18 Bible Verses about Deception, Forbidden By God

‘You shall not steal, nor deal deceptively, nor lie to one another.

Lying lips are extremely disgusting to the Lord,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight.

Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
And do not deceive with your lips [speak neither lies nor half-truths].

“You shall not testify falsely [that is, lie, withhold, or manipulate the truth] against your neighbor (any person).

‘You shall not give false testimony [that is, lie, withhold, or manipulate the truth] against your neighbor (any person).

He who speaks truth [when he testifies] tells what is right,
But a false witness utters deceit [in court].

A faithful and trustworthy witness will not lie,
But a false witness speaks lies.

A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who breathes lies will perish.

‘You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight or quantity.

“You shall not have in your bag inaccurate weights, a heavy and a light [so you can cheat others].

A false balance and dishonest business practices are extremely offensive to the Lord,
But an accurate scale is His delight.

Differing weights [one for buying and another for selling] and differing measures,
Both of them are detestable and offensive to the Lord.

“Can I [be guiltless and] justify deceptive scales
And a bag of dishonest weights?

They profess to know God [to recognize and be acquainted with Him], but by their actions they deny and disown Him. They are detestable and disobedient and worthless for good work of any kind.

“But cursed is the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows [to offer] it, but sacrifices to the Lord a blemished or diseased thing! For I am a great King,” says the Lord of hosts, “and My name is to be [reverently and greatly] feared among the nations.”

“Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. So you, also, outwardly seem to be just and upright to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not practice what I tell you?

well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal [in ways that are discrete, but just as sinful]?