Boast — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

To speak of deeds, abilities, or characteristics in a manner showing pride or self-satisfaction. In the Bible the word also has a more positive connotation (“to glory in”).

In the OT, “boasting” is often used to describe the basic attitude of the ungodly, who depend on their own resources rather than on God (Pss 52:1; 94:3-4). Enemies of Israel boasted of their victories and claimed the glory for themselves (Dt 32:27; Pss 10:3; 35:26; 73:9; Is 3:9). They boasted of their riches (Ps 49:6) and wisdom (Is 19:11). According to the Lord, the rich and wise are to “boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on the earth” (Jer 9:24, niv).

Show passage in OET: PSA 52:1

OET-RV PSA 52:1

52 Why are you proud of making trouble, you powerful man?
⇔ God’s loyal commitment comes every day.

OET-LV PSA 52:3

3  Why do _you _boast in_evil Oh_mighty_man the _covenant _loyalty _of god is_all _of the_day.

Show passage in OET: PSA 94:3–4

OET-RV PSA 94:3

3 How long will the wicked last, Yahweh,
⇔ ≈ How long will the wicked rejoice?

OET-RV PSA 94:4

4 They blabber out their arrogant words.
⇔ ≈ All those who do wicked things boast.

OET-LV PSA 94:3

3 Until when wicked_people Oh_YHWH until when wicked_people will _they _exult.

OET-LV PSA 94:4

4 They _pour _forth they _speak arrogant all _of those _who_do _of (of)_wickedness they _boast.

Show passage in OET: DEU 32:27

OET-RV DEU 32:27

27 if it wasn’t for the fact that I expect that their enemies would boast.
⇔ I don’t want their adversaries to misjudge,
⇔ saying, “It’s us who’s powerful,
⇔ and Yahweh didn’t carry all this out.” ’

OET-LV DEU 32:27

27 If _not the_provocation _of an _enemy I _was _afraid lest foes _of_their they _should _misconstrue lest they _should _say our_both _hands it _was _raised and_not YHWH he _did all _of this.

Show passage in OET: PSA 10:3

OET-RV PSA 10:3

3 Indeed, the wicked people boast about everything they want
⇔ ≈ and they say that the greedy person is a fine guy, but they despise Yahweh.

OET-LV PSA 10:3

3 If/because a _wicked_person he _boasts on the _desire _of his _self _of_his and_one_greedy _for _unjust _gain he _blesses he _spurns YHWH.

Show passage in OET: PSA 35:26

OET-RV PSA 35:26

26 Let anyone who’s happy at my distress be put to shame and become confused.
⇔ ≈ Let those who think they’re better than me be clothed with shame and dishonour.

OET-LV PSA 35:26

26 May _they _be _ashamed and_may _they _be _abashed altogether the_people_joyful _of my _distress _of_my those_who_magnify _themselves on_me may _they _be _clothed shame and_ignominy.

Show passage in OET: PSA 73:9

OET-RV PSA 73:9

9 They set their mouth in the heavens,
⇔ and their tongue goes through the earth.

OET-LV PSA 73:9

9 They _set in_the _heavens mouth _of_their and_tongue _of_their it _walks on _the_earth.

Show passage in OET: ISA 3:9

OET-RV ISA 3:9

9 You can tell their intentions by the look on their faces,
⇔ and they talk about their disobedience like the people in Sedom did.
⇔ They don’t try to hide it.
⇔ Their lives won’t end well because they’ve brought suffering on themselves.

OET-LV ISA 3:9

9 The _expression _of their _faces _of_their it _has _testified against_them and_sin _of_their like_Şədom they _have _declared not they _have _hidden_it woe to_self _of_their if/because they _have _done to/for_them harm.

