59 Bible Verses about Deception

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

And Jacob said to his father, I am Esau your first-born. I have done as you asked me. Arise, I pray you, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.

I pray you, say that you are my sister, so 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 the king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, She is my sister. For he feared to say, My wife; lest the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah, because she was beautiful of form.

You shall destroy those who speak lies; Jehovah will despise the bloody and deceitful man.

For many deceivers have entered into the world, who do not confess Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the anti-christ.

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

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

or like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death. so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, Am I not joking?

they worked slyly. For they came and acted as if they were ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their asses, and old and torn and bound up wineskins,

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 so that I may come and worship him also.

And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die,

And Ehud came to him. And he was sitting in the cool roof room which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God to you. And he rose out of his seat.

And Amnon lay down and made himself sick. And when the king had come to see him, Amnon said to the king, Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat at her hand.

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when He shall be revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Do not be deceived; evil companionships corrupt good habits.

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

Now we beseech you, my brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you should not be soon shaken in mind or troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word or letter, as through us, as if the Day of Christ is at hand. Let not anyone deceive you by any means. For that Day shall not come unless there first comes a falling away, and the man of sin shall be revealed, the son of perdition,

Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears Jehovah, she shall be praised.

The thoughts of the righteous are right; the counsels of the wicked are deceit.

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

The wisdom of the wise 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 Jehovah search the heart, I try the reins, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

For if anyone thinks himself to be something, being nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one prove his own work, and then he alone will have a boast in himself, and not in another.

But become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man studying his natural face in a mirror. For he studied himself and went his way, and immediately he forgot what he was like. read more.
But whoever looks into the perfect Law of liberty and continues in it, he is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work. This one shall be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks to be religious among you, yet does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this one'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 do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,

I pray you, say that you are my sister, so 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 the king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies, and a deceitful tongue shall not be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, nor deceive with your lips.

Bread of deceit is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

For if anyone thinks himself to be something, being nothing, he deceives himself.

And Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem. And Ahithophel went with him. And it happened, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, had come to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, Let the king live, let the king live! And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend? read more.
And Hushai said to Absalom, No, but whom Jehovah and this people, and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and I will stay with him. 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 I will 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 to him, Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one 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 very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. read more.
And he changed his behavior before them, and pretended himself to be mad in their hands, and marked on the doors of the gate and let his spittle fall down on his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, Lo, you see the man is mad. Why have you brought him to me? Do I have need of mad men, that you have brought this one to show madness in my presence? Shall this one come into my house?

And Absalom came to the king and said, Behold now, your servant has shearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant. And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be too heavy upon you. And he pressed him. He would not go, however, but blessed him. Then Absalom said, If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us? And the king said to him, Why should he go with you? read more.
But Absalom pressed him, so that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. And Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, And watch when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, Strike Amnon, you shall kill him. Do not fear. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous, and be brave.

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

And Reuben returned to the pit. And behold! Joseph was not in the pit! And he tore his clothes. And he returned to his brothers and said, The child, he is not. And I, where shall I go? And they took Joseph's tunic, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood. read more.
And they sent the tunic reaching to the soles of the feet, and they brought it to their father. And they said, We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son's coat or not? And he knew it, and said, It is my son's tunic. An evil beast has eaten 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, For I will go down into the grave to my son mourning. And his father wept for him.

And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, speaking with deceit because he had defiled Dinah their sister. And they said to them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised. For it is a reproach to us. But in this we will agree with you, if you will be as we are, that every male of you be circumcised, read more.
then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will live with you, and we will become one people. But if you will not listen to us, to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will go. And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor's son. And the young man did not hesitate 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 to the gate of their city, and talked with the men of their city, saying, These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them live in the land, and trade in it. For behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters. Only on this condition will the men agree to us, to live with us, to be one people, if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. Shall not their cattle and their substance and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will live with us. And all that went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to Shechem his son. And every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city. And it happened on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took each his sword and came upon the city boldly, and killed all the males. And they killed 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 plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. They took their sheep and their oxen, and their asses, 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, they took captive, and plundered even all that was in the house. And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, You have troubled me, to make me stink among those who live in the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. And I, being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and kill me. And I shall be destroyed, my house and I. And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with a harlot?

And Amnon lay down and made himself sick. And when the king had come to see him, Amnon said to the king, Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat at her hand. And David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare food for him. And Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house. And he had lain down. And she took flour and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. read more.
And she took a pan and poured them out before him. But he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Make every man go out from me. And every man went out from him. And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the room so that I may eat out of your hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother. And when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, Come lie with me, my sister. And she answered him, No, my brother, do not humble me. For no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not do 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. But now please speak to the king. For he will not withhold me from you. But he would not listen to her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.

