Proverbs 20:17

Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
– Proverbs 20:17

The bread of deceit is any acquired by fraudulent means. It is akin to the “bread of wickedness” and “wine of violence” (Proverbs 4:17). Initially, the taste is sweet but there is no lasting satisfaction with it. Stolen bread fills the mouth with gravel rather than the stomach with nourishment. It is both unprofitable and damaging in the long run (Proverbs 10:2). Feasting on stolen bread brings us nearer death than we realize (Proverbs 9:17-18).

Listen to the Proverbs sermon series