Reference

Proverbs 20:1

Total Abstinence Wine vs Strong Drink Distinction Drunkenness Condemned

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.

It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

Why This Verse Was Tagged

Total Abstinence

Keyword Match

80% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Wine vs Strong Drink Distinction

Keyword Match

80% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Drunkenness Condemned

Multi-Signal Classification

90% relevance

This verse was identified by multiple independent signals: structural patterns, prophetic context, and vocabulary — then validated by a probability model (Snorkel).

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Total Abstinence

The verse warns against the *effects* of wine and strong drink (mocker, raging, deception), and the unwisdom of being deceived by them. It does not explicitly command avoidance or present abstinence as the *only* ideal, but rather highlights the negative consequences of their misuse. Other biblical passages acknowledge the legitimate use of wine (e.g., Psalm 104:15, John 2:1-11).

Wine vs Strong Drink Distinction

The verse does not explicitly state that wine and strong drink are different substances. While it uses two distinct terms, "wine" and "strong drink," it could be using them synonymously or as a form of poetic parallelism to emphasize the negative effects of intoxicating beverages in general, rather than to draw a sharp distinction between their chemical compositions or specific implications. The focus is on the *effects* of being deceived by them, not on their inherent differences.

Drunkenness Condemned

The verse describes negative attributes of wine and strong drink and the unwisdom of being deceived by them, but it does not explicitly use the word "drunkenness" or directly condemn the act of becoming drunk.

Total Abstinence

Related Verses

Proverbs 23:20

“Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:”

Proverbs 23:31

“Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.”

Proverbs 21:17

“He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.”

Proverbs 23:21

“For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.”

Proverbs 23:3

“Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.”

Thematic Connections

Total Abstinence Wine vs Strong Drink Distinction Drunkenness Condemned

Private Study Note

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