41 Bible Verses about Selfishness

Most Relevant Verses

Philippians 2:3-4

Doing nothing through envy or through pride, but with low thoughts of self let everyone take others to be better than himself; Not looking everyone to his private good, but keeping in mind the things of others.

James 3:16

For where envy is, and the desire to get the better of others, there is no order, but every sort of evil-doing.

Proverbs 18:1

He who keeps himself separate for his private purpose goes against all good sense.

2 Timothy 3:1-2

But be certain of this, that in the last days times of trouble will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, uplifted in pride, given to bitter words, going against the authority of their fathers, never giving praise, having no religion,

Judges 17:6

In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did as seemed right to him.

Judges 21:25

In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did what seemed right to him.

Matthew 23:25

A curse is on you, scribes and Pharisees, false ones! for you make clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of violent behaviour and uncontrolled desire.

Mark 12:7

But those workmen said among themselves, This is he who will one day be the owner of the property; come, let us put him to death, and the heritage will be ours.

Luke 12:13-21

And one of the people said to him, Master, give an order to my brother to make division of the heritage with me. But he said, Man, who made me a judge or a maker of decisions for you? And he said to them, Take care to keep yourselves free from the desire for property; for a man's life is not made up of the number of things which he has.read more.
And he said to them, in a story, The land of a certain man of great wealth was very fertile: And he said to himself, What is to be done? for I have no place in which to put all my fruit. And he said, This I will do: I will take down my store-houses and make greater ones, and there I will put all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have a great amount of goods in store, enough for a number of years; be at rest, take food and wine and be happy. But God said to him, You foolish one, tonight I will take your soul from you, and who then will be the owner of all the things which you have got together? So that is what comes to the man who gets wealth for himself, and has not wealth in the eyes of God.

Jeremiah 45:5

And as for you, are you looking for great things for yourself? Have no desire for them: for truly I will send evil on all flesh, says the Lord: but your life I will keep safe from attack wherever you go.

Galatians 5:19-20

Now the works of the flesh are clear, which are these: evil desire, unclean things, wrong use of the senses, Worship of images, use of strange powers, hates, fighting, desire for what another has, angry feelings, attempts to get the better of others, divisions, false teachings,

Philippians 1:17

But those are preaching Christ in a spirit of competition, not from their hearts, but with the purpose of giving me pain in my prison.

James 3:14-16

But if you have bitter envy in your heart and the desire to get the better of others, have no pride in this, talking falsely against what is true. This wisdom is not from heaven, but is of the earth and the flesh and the Evil One. For where envy is, and the desire to get the better of others, there is no order, but every sort of evil-doing.

Daniel 4:30

The king made answer and said, Is this not great Babylon, which I have made for the living-place of kings, by the strength of my power and for the glory of my honour?

Genesis 13:10-11

And Lot, lifting up his eyes and looking an the valley of Jordan, saw that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord had sent destruction on Sodom and Gomorrah; it was like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, on the way to Zoar. So Lot took for himself all the valley of Jordan, and went to the east, and they were parted from one another.

Ezekiel 28:2-5

Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, This is what the Lord has said: Because your heart has been lifted up, and you have said, I am a god, I am seated on the seat of God in the heart of the seas; but you are man and not God, though you have made your heart as the heart of God: See, you are wiser than Daniel; there is no secret which is deeper than your knowledge: By your wisdom and deep knowledge you have got power for yourself, and put silver and gold in your store-houses:read more.
By your great wisdom and by your trade your power is increased, and your heart is lifted up because of your power:

Ezekiel 34:8

By my life, says the Lord, truly, because my sheep have been taken away, and my sheep became food for all the beasts of the field, because there was no keeper, and my keepers did not go in search of the sheep, but the keepers took food for themselves and gave my sheep no food;

Mark 10:35

And there came to him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, saying to him, Master, will you give us whatever may be our request?

Job 14:22

Only his flesh still has pain, and his soul is sad.

1 Kings 19:10

And he said, I have been burning for the honour of the Lord, the God of armies; for the children of Israel have not kept your agreement; they have made destruction of your altars, and have put your prophets to death with the sword: till I, even I, am the only one living; and now they are attempting to take away my life.

Psalm 119:36

Let my heart be turned to your unchanging word, and not to evil desire.

Romans 15:3

For Christ did not give pleasure to himself, but, as it is said, The bitter words of those who were angry with you came on me.

Philippians 2:4-8

Not looking everyone to his private good, but keeping in mind the things of others. Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus, To whom, though himself in the form of God, it did not seem that to take for oneself was to be like God;read more.
But he made himself as nothing, taking the form of a servant, being made like men; And being seen in form as a man, he took the lowest place, and let himself be put to death, even the death of the cross.

