By Babu Tendu Lying and deceit are recurrent themes in the Bible, emphasized as behaviors that lead to distrust, harm, and spiritual decay. From the earliest stories in Genesis to the wise sayings of Proverbs, the Bible provides clear guidance on the dangers and consequences of dishonesty.
For believers, understanding these warnings is crucial to maintaining integrity and righteousness in their lives. The Bible verses about lying and deceit remind us that truthfulness is not just a social virtue but a spiritual commandment that reflects our relationship with God and others.
These scriptures serve as a moral compass, guiding us away from the temptations of falsehood and towards a life of honesty and transparency. By meditating on these passages, we can cultivate a heart that values truth, fosters trust, and upholds the dignity of our faith. The following verses will help you explore how the Bible addresses the issues of lying and deceit, offering wisdom, guidance, and a path to redemption for those who seek to align their lives with the truth.
Bible Verses About Lying and Deceit
Proverbs 12:22
“The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”
Colossians 3:9
“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.”
Exodus 20:16
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
Psalm 101:7
“No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.”
Revelation 21:8
“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
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Matthew 15:19
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”
Proverbs 6:16-17
“There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood.”
1 Peter 3:10
“For, ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.'”
Leviticus 19:11
“Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.”
Psalm 34:13
“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.”
John 8:44
“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Ephesians 4:25
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”
Proverbs 19:9
“A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish.”
Zechariah 8:16
“These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts.”
James 3:14
“But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.”
Proverbs 21:6
“A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.”
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Romans 1:29
“They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips.”
Jeremiah 9:5
“Friend deceives friend, and no one speaks the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they weary themselves with sinning.”
1 Timothy 4:2
“Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.”
Proverbs 14:5
“An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies.”
Micah 6:12
“Your rich people are violent; your inhabitants are liars, and their tongues speak deceitfully.”
Isaiah 59:3
“For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken falsely, and your tongue mutters wicked things.”
2 Corinthians 11:13
“For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.”
Proverbs 26:24
“Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit.”
Genesis 3:4
“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.”
1 John 2:4
“Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.”
Psalm 5:6
“You destroy those who tell lies. The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, LORD, detest.”
Hosea 10:13
“But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors.”
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Luke 8:17
“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.”
Proverbs 17:4
“A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.”
Jeremiah 17:9
“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
“The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.”
Psalm 120:2
“Save me, LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.”
Titus 1:12
“One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: ‘Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.'”
Proverbs 10:18
“Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool.”
Mark 7:21-22
“For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly.”
Isaiah 30:9
“For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the LORD’s instruction.”
1 Kings 22:22
“‘By what means?’ the LORD asked. ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said. ‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’”
Proverbs 24:28
“Do not testify against your neighbor without cause—would you use your lips to mislead?”
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Habakkuk 1:13
“Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?”
James 1:26
“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”
Proverbs 11:1
“The LORD detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him.”
Jeremiah 7:4
“Do not trust in deceptive words and say, ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!’”
Matthew 24:24
“For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
Proverbs 25:18
“Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.”
Psalm 58:3
“Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.”
Romans 3:13
“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
Isaiah 28:15
“You boast, ‘We have entered into a covenant with death, with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.’”
Psalm 52:2
“You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor.”
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Job 13:4
“You, however, smear me with lies; you are worthless physicians, all of you!”
Acts 5:3
“Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?'”
Proverbs 30:8
“Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.”
Hosea 11:12
“Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, Israel with deceit. And Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One.”
Jeremiah 23:32
“‘Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,’ declares the LORD. ‘They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,’ declares the LORD.”
Psalm 31:18
“Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous.”
2 Peter 2:1
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.”
Proverbs 26:28
“A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.”
Psalm 109:2
“For people who are wicked and deceitful have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.”
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Jeremiah 14:14
“Then the LORD said to me, ‘The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries, and the delusions of their own minds.'”
1 Samuel 15:29
“He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.”
Conclusion
The Bible verses about lying and deceit emphasize the profound impact of falsehood on individuals, communities, and their relationship with God. These scriptures not only highlight the consequences of deceitful behavior but also encourage a life of honesty and integrity.
As we reflect on these passages, it’s clear that truthfulness is a cornerstone of faith and righteousness. By aligning our words and actions with the truth, we cultivate trust and build stronger relationships with others and with God. The wisdom found in these Bible verses about lying and deceit serves as a guide for those who seek to live a life marked by authenticity, transparency, and a deep commitment to the truth.
Let these scriptures inspire us to reject deceit in all its forms and to embrace a life that honors God and our fellow human beings with truth and integrity.