'What is Good' in the Bible

And Abram said to Sarai, Behold, thy maidservant is in thy hand: do to her what is good in thine eyes. And Sarai oppressed her; and she fled from her face.

For I have made him mine so that he may give orders to his children and those of his line after him, to keep the ways of the Lord, to do what is good and right: so that the Lord may do to Abraham as he has said.

And now, say if you will do what is good and right for my master or not, in order that it may be clear to me what I have to do.

Or if someone swears rashly to do what is good or evil—concerning anything a person may speak rashly in an oath—without being aware of it, but later recognizes it, he incurs guilt in such an instance.

Do what is good and right in the LORD's sight so it may go well with you. Then you'll enter and possess the good land that the LORD your God promised to your ancestors,

Take heed to hear all these words which I command thee, that it may be well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest what is good and right in the eyes of Jehovah thy God.

"Look! Today I have set before you life and what is good, along with death and what is evil.

And Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what is good in thy sight: abide until thou hast weaned him; only, may Jehovah fulfil his word. And the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

And Samuel told him all the words, and kept nothing back from him. And he said, It is Jehovah: let him do what is good in his sight.

Then said he to all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do what is good in thy sight.

and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you.

Be strong, and let us shew ourselves valiant for our people and for the cities of our God; and Jehovah do what is good in his sight.

Your servant also thought, 'May the word of my lord the king {bring rest}, for as an angel of God, so [is] my lord the king, {to sense what is good and what is bad}.' May Yahweh your God be with you."

And the king said to them, I will do what is good in your sight. And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. However, here is your servant Chimham, let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.”

The king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your sight; and whatever you require of me, I will do for you.”

Then said Araunah unto David, Let my lord the king accept it and cause to ascend what is good in his own eyes, - see! the oxen for the ascending-sacrifice, and the threshing-sledges and ox-yokes for wood.

Give your servant, then, a wise heart for judging your people, able to see what is good and what evil; for who is able to be the judge of this great people?

Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Listen carefully, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable to the king. Please let your words be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”

And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, and the elders, and the guardians sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any one king; do what is good in thy sight.

Ah! Jehovah, remember, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done what is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept much.

Be strong, and let us shew ourselves valiant for our people, and for the cities of our God; and Jehovah will do what is good in his sight.

Ornan said to David, “Take it for yourself; and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. See, I will give you the oxen also for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges (heavy wooden platforms) for wood and the wheat for the grain offering; I give it all.”

Up! now, O Lord God, come back to your resting-place, you and the ark of your strength: let your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints be glad in what is good.

“Note that Amariah, the chief priest, is over you in all matters related to the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all matters related to the king, and the Levites are officers in your presence. Be strong; may the Lord be with those who do what is good.”

But he replied to her, "You're talking like foolish women do. Are we to accept what is good from God but not tragedy?" Throughout all of this, Job did not sin by what he said.

Let us choose for us that which is right: Let us know among ourselves what is good.

Fools say to themselves, "There is no God." They are corrupt and commit evil deeds; not one of them practices what is good.

All have turned away, together they have become corrupt; no one practices what is good, not even one.

Who is the man who delights in life,loving a long life to enjoy what is good?

Turn away from evil and do what is good;seek peace and pursue it.

Trust in the Lord and do what is good;dwell in the land and live securely.

Turn away from evil and do what is good,and dwell there forever.

And they that render evil for good are adversaries unto me; because I pursue what is good.

Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her! Fortify the walls of Jerusalem!

Fools say to themselves "There is no God." They are corrupt and commit iniquity; not one of them practices what is good.

All of them have fallen away; together they have become corrupt; no one does what is good, not even one.

For, a sun and shield, is Yahweh God, - Grace and glory, will Yahweh give, He will not withhold what is good, from them who walk without blame.

Jehovah also will give what is good, and our land shall yield its increase.

He has satisfied the one who thirsts, filling the hungry with what is good.

You are good, and You do what is good;teach me Your statutes.

I have done what is good and right: you will not give me into the hands of those who are working against me.

Do what is good, Lord, to the good,to those whose hearts are upright.

The one who searches for what is good finds favor,but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him.

From the fruit of the mouth of a man, he shall eat what is good, but the desire of the treacherous, wrongdoing.

Won't those who plot evil go astray? But gracious love and truth are for those who plan what is good.