Romans 13:8-10

Be in debt for nothing, but to have love for one another: for he who has love for his neighbour has kept all the law. And this, Do not be untrue in married life, Do not put to death, Do not take what is another's, Do not have desire for what is another's, and if there is any other order, it is covered by this word, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself. Love does no wrong to his neighbour, so love makes the law complete.

From Thematic Bible


Inconsistency » General marks of » Selfishness

James 2:15-16

If a brother or a sister is without clothing and in need of the day's food, And one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warm and full of food; but you do not give them the things of which their bodies have need, what profit is there in this?

Religion » Inconsistency in religious life general marks of » Selfishness

James 2:15-16

If a brother or a sister is without clothing and in need of the day's food, And one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warm and full of food; but you do not give them the things of which their bodies have need, what profit is there in this?

Selfishness » Different forms of » Total disregard of the rights of others

Ezekiel 34:18

Does it seem a small thing to you to have taken your food on good grass-land while the rest of your grass-land is stamped down under your feet? and that after drinking from clear waters you make the rest of the waters dirty with your feet?

Hosea 10:1

Israel is a branching vine, full of fruit; as his fruit is increased, so the number of his altars is increased; as the land is fair, so they have made fair pillars.

Habakkuk 2:6

Will not all these take up a word of shame against him and a bitter saying against him, and say, A curse on him who goes on taking what is not his and is weighted down with the property of debtors!

Selfishness » Examples of » Cain's cold-blooded words concerning abel

Exodus 2:17

And the keepers of the sheep came up and were driving them away; but Moses got up and came to their help, watering their flock for them.

Numbers 20:21

So Edom would not let Israel go through his land; and Israel went in another direction.

Judges 8:6

But the chiefs of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna even now in your hand that we are to give bread to your army?

Selfishness » Examples of » The priest and levite carelessly pass by the wounded man

Luke 10:31-32

And by chance a certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he went by on the other side. And in the same way, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, went by on the other side.

Philippians 2:21

For they all go after what is theirs, not after the things of Christ.

Selfishness » Different forms of » Heartless indifference toward sinners

Matthew 27:3-4

Then Judas, who was false to him, seeing that he was to be put to death, in his regret took back the thirty bits of silver to the chief priests and those in authority, Saying, I have done wrong in giving into your hands an upright man. But they said, What is that to us? it is your business.

Selfishness » Ministers should be devoid of

1 Corinthians 10:33

Even as I give way to all men in all things, not looking for profit for myself, but for the good of others, that they may get salvation.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

For though I was free from all men, I made myself a servant to all, so that more might have salvation. And to the Jews I was as a Jew, so that I might give the good news to them; to those under the law I was the same, not as being myself under the law, but so that I might give the good news to those under the law. To those without the law I was as one without the law, not as being without law to God, but as under law to Christ, so that I might give the good news to those without the law. read more.
To the feeble, I was as one who is feeble, so that they might have salvation: I have been all things to all men, so that some at least might have salvation. And I do all things for the cause of the good news, so that I may have a part in it.

Selfishness » The example of Christ condemns

Romans 15:3

For Christ did not give pleasure to himself, but, as it is said, The bitter words of those who were angry with you came on me.

Selfishness » Contrary to the law of God

Selfishness » Examples of » Haman's selfish conceit

Matthew 23:4

They make hard laws and put great weights on men's backs; but they themselves will not put a finger to them

Isaiah 56:11

Yes, the dogs are for ever looking for food; while these, the keepers of the sheep, are without wisdom: they have all gone after their pleasure, every one looking for profit; they are all the same.

Esther 6:6

So Haman came in. And the king said to him, What is to be done to the man whom the king has delight in honouring? Then the thought came into Haman's mind, Whom, more than myself, would the king have pleasure in honouring?

Selfishness » Exhibited in » Seeking our own

1 Corinthians 10:33

Even as I give way to all men in all things, not looking for profit for myself, but for the good of others, that they may get salvation.

Philippians 2:21

For they all go after what is theirs, not after the things of Christ.

Selfishness » Inconsistent with communion of saints

Romans 12:4-5

For, as we have a number of parts in one body, but all the parts have not the same use, So we, though we are a number of persons, are one body in Christ, and are dependent on one another;

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

For as the body is one, and has a number of parts, and all the parts make one body, so is Christ. For through the baptism of the one Spirit we were all formed into one body, Jews or Greeks, servants or free men, and were all made full of the same Spirit. For the body is not one part, but a number of parts. read more.
If the foot says, Because I am not the hand, I am not a part of the body; it is no less a part of the body. And if the ear says, Because I am not the eye, I am not a part of the body; it is a part of the body all the same. If all the body was an eye, where would be the hearing? if all was hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has put every one of the parts in the body as it was pleasing to him. And if they were all one part, where would the body be? But now they are all different parts, but one body. And the eye may not say to the hand, I have no need of you: or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. No, those parts which seem to be feeble are the more necessary; And to those parts of the body which seem to have less honour we give all the more honour; and to those parts of the body which are a cause of shame to us we give the greater respect; But those parts of the body which are beautiful have no need of such care: and so the body has been joined together by God in such a way as to give more honour to those parts which had need of it; So that there might be no division in the body; but all the parts might have the same care for one another. And if there is pain in one part of the body, all the parts will be feeling it; or if one part is honoured, all the parts will be glad. Now you are the body of Christ, and every one of you the separate parts of it.

