19 Bible Verses about Deception In Fallen Human Nature

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

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

For there is nothing reliable in what they say;
destruction is within them;
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongues.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Everyone has to be on guard against his friend.
Don’t trust any brother,
for every brother will certainly deceive,
and every friend spread slander.
Each one betrays his friend;
no one tells the truth.
They have taught their tongues to speak lies;
they wear themselves out doing wrong.

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

Woe to the city of blood,
totally deceitful,
full of plunder,
never without prey.

For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies.

For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, promiscuity, stinginess, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness.

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

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

One of their very own prophets said,

Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.