7 gifts of the Holy Spirit: (2a) Bible citations

A selection of citations regarding the gift of the Holy Spirit “Piety.”

Proverbs 2: 8
[God is] guarding the paths of justice, protecting the way of his pious ones.


Proverbs 11:9
With his mouth the impious man would ruin his neighbor,
But through their knowledge the just make their escape.


Proverbs 16:6
By kindness and piety guilt is expiated,
And by the fear of the Lord man avoids evil.


Proverbs 20: 28
Kindness and piety safeguard the king,
And he upholds his throne by justice.



[Notice the narrower focus of the benefits of Piety. Notice also that it is mentioned hand in hand with justice. Piety enables humans to exercise certain qualities, notably justice. Lack of Piety is the source of specific human flaws and misdeeds.]

[Proverbs 11:9 is very interesting as it provides a quite specific scenario. A person who lacks Piety views his own neighbor as someone to ruin for whatever reasons he or she has. However, a person who has Piety understands that his or her neighbor has knowledge (another of the gifts of the Holy Spirit) that could save him or her. That is the meaning of "the just make their escape." A person with Piety who instead of destroying his neighbor as the impious egoist will want to do, instead allies with the neighbor, when there is time of trouble they will make their escape through the knowledge of the neighbor.]

[In Proverb 16:6 notice that if one has both kindness and Piety, their sins will be forgiven. The first gift we discussed, "Fear of the Lord" is the way to avoid evil and sin in the first place. If one is both kind and has Piety, God will forgive them of their sins, sins they did not avoid because they had not cultivated sufficient "Fear of the Lord" in the first place.]

[Notice that in Proverb 20:28 it is repeated that both kindness and Piety are needed, and in this case the King is used as the example. Remember in Biblical times when they say "King" they mean both the secular and faith leader consecrated King. Reinforcing the link between Piety and access to justice, this proverb explains that the kind King with Piety is able to dispense perfect justice and hence maintains his moral authority ("upholds his throne.")]