9 Bible Verses about Deceit

Their throat is an open grave;
they deceive with their tongues.
Vipers’ venom is under their lips.

Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth is full of gravel.

For you said, “We have cut a deal with Death,
and we have made an agreement with Sheol;
when the overwhelming scourge passes through,
it will not touch us,
because we have made falsehood our refuge
and have hidden behind treachery.”

For the wealthy of the city are full of violence,
and its residents speak lies;
the tongues in their mouths are deceitful.

In my alarm I said,
“Everyone is a liar.”

The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who has not set his mind on what is false,
and who has not sworn deceitfully.

The remnant of Israel will no longer
do wrong or tell lies;
a deceitful tongue will not be found
in their mouths.
But they will pasture and lie down,
with nothing to make them afraid.

No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

Your presumptuous heart has deceived you,
you who live in clefts of the rock
in your home on the heights,
who say to yourself,
“Who can bring me down to the ground?”

This is what the Lord says: Don’t deceive yourselves by saying, ‘The Chaldeans will leave us for good,’ for they will not leave.

Everyone who has a treaty with you
will drive you to the border;
everyone at peace with you
will deceive and conquer you.
Those who eat your bread
will set a trap for you.
He will be unaware of it.

Those who seek my life set traps,
and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me;
they plot treachery all day long.

The thoughts of the righteous are just,
but guidance from the wicked leads to deceit.

For they do not speak in friendly ways,
but contrive deceitful schemes
against those who live peacefully in the land.

Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting God’s message, but commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in God’s sight by an open display of the truth.

For our exhortation didn’t come from error or impurity or an intent to deceive.

But the Lord said to me, “These prophets are prophesying a lie in My name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, worthless divination, the deceit of their own minds.

How long will this continue in the minds of the prophets prophesying lies, prophets of the deceit of their own minds?

Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things.

Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ.

Whoever speaks the truth declares what is right,
but a false witness, deceit.

An honest witness does not deceive,
but a dishonest witness utters lies.

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.

for such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.

Don’t testify against your neighbor without cause.
Don’t deceive with your lips.

For the one who wants to love life
and to see good days
must keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit,

Go to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, and I will make them into a delicious meal for your father—the kind he loves.

Jacob replied to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may bless me.”

God, You will bring them down
to the Pit of destruction;
men of bloodshed and treachery
will not live out half their days.
But I will trust in You.

Therefore, this is what the Lord of Hosts says: I am about to refine them and test them, for what else can I do because of My dear people? Their tongues are deadly arrows- they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peaceably with his friend, but inwardly he sets up an ambush. Should I not punish them for these things? [This is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration. Should I not take My revenge against a nation such as this?

"No! You will not die," the serpent said to the woman. "In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

Why brag about evil, you hero! God's faithful love is constant. Like a sharpened razor, your tongue devises destruction, working treachery.

They made His grave with the wicked
and with a rich man at His death,
although He had done no violence
and had not spoken deceitfully.

He did not commit sin,
and no deceit was found in His mouth;

Those who seek my life set traps,
and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me;
they plot treachery all day long.

The thoughts of the righteous are just,
but guidance from the wicked leads to deceit.

For they do not speak in friendly ways,
but contrive deceitful schemes
against those who live peacefully in the land.

Vindicate me, God, and defend my cause
against an ungodly nation;
rescue me from the deceitful and unjust man.

“Lord, deliver me from lying lips
and a deceitful tongue.”

Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth;
trouble and malice are under his tongue.

The words of his mouth are malicious and deceptive;
he has stopped acting wisely and doing good.

Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth;
trouble and malice are under his tongue.

Vindicate me, God, and defend my cause
against an ungodly nation;
rescue me from the deceitful and unjust man.

The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who has not set his mind on what is false,
and who has not sworn deceitfully.

How joyful is the man
the Lord does not charge with sin
and in whose spirit is no deceit!

The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not set his mind on what is false, and who has not sworn deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

and with every unrighteous deception among those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth in order to be saved.

For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.

for such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.

This is what the Lord says: Don’t deceive yourselves by saying, ‘The Chaldeans will leave us for good,’ for they will not leave.

Your presumptuous heart has deceived you, you who live in clefts of the rock in your home on the heights, who say to yourself: Who can bring me down to the ground? Though you seem to soar like an eagle and make your nest among the stars, even from there I will bring you down. [This is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration. If thieves came to you, if marauders by night- how ravaged you will be!- wouldn't they steal only what they wanted? If grape pickers came to you, wouldn't they leave some grapes? read more.
How Esau will be pillaged, his hidden treasures searched out! Everyone who has a treaty with you will drive you to the border; everyone at peace with you will deceive and conquer you. Those who eat your bread will set a trap for you. He will be unaware of it.

A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit within. When he speaks graciously, don't believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart. Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his evil will be revealed in the assembly. read more.
The one who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever rolls a stone- it will come back on him. A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.

