Proverbs 11:30 (NKJV) — 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.

The tree of life. In Scripture, the tree of life is connected with wisdom.

Proverbs 3:18 (NKJV) — 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her.

If the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden was the tree of wrong knowledge, it is reasonable to assume that the tree of life would have given right knowledge. The “fruit of the righteous” speaks of what righteous persons produce. They will produce wisdom, both by words and deeds.

One of the fruits of wisdom is the winning of souls, and wisdom is necessary in this endeavor. In this Old Testament context, the winning of souls seems to refer to the ability to establish lasting friendships and to persuade others to right points of view.

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