59 Bible Verses about Deception

Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crowed.

And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau your firstborn; I have done according as you bade me: arise, I pray you, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me.

Say, I pray you, that you are my sister: that it may be well with me for your sake; and my soul shall live because of you.

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

And the men of the place asked him about his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

You shall destroy them that speak falsehood: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

But you, O God, shall bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in you.

A true witness delivers souls: but a deceitful witness speaks lies.

As a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, So is the man that deceives his neighbor, and says, Am I not jesting?

They did work craftily, and went and made as if they were ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their donkeys, and wine skins, old, and torn, and mended;

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die:

And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer chamber, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto you. And he arose out of his seat.

So Amnon lay down, and pretended to be sick: and when the king had come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray you, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.

Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Be not deceived: evil companions corrupt good morals.

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, that the day of the Lord is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come the falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

For if a man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: For he beholds himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what manner of man he was. read more.
But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seems to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Say, I pray you, that you are my sister: that it may be well with me for your sake; and my soul shall live because of you.

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed their flocks and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause; and deceive not with your lips.

Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

For if a man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king. And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness to your friend? why went you not with your friend? read more.
And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in your father's presence, so will I be in your presence.

And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart, and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. read more.
And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and made marks on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, you see the man is mad: why then have you brought him to me? Have I need of mad men, that you have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, your servant has sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech you, and his servants go with your servant. And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto you. And he pressed him: however he would not go, but blessed him. Then said Absalom, If not, I pray you, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with you? read more.
But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark you now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Strike Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.

He feeds on ashes: a deceived heart has turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. And he returned unto his brothers, and said, The child is not; and I, where shall I go? And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; read more.
And they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: see now whether it be your son's coat or not. And he recognized it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces. And Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister: And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that would be a reproach unto us: But in this will we consent unto you: If you will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised; read more.
Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. But if you will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone. And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son. And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter: and he was more honorable than all the house of his father. And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying, These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters. Only in this will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised. Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us. And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city. And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister. They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their donkeys, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house. And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, You have troubled me to make me repulsive among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house. And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with a harlot?

So Amnon lay down, and pretended to be sick: and when the king had come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray you, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand. Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare him food. So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was lying down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes. read more.
And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Send out all men from me. And they went out every man from him. And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat of your hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not you this folly. And I, where shall I cause my shame to go? and as for you, you shall be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray you, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from you. However he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

And Rebekah spoke unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard your father speak unto Esau your brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless you before the LORD before my death. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you. read more.
Go now to the flock, and fetch me from there two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves: And you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, and that he may bless you before his death. And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: My father perhaps will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be your curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go bring me them. And he went, and took, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savory food, such as his father loved. And Rebekah took the best clothing of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son: And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: And she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who are you, my son? And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau your firstborn; I have done according as you bade me: arise, I pray you, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me. And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD your God brought it to me. And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray you, that I may feel you, my son, whether you be my very son Esau or not. And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he recognized him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.

And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, They did work craftily, and went and made as if they were ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their donkeys, and wine skins, old, and torn, and mended; And old patched shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. read more.
And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We are come from a far country: now therefore make you a covenant with us. And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Perhaps you dwell among us; and how shall we make a covenant with you? And they said unto Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are you? and from where do you come? And they said unto him, From a very far country your servants have come because of the name of the LORD your God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make you a covenant with us. This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is moldy: And these skins of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they are torn: and these our garments and our shoes have become old by reason of the very long journey. And the men took of their provisions, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live: and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.

But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man left-handed: and by him the children of Israel sent tribute unto Eglon the king of Moab. But Ehud made himself a dagger which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he did gird it under his clothes upon his right thigh. And he brought the tribute unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. read more.
And when he had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people that bore the tribute. But he himself turned back at the stone images that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret message unto you, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer chamber, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto you. And he arose out of his seat. And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: And the hilt also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out. Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the chamber behind him, and locked them. When he had gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlor were locked, they said, Surely he is relieving himself in his summer chamber. And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the chamber; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the floor. And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the stone images, and escaped unto Seirath. And it came to pass, when he had come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he was before them. And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and allowed not a man to pass over. And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all strong, and all men of valor; and there escaped not a man. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will all give you eleven hundred pieces of silver. And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray you, where your great strength lies, and with what you might be bound to afflict you. read more.
And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green cords which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And he broke the cords, as a thread of yarn is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known. And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, you have mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray you, how you might be bound. And he said unto her, If they bind me securely with new ropes that never were used, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him with them, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And there were men lying in wait abiding in the chamber. And he broke them from off his arms like a thread. And Delilah said unto Samson, Until now you have mocked me, and told me lies: tell me how you might be bound. And he said unto her, If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web. And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web. And she said unto him, How can you say, I love you, when your heart is not with me? you have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There has not come a razor upon my head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he has showed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. And she said, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he knew not that the LORD was departed from him.

If any man among you seems to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

For he flatters himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity is found to be hateful.

But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

He said unto him, I am a prophet also as you are; and an angel spoke unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks that pass away;

And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray you, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.

And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God in truth, neither care you for any man: for you regard not the person of men.

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving from his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.

And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tested him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

And the men of the place asked him about his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.

Your tongue devises evil; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die:

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.