A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit within. When he speaks graciously, don't believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart. Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his evil will be revealed in the assembly.

So they took Joseph's robe, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood. They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, "We found this. Examine it. Is it your son's robe or not?"

Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have grown powerful and rich. They have become fat and sleek. They have also excelled in evil matters. They have not taken up cases, such as the case of orphans, so they might prosper, and they have not defended the rights of the needy.

But the Lord said to me, “These prophets are prophesying a lie in My name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, worthless divination, the deceit of their own minds.

How long will this continue in the minds of the prophets prophesying lies, prophets of the deceit of their own minds?

so he pretended to be insane in their presence. He acted like a madman around them, scribbling on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

The wicked man earns an empty wage,
but the one who sows righteousness, a true reward.

Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth is full of gravel.

A truthful witness rescues lives,
but one who utters lies is deceitful.

The thoughts of the righteous are just,
but guidance from the wicked leads to deceit.

Like a cage full of birds,
so their houses are full of deceit.
Therefore they have grown powerful and rich.

The wounds of a friend are trustworthy,
but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.

Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth;
trouble and malice are under his tongue.

The words of his mouth are malicious and deceptive;
he has stopped acting wisely and doing good.

The heart is more deceitful than anything else,
and incurable—who can understand it?

The wounds of a friend are trustworthy,
but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.

The sensible man’s wisdom is to consider his way,
but the stupidity of fools deceives them.

You reject all who stray from Your statutes,
for their deceit is a lie.

suffering harm as the payment for unrighteousness. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, delighting in their deceptions as they feast with you.

and that he has cheated me and changed my wages 10 times. But God has not let him harm me.

Each one betrays his friend;
no one tells the truth.
They have taught their tongues to speak lies;
they wear themselves out doing wrong.

You live in a world of deception.
In their deception they refuse to know Me.
This is the Lord’s declaration.

Why have these people turned away?
Why is Jerusalem always turning away?
They take hold of deceit;
they refuse to return.

They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,

“As soon as I leave you,” Moses said, “I will appeal to the Lord, and tomorrow the swarms of flies will depart from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people. But Pharaoh must not act deceptively again by refusing to let the people go and sacrifice to the Lord.”

He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find Him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship Him.”

So rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.

He will redeem them from oppression and violence,
for their lives are precious in his sight.

No one who acts deceitfully
will live in my palace;
no one who tells lies
will remain in my presence.

Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have grown powerful and rich. They have become fat and sleek. They have also excelled in evil matters. They have not taken up cases, such as the case of orphans, so they might prosper, and they have not defended the rights of the needy.

Their throat is an open grave;
they deceive with their tongues.
Vipers’ venom is under their lips.

Ephraim surrounds me with lies,
the house of Israel, with deceit.
Judah still wanders with God
and is faithful to the holy ones.

The words of his mouth are malicious and deceptive;
he has stopped acting wisely and doing good.

Many deceivers have gone out into the world; they do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, promiscuity, stinginess, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness.

After two days it was the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a treacherous way to arrest and kill Him.

For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

They conceive trouble and give birth to evil;
their womb prepares deception.

adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, promiscuity, stinginess, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness.

You destroy those who tell lies;
the Lord abhors a man of bloodshed and treachery.

My brothers are as treacherous as a wadi,
as seasonal streams that overflow

my lips will not speak unjustly,
and my tongue will not utter deceit.

If I have walked in falsehood
or my foot has rushed to deceit,

my lips will not speak unjustly,
and my tongue will not utter deceit.

A truthful witness rescues lives,
but one who utters lies is deceitful.

and with every unrighteous deception among those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth in order to be saved.

suffering harm as the payment for unrighteousness. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, delighting in their deceptions as they feast with you.

Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth is full of gravel.

The wicked man earns an empty wage,
but the one who sows righteousness, a true reward.

Many deceivers have gone out into the world; they do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

You live in a world of deception.
In their deception they refuse to know Me.
This is the Lord’s declaration.

Their throat is an open grave;
they deceive with their tongues.
Vipers’ venom is under their lips.

They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,

Why have these people turned away?
Why is Jerusalem always turning away?
They take hold of deceit;
they refuse to return.

Each one betrays his friend;
no one tells the truth.
They have taught their tongues to speak lies;
they wear themselves out doing wrong.

If one blesses his neighbor
with a loud voice early in the morning,
it will be counted as a curse to him.

My eyes [favor] the faithful of the land so that they may sit down with me. The one who follows the way of integrity may serve me. No one who acts deceitfully will live in my palace; no one who tells lies will remain in my presence.

“My lord the king,” he replied, “my servant Ziba betrayed me. Actually your servant said: ‘I’ll saddle the donkey for myself so that I may ride it and go with the king’—for your servant is lame.