Show passage in OET: PSA 49:6

OET-RV PSA 49:6

6 Why should I fear those who trust in their riches
⇔ ≈ and boast about their extensive wealth?

OET-LV PSA 49:7

7  Those_who_rely on wealth _of_their and_in_the _greatness _of their _rich[es]_of_their they _boast.

Show passage in OET: ISA 19:11

OET-RV ISA 19:11

11 Tsoan city’s officials are foolish.
⇔ ≈ Par’oh’s (Pharaoh’s) wise counsellors are stupid.
⇔ How could you all tell Par’oh that you’re the son of wise people—
⇔ a son of ancient kings?

OET-LV ISA 19:11

11 Are_only fools the _officials _of Tsoˊan/(Zoan) the _wise_people_of the _counsellors _of Parˊoh are_counsel stupid how will _you(pl)_say to Parˊoh am_a _son _of wise_people I a _son _of kings _of ancient _time.

Show passage in OET: JER 9:24

OET-RV JER 9:24

24 because if they want to boast, let them boast about this:
⇔ Understanding and knowing me because I’m Yahweh,
⇔ demonstrating loyal commitment, justice, and righteousness on the earth
⇔ because I take pleasure in those things.
§ That is Yahweh’s declaration.

OET-LV JER 9:23

23  If/because (if) in_this the_one_who_boasts let _him _boast he _has _insight and_he _knows me if/because _that I am_YHWH who_does covenant _loyalty justice and_righteousness on _the_earth if/because in_these _things I _delight the _utterance _of YHWH.

Jump to OET PSA 52:1 section.

Jump to OET PSA 94:3–4 section.

Jump to OET DEU 32:27 section.

Jump to OET PSA 10:3 section.

Jump to OET PSA 35:26 section.

Jump to OET PSA 73:9 section.

Jump to OET ISA 3:9 section.

Jump to OET PSA 49:6 section.

Jump to OET ISA 19:11 section.

Jump to OET JER 9:24 section.

Jesus depicted a proud Pharisee boasting to God in prayer (Lk 18:10-14). Most of the NT usages of the word occur in the apostle Paul’s letters. The negative aspect of vaunting one’s own accomplishments is contrasted with the positive counterpart of glorying in what the Lord has done (Rom 3:27-28; 2 Cor 10:17; Gal 6:14). Selfrighteousness and bragging are to be avoided (Rom 1:30; 2:17, 23 OET ROM 2:17 · OET ROM 2:23; Eph 2:9; 2 Tm 3:2). Paul associated boasting with the attitude of those Jews who developed a feeling of self-confidence because of having kept the law. For Paul, the only legitimate boasting was to boast (rejoice) in the Lord (Rom 5:11). In Romans 5:3, the rabbinic view of glorying in one’s sufferings is contrasted with Paul’s view that his present sufferings pointed to God’s power and toward Paul’s hope for the future.

Show passage in OET: LUK 18:10–14

OET-RV LUK 18:10

10 “Once two men went into the temple to pray—one was a Farisaios party member and the other was a tax-collector.

OET-RV LUK 18:11

11 The Farisaios stood there praying quietly, ‘I thank you, God, that I’m not like the rest of the people: swindlers, sinners, adulterers, and even that tax-collector.

OET-RV LUK 18:12

12 I fast twice a week and I give a tenth of everything I get.’

OET-RV LUK 18:13

13 But the tax-collector stood at a distance, not even willing to raise his head, instead beating his chest and saying, ‘God, I’m a sinner, take away my guilt.’

OET-RV LUK 18:14

14 I’m telling you all that this man went home after being declared guiltless, not the other one, because all those who praise themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be praised.”

OET-LV LUK 18:10

10 Two men went _up into the temple to _pray, the one was a_Farisaios_party _member, and the other was a_tax _collector.

OET-LV LUK 18:11

11 The Farisaios_party _member having _been _stood was _praying these things to himself:
- god, I _am _giving _thanks to _you that I _am not as the rest of _the people, swindling, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this the tax _collector.

OET-LV LUK 18:12

12 I _am _fasting twice of_ the _a_week, I _am _tithing all things, as _many _as I _am _acquiring.

OET-LV LUK 18:13

13 But the tax _collector having _stood afar, was_ not _willing not _even his eyes to _lift _up to the sky, but was _striking the chest of _him saying:
- god, be _made _atonement for _me, the sinner.