And Rebekah spoke to her son Jacob, saying, Behold, I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, saying, Bring me game, and make me delicious things so that I may eat and bless you before Jehovah before my death. And now, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you. read more.
Go now to the flock, and bring me from there two good kids of the goats. And I will make them delicious things for your father, such as he loves. And you shall bring it to your father so that he may eat, and that he may bless you before his death. And Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. My father will perhaps 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 to him, Your curse be upon me, my son, only obey my voice and go bring them to me. And he went. And he took them and brought to his mother. And his mother made delicious things such as his father loved. And Rebekah took the clothes of her older son Esau, the costly ones which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. And she put the skins from the kids of the goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck. And she gave the delicious things and the bread which she had prepared into the hand of her son Jacob. And he came to his father and said, My father! And he said, Here I am; who are you, my son? And Jacob said to his father, I am Esau your first-born. I have done as you asked me. Arise, I pray you, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me. And Isaac said to his son, How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because Jehovah your God brought it to me. And Isaac said to Jacob, Come near, I pray you, so that I may feel you, my son, whether you are truly my son Esau or not. And Jacob went near to Isaac his father. And he felt him and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands the hands of Esau. And he did not know him because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands. And he blessed him.

And when those who lived in Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, they worked slyly. For they came and acted as if they were ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their asses, and old and torn and bound up wineskins, and old and patched sandals on their feet, and old clothes on them. And all the bread they had taken was dry and moldy. read more.
And they went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, We have come from a far country. Now therefore, make a treaty with us. And the men of Israel said to the Hivites, Perhaps you are living among us, and how shall we make a treaty with you? And they said to Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are you, and from where do you come? And they said to him, Your servants have come from a very far country, because of the name of Jehovah your God. For we have heard of His fame and all that He did in Egypt, and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. And our elders and all those who live in our country spoke to us saying, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them. Say to them, We are your servants. And now make a treaty with us. We took this bread hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came out to go to you. But now, see, it is dry, and it is moldy. And these wineskins which we filled were new. And, see, they are torn. And these clothes and shoes of ours have become old because of the very long journey. And they received the men because of their provisions, and did not ask at the mouth of Jehovah. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a treaty with them, to let them live. And the rulers of the congregation swore to them.

But when the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, Jehovah raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent a present to Eglon the king of Moab by him. But Ehud made himself a dagger which had two edges, a cubit long. And he tied it under his clothing upon his right thigh. And he brought the present to Eglon king of Moab. And Eglon was a very fat man. read more.
And when he had finished offering the present, he sent away the people who carried the present. But he himself turned again from the graven images by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret message for you, O, king. And he said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. And Ehud came to him. And he was sitting in the cool roof room which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God to you. And he rose 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 haft 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 the dung came out. Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the room upon him, and locked them. And when he had gone out, his servants came. And they looked, and, behold, the doors of the roof room were locked, they said, Surely he is covering his feet in his cool roof room. And they waited until they were ashamed. And, behold, he did not open the doors of the room. And they took a key and opened them. And behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the earth. And Ehud escaped while they waited, and passed beyond the graven images, and escaped to Seirath. And it happened, when he had come, he blew a ram's horn in the mountain of Ephraim, and the sons of Israel went down with him from the mountain, and he before them. And he said to them, Follow after me. For Jehovah has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and did not allow a man to pass over. And they killed about ten thousand of the men of Moab at that time, all lusty, and all men of might. And there did not escape a man. So Moab was subdued under the hand of Israel that day. And the land had rest eighty years.

And it happened afterwards, he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, Lure him and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, so that we may tie him to afflict him. And each one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver. And Delilah said to Samson, Please tell me where your great strength lies, and with what you may be bound to afflict you. read more.
And Samson said to her, If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then I shall 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. And the ambush was sitting for her in the inner room. And she said to him, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! And he broke the cords like a thread of tow when it smells fire. And his strength was not known. And Delilah said to Samson, Behold, you have mocked me and told me lies. Now, please, tell me with what you may be bound. And he said to her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that have never been used, then I shall be weak and be as another man. And Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them, and said to him, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! And the ambush was sitting for her in the inner room. And he broke them from off his arms like a thread. And Delilah said to Samson, You have mocked me until now, and told me lies. Tell me with what you may be bound. And he said to her, If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web. And she fastened it with the pin, and said to him, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! And He awakened out of his sleep, and pulled out the pin, the hand-loom and the web. And she said to him, How can you say, I love you, and your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me in what your great strength lies. And it happened because she distressed him with her words daily, and urged him; and his soul was grieved to death. And he told her all his heart, and said to her, A razor has not come on my hair, for I am a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I will become weak and be like any 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 this once, for he has showed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and brought silver 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 are 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 did not know that Jehovah had departed from him.

If anyone thinks to be religious among you, yet does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is vain.

For he flatters himself in his own eyes in order to find his iniquity, to hate it.

But become 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.

And he said to him, I am a prophet also as you are. And an angel spoke to me by the Word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with you into your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied to him.

My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a torrent; they pass away as the streams of torrents,

And it happened at the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed to Jehovah in Hebron.

And they sent their disciples out to Him along with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that you are true, and that you teach the way of God in truth. Nor do you care for anyone, for you do not regard the person of men.

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

And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, She is my sister. For he feared to say, My wife; lest the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah, because she was beautiful of form.

And after two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by craft and kill Him.

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

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

And the serpent said to 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 so that I may come and worship him also.