Selfishness » Especially forbidden to saints

Selfishness » All men addicted to

Philippians 2:21

For they all go after what is theirs, not after the things of Christ.

Selfishness » Different forms of » Hoarding foodstuff

Proverbs 11:26

He who keeps back grain will be cursed by the people; but a blessing will be on the head of him who lets them have it for a price.

Proverbs 24:11

Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.

Selfishness » Exemplified » Nabal

1 Samuel 25:3

Now this man was named Nabal, and his wife's name was Abigail: she was a woman of good sense and pleasing looks: but the man was cruel and evil in his ways; he was of the family of Caleb.

1 Samuel 25:11

Am I to take my bread and my wine and the meat I have got ready for my wool-cutters and give it to men coming from I have no idea where?

Selfishness » The love of Christ should constrain us to avoid

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

For it is the love of Christ which is moving us; because we are of the opinion that if one was put to death for all, then all have undergone death; And that he underwent death for all, so that the living might no longer be living to themselves, but to him who underwent death for them and came back from the dead.

Selfishness » Exhibited in » Living to ourselves

Selfishness » Inconsistent with » Christian love

1 Corinthians 13:5

Love's ways are ever fair, it takes no thought for itself; it is not quickly made angry, it takes no account of evil;

Selfishness » Characteristic of the last days

2 Timothy 3:1-2

But be certain of this, that in the last days times of trouble will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, uplifted in pride, given to bitter words, going against the authority of their fathers, never giving praise, having no religion,

Selfishness » Examples of » Nabal refuses food to david

1 Samuel 25:11

Am I to take my bread and my wine and the meat I have got ready for my wool-cutters and give it to men coming from I have no idea where?

Selfishness » Different forms of » Neglect of the needy and suffering

Matthew 25:43

I was wandering, and you took me not in; without clothing, and you gave me no clothing; ill, and in prison, and you came not to me.

Selfishness » Exhibited in » Being lovers of ourselves

Selfishness » Exhibited in » Seeking undue precedence

Matthew 20:21

And he said to her, What is your desire? She says to him, Let my two sons be seated, the one at your right hand, and the other at your left, in your kingdom.

Selfishness » Exemplified » Jews

Selfishness » Exhibited in » Serving God for reward

Malachi 1:10

If only there was one among you who would see that the doors were shut, so that you might not put a light to the fire on my altar for nothing! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of armies, and I will not take an offering from your hands.

Selfishness » Exhibited in » Seeking after gain

Isaiah 56:11

Yes, the dogs are for ever looking for food; while these, the keepers of the sheep, are without wisdom: they have all gone after their pleasure, every one looking for profit; they are all the same.

Selfishness » God hates

Malachi 1:10

If only there was one among you who would see that the doors were shut, so that you might not put a light to the fire on my altar for nothing! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of armies, and I will not take an offering from your hands.

Selfishness » Exhibited in » Neglect of the poor

Selfishness » Exhibited in » Pleasing ourselves

Selfishness » Exemplified » Cain

Selfishness » Different forms of » Greed for real estate

Selfishness » Exhibited in » Performing duty for reward

Micah 3:11

Its heads take rewards for judging, and the priests take payment for teaching, and the prophets get silver for reading the future: but still, supporting themselves on the Lord, they say, Is not the Lord among us? no evil will overtake us.

Selfishness » Exemplified » James and john

Mark 10:37

And they said to him, Let us be seated, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.

Selfishness » Exemplified » Haman

Esther 6:6

So Haman came in. And the king said to him, What is to be done to the man whom the king has delight in honouring? Then the thought came into Haman's mind, Whom, more than myself, would the king have pleasure in honouring?

Selfishness » Examples of » James and john seek the best places

Mark 10:37

And they said to him, Let us be seated, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.

Selfishness » Saints falsely accused of

Job 1:9-11

And the Satan said in answer to the Lord, Is it for nothing that Job is a god-fearing man? Have you yourself not put a wall round him and his house and all he has on every side, blessing the work of his hands, and increasing his cattle in the land? But now, put out your hand against all he has, and he will be cursing you to your face.

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Theasaurus: Selfishness

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain