Proverbs · Chapter 27 · Friendship
Proverbs 27:17 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
Read this verse slowly. Let it settle before you move on.
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance."
KJV · King James Version
"Iron1270 sharpeneth2300 iron1270; so a man376 sharpeneth2300 the countenance6440 of his friend7453."
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses sharpeneth, the, while the WEB renders these as sharpens. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
Proverbs 27:17 in Proverbs 27
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Proverbs 27:17 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Proverbs 27. Read the full chapter →
- v.15 A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:
- v.16 restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.
- v.17 Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
- v.18 Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.
- v.19 Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
Book background
About the Book of Proverbs
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Genre
- Wisdom literature
- Author
- Solomon (primarily), Agur, Lemuel
- Date written
- c. 970–700 BC
- Audience
- Young men learning the wisdom of the covenant
- Chapters
- 31
Proverbs offers practical, observable wisdom for living under God in the everyday world — speech, money, marriage, friendship, work, anger. Its core thesis is in 1:7: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." Chapter 31 closes with the famous portrait of the wise woman whose worth is "far above rubies."
Setting: Compiled across multiple reigns; Solomon's collection plus later additions.
Key themes: wisdom · fear of the LORD · speech · work · relationships
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Proverbs 27:17
Proverbs 27:17 contains 10 words in 2 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
Iron sharpens iron
ISI
- 2
so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
SAMSHF
Frequently asked
FAQ about Proverbs 27:17
What does Proverbs 27:17 say?
Proverbs 27:17 reads: "Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance." — from the Old Testament, Proverbs (Wisdom literature). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is Proverbs 27:17 in?
Proverbs 27:17 is in the book of Proverbs, traditionally attributed to Solomon (primarily), Agur, Lemuel and written around c. 970–700 BC. Proverbs is wisdom literature in the Old Testament, originally addressed to Young men learning the wisdom of the covenant. Best known for "trust in the LORD with all your heart" (3:5-6).
What is Proverbs 27:17 about?
Proverbs 27:17 is primarily a Bible verse about Friendship. Within Proverbs, Proverbs offers practical, observable wisdom for living under God in the everyday world — speech, money, marriage, friendship, work, anger. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between Proverbs 27:17 in WEB and KJV?
Proverbs 27:17 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "Iron1270 sharpeneth2300 iron1270; so a man376 sharpeneth2300 the countenance6440 of his friend7453.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is Proverbs 27:17?
Proverbs 27:17 is 10 words in the WEB translation (63 characters), broken into 2 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 3 seconds.
How can I memorise Proverbs 27:17?
To memorise Proverbs 27:17, split it into its 2 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does Proverbs 27:17 matter in Proverbs?
Proverbs offers practical, observable wisdom for living under God in the everyday world — speech, money, marriage, friendship, work, anger. Its core thesis is in 1:7: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." Chapter 31 closes with the famous portrait of the wise woman whose worth is "far above rubies." Proverbs 27:17 sits within this larger story — Proverbs as a whole emphasises wisdom, fear of the LORD, speech.
How can I apply Proverbs 27:17 today?
Many readers use Proverbs 27:17 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Proverbs 27:17 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
More designs
10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
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Ruth 1:16
“Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be…”
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Proverbs 17:17
“A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.”
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Matthew 7:12
“Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.”
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John 15:13
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
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Ecclesiastes 4:9
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.”
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Genesis 2:18
“Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.””
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Proverbs 18:24
“A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
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Ecclesiastes 4:10
“For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.”
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Galatians 6:2
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
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Ephesians 4:29
“Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
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Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
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Proverbs 3:6
“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
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Proverbs 17:17
“A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.”
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Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
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