates and despises all injustice.
• While some people might accept ignorance as a valid excuse for failing to act, God knows the real situation and the deep inner motivation behind such failure.
• Never should self-interest be the real reason for a failure to help those facing grave danger.
• Life is valuable, and all means should be taken to save it, and to prevent the shedding of innocent blood; and a man should not forbear or spare any cost, or pains, or time, to such service.
• If any be set upon by force and violence, and it be in our power to rescue them, we ought to do it.

http://www.biblestudytools.com/proverbs/24-12.html
http://www.vbvbc.org/bible-verse/proverbs24-12
http://www.trinitycrc.org/sermons/pr24v11-12.html