OET-LV LUK 18:14

14 I _am _saying to _you _all, this one came _down to the house of _him having _been _justified, contrary _to that one.
Because everyone which exalting himself will _be _being _humbled, but the one humbling himself will _be _being _exalted.

Show passage in OET: ROM 3:27–28

OET-RV ROM 3:27

27 So where does that leave boasting? It’s not in the picture. How come? Through obeying Mosheh’s laws? No, through a law about faith.

OET-RV ROM 3:28

28 So now we should expect that a person will be made guiltless by faith—not by obeying Mosheh’s laws.

OET-LV ROM 3:27

27 Therefore is where the boasting?
It _was _excluded.
Through what law?
Of_ The _works?
No, but through a_law of _faith.

OET-LV ROM 3:28

28 Therefore we _are _counting to _be _being _justified by _faith a_person, apart _from works of _law.

Show passage in OET: CO2 10:17

OET-RV CO2 10:17

17 But ‘if anyone does boast, they should boast in Yahweh’,

OET-LV CO2 10:17

17 But the one boasting, in the_master him _let _be _boasting.

Show passage in OET: GAL 6:14

OET-RV GAL 6:14

14 As for me, may I never boast, except about our master Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) the messiah, whose life was cut off on the post. Through him, it’s like the entire world has been cut off from me, and I’ve been cut off from the world,

OET-LV GAL 6:14

14 But for _me, never it _might _become to _be _boasting, except not/lest in the stake of _the master of _us, Yaʸsous chosen _one /messiah, through whom the_world has _been _executed _on _a _stake to _me, and _I to_the_world.

Show passage in OET: ROM 1:30

OET-RV ROM 1:30

30 slanderers, god-haters, abusers, proud people, braggers, and inventors of evil, unable to be persuaded by their parents,

OET-LV ROM 1:30

30 slanderers, god-hating, abusers, proud, braggers, inventors of _evil, to _parents unpersuadable,

Show passage in OET: ROM 2:17; ROM 2:23

OET-RV ROM 2:17

17 But if you’re a Yehudi (Jew), and trusting in the law, and boasting about being chosen by God

OET-RV ROM 2:23

23 You boast about being a student of the law, but you dishonour God by breaking the laws.

OET-LV ROM 2:17

17 But, if you a_Youdaios is _being _named, and are _resting _on on_the_law, and are _boasting in god,

OET-LV ROM 2:23

23 Who in law are _boasting through the transgression of _the law, the god you _are _dishonouring?

Show passage in OET: EPH 2:9

OET-RV EPH 2:9

9 it doesn’t originate from your actions so no one can brag about it.

OET-LV EPH 2:9

9 not from works, in _order _that not anyone may _boast.

Show passage in OET: TI2 3:2

OET-RV TI2 3:2

2 People will become selfish, greedy for money, braggers, proud, slanderous, refusing to listen to sense from their parents, ungrateful, ungodly,

OET-LV TI2 3:2

2 For/Because the people will _be selfish, money _lovers, braggers, proud, slanderous, unpersuadable to_their_parents, ungrateful, unholy,

Show passage in OET: ROM 5:11

OET-RV ROM 5:11

11 ⇔And not only that, because of what our master Yeshua Messiah has done so that we might receive that reconciliation, we can now boast in God about it.

OET-LV ROM 5:11

11 Not and only this, but also boasting in the god, through the master of _us, Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) chosen _one /messiah, through whom now the reconciliation we _received.

Show passage in OET: ROM 5:3

OET-RV ROM 5:3

3 Not only that, but we’re also boasting even though we’re still being persecuted, because we know that difficulties produce endurance,

OET-LV ROM 5:3

3 Not and only that, but also we _are _boasting in our tribulations, having _known that the tribulation endurance is _producing,

Jump to OET LUK 18:10–14 section.

Jump to OET ROM 3:27–28 section.

Jump to OET CO2 10:17 section.