Whoever finds a wife finds what is good, and receives favor from the LORD.

The one who leads the upright into an evil waywill fall into his own pit,but the blameless will inherit what is good.

I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile.

I explored with my mind how to let my body enjoy life with wine and how to grasp folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what is good for people to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

Look! I have discovered what is good and fitting: to eat and to drink and {to enjoy} all [the fruit of] the toil with which one toils under the sun during the number of the days of his life that God gives to him--for this [is] his lot.

For who knoweth what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

Learn to do what is good.Seek justice.Correct the oppressor.Defend the rights of the fatherless.Plead the widow’s cause.

Cursed are those who give the name of good to evil, and of evil to what is good: who make light dark, and dark light: who make bitter sweet, and sweet bitter!

By the time he learns to reject what is bad and choose what is good, he will be eating butter and honey.

For before the boy knows to reject what is bad and choose what is good, the land of the two kings you dread will be abandoned.

and said, “Please, O Lord, just remember how I have walked before You in faithfulness and truth, and with a whole heart [absolutely devoted to You], and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept greatly.

“Why do you spend money for that which is not bread,And your earnings for what does not satisfy?Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,And let your soul delight in abundance.

“For My people are fools;they do not know Me.They are foolish children,without understanding.They are skilled in doing what is evil,but they do not know how to do what is good.”

Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden from you what is good.

This is what the Lord says:Stand by the roadways and look.Ask about the ancient paths:Which is the way to what is good?Then take itand find rest for yourselves.But they protested, “We won’t!”

Can the Cushite change his skin,or a leopard his spots?If so, you might be able to do what is good,you who are instructed in evil.

I will take delight in them to do what is good for them, and with all My heart and mind I will faithfully plant them in this land.

Israel has rejected what is good;an enemy will pursue him.

Take the words [confessing your guilt] with you and return to the Lord.Say to Him, “Take away all our wickedness;Accept what is good and receive us graciously,So that we may present the fruit of our lips (gratitude).

yet you hate what is good, and love what is evil. You flay my people's skin and rip the flesh from their bones.

He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?

“so I have resolved again in these days to do what is good to Jerusalem and the house of Judah. Don’t be afraid.

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore, it is permissible by the law of Moses to do what is good on a Sabbath day."

O vipers' brood, how can you speak what is good when you are evil? For it is from the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks.

The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.

“Why do you ask Me about what is good?” He said to him. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

If you do what is good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.

But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil.

A good man from the good stored up in his heart brings out what is good; and an evil man from the evil stored up brings out what is evil; for from the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Well, if for all your evil you know to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father give the holy Spirit from heaven to those who ask him?"

and will come out those who have done what is good to the resurrection that leads to life, and those who have practiced what is evil to the resurrection that ends in condemnation.

To the ones who continue doing what is good and who look for glory, honor and immortal life [God will give] never ending life.

whereas glory, honour and peace will be given to every one who does what is good and right--to the Jew first and then to the Gentile.

Therefore, did what is good cause my death? Absolutely not! On the contrary, sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure.

For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it.

So I find this to be a principle: when I want to do what is good, evil is right there with me.

We know that in everything God works with those who love him, whom he has called in accordance with his purpose, to bring about what is good.

Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God -- what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.

Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people.

For rulers are not a terror to a good work, but to an evil one. Dost thou desire then not to be afraid of the authority? practise what is good, and thou shalt have praise from it;

For he is a helper of God to thee for what is good. But if thou do what is evil, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is a helper of God, vengeful for wrath to the man who commits evil.

Let each one of us please his neighbour with a view to what is good, to edification.

And I myself am certain of you, brothers, that you are full of what is good, complete in all knowledge, able to give direction to one another.

For the report of your obedience has reached everyone, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.

This I say for your own benefit, not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is good and to secure undivided devotion to the Lord.

Let a man give attention not only to what is good for himself, but equally to his neighbour's good.

Now we pray to God that you not do wrong in any way, not that we are seen as approved, but that you do what is good, even [though] we are [seen] as though unqualified.

and it is good to be zealously regarded, in what is good, at all times, and not only in my being present with you;

Let's not get tired of doing what is good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

So then, as we have opportunity, let's do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.

The thief must no longer steal but must work hard and do what is good with his own hands, so that he might earn something to give to the needy.