What does it mean to win souls in Proverbs 11:30?

Solomon, son of David and king of Israel, wrote the sayings found in Proverbs 11. The chapter's theme is about the foolishness of godless living. The opposite of foolishness is living wisely according to God’s moral standards. Desiring and serving the well-being of other people is an important part of a godly lifestyle. Proverbs 11:30 focuses on loving others when it says, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (NKJV).

The idea of winning souls conveys having a friendly and helpful relationship with others. The word translated as “wins” comes from a Hebrew verb meaning “take” or “receive.” It’s sometimes used in the negative sense of taking a life, as in killing someone (1 Samuel 24:11; Jonah 4:3). However, in Proverbs 11:30, the word implies a person in need receiving help from a righteous person. The NIV translates the phrase, “the one who is wise saves lives,” while the NLT says, “whoever captures souls is wise” (emphases added).

The term “souls” (from the word nephesh in Hebrew) refers to a living being, not just the immaterial part of them. The New Testament also uses the word soul (from the Greek word psyche) to refer to a person’s whole life. For example, Acts 27:37 reads, “And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls” (KJV, ephmasis added). Other translations render the word “persons” (ESV, NKJV, NASB).

According to Proverbs 11:30, winning a soul is the fruit of, or the result of, living a righteous life. “Fruit” is a common metaphor in Scripture for the positive outcomes of holy living, such as the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). Specifically, the phrase “the fruit of righteousness” describes what a godly lifestyle produces.

The “tree of life,” drawing on the historic tree in the Garden of Eden, is a common symbol of renewal in Proverbs. For instance, in a personification of wisdom, Proverbs 3:18 says, “She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.” Also, Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”

In contrast to the wise person who helps others, the foolish person makes life more difficult for those around them. The verse before Proverbs 11:30 says, “Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.” Not only does the fool hurt those around him, but not getting an inheritance and becoming a servant suggests that he will hurt himself, too. However, the wise person helps others as well as themselves.

In some Protestant traditions, people use the terms winning souls or “soul winning” as shorthand for evangelism. When a person responds to the gospel of Jesus Christ, the evangelist has “won” —as in “saved” —their souls from hell. This was a common practice in 19th-century revival movements. However, the Bible does not typically use the idea of “winning” to describe people repenting of sin and putting their faith in Jesus (Mark 1:15), though the New Testament does occasionally speak of “winning” people in the sense of influencing or gaining them (1 Corinthians 9:19, 22; 1 Peter 3:1). Regardless of whether “soul winning” is a good description of sharing the gospel, evangelism is not the meaning of Proverbs 11:30.

Jesus told his followers that the two greatest commandments are to love God and love people (Matthew 22:37–39). Loving people in a Christlike manner comes from living a righteous life. Christians can be a blessing to people around them, and not only improve their lives, but also show the love of Jesus in the process.