Jump to OET GAL 6:14 section.

Jump to OET ROM 1:30 section.

Jump to OET ROM 2:17 section. · OET ROM 2:23 section.

Jump to OET EPH 2:9 section.

Jump to OET TI2 3:2 section.

Jump to OET ROM 5:11 section.

Jump to OET ROM 5:3 section.

Paul’s boasting was not based upon comparisons with others, in contrast to the boasting of his opponents. Because Christ worked through him (2 Cor 3:2-6) and God commended him (10:18), he could give glory to God. Paul preferred to boast of his own weakness, and of the Lord’s power and strength (12:5, 9 OET CO2 12:5 · OET CO2 12:9).

Show passage in OET: CO2 3:2–6

OET-RV CO2 3:2

2 It’s all of you who are our references, and having been written in our hearts, it’s known about and being read by all people.

OET-RV CO2 3:3

3 It shows that you who were served by us, are now Messiah’s letter that wasn’t written with ink but with God’s living spirit—not written on stone tablets but on people’s hearts.

OET-RV CO2 3:4

4 We have such confidence towards God through the messiah,

OET-RV CO2 3:5

5 not that we ourselves are worthy to consider ourselves anything special, but our qualifications come from God.

OET-RV CO2 3:6

6 He qualified us as servants of a new agreement—not following it by the letter, but by the spirit, because following by the letter leads to death whereas following by the spirit gives life.

OET-LV CO2 3:2

2 The letter of _us you _all are, having _been _inscribed in the hearts of _us, being _known and being _read by all people,

OET-LV CO2 3:3

3 being _revealed that you _all _are a_letter of_chosen _one /messiah, having _been _served by us, having _been _inscribed not in _ink, but with_the_spirit of_god the_living, not on tablets stone, but on tablets of _hearts fleshy.

OET-LV CO2 3:4

4 And confidence such we _are _having through the chosen _one /messiah toward the god.

OET-LV CO2 3:5

5 Not that from ourselves worthy we _are to _count anything as of ourselves, but the qualified of _us is of the god,

OET-LV CO2 3:6

6 who also qualified us as _servants of_a_new covenant, not of_the_letter, but of_the_spirit, because/for the letter will _be _killing _off, but the spirit is _giving _life.

Show passage in OET: CO2 10:18

OET-RV CO2 10:18

18 because it’s not the people who commend themselves that are approved, but those who the master commends.

OET-LV CO2 10:18

18 For/Because not the one himself commending, that one approved, is but whom the master is _commending.

Show passage in OET: CO2 12:5; CO2 12:9

OET-RV CO2 12:5

5 I’m prepared to boast about that man, but I won’t boast about myself because I won’t boast at all except about my weaknesses,

OET-RV CO2 12:9

9 and he told me, “Is my grace good enough for you? My power reaches its conclusion through weakness.” Therefore I’ll quite gladly boast about my weaknesses so that the messiah’s power can take residence in me.

OET-LV CO2 12:5

5 Concerning the such man, I _will _be _boasting, but concerning myself, not I _will _be _boasting, except not/lest in my weaknesses.

OET-LV CO2 12:9

9 And he _has _said to _me:
Is _sufficing for _you the grace of _me, because/for the power in weakness is _being _finished.
Therefore most _gladly rather I _will _be _boasting in the weaknesses of _me, in _order _that may _take _residence in me the power of _the chosen _one /messiah.

Jump to OET CO2 3:2–6 section.

Jump to OET CO2 10:18 section.

Jump to OET CO2 12:5 section. · OET CO2 12:9 section.

On occasion, the apostle did boast concerning a particular group of Christians (7:4, 14 OET CO2 7:4 · OET CO2 7:14; 8:24; 9:2-3), but with the implication that he was expressing confidence in them, not bragging about his own successes. Concerning himself, Paul boasted reluctantly and only as a means of defense against an unsupportive element in the Corinthian church. He said that those who should have commended him had instead compelled him to engage in “foolish” boasting (2 Cor 12:11).