20 Bible Verses about Falsehood

Peter was seated in the square outside the house, and a servant-girl came to him. She said: You were with Jesus the Galilean. In front of everybody, he replied: I do not know what you are talking about. When he reached the gate, another saw him and said: This man was with Jesus the Nazarene. read more.
Again he denied with an oath: I have no knowledge of the man. A few moments later, those who were near approached and said to Peter: Indeed, you are one of them, because the way you speak gives you away. Then with curses and oaths he said: I do not know the man! And immediately a rooster crowed. Peter remembered what Jesus told him: Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times. He went out and wept bitterly.

He denied it. I do not know and I do not understand what you are talking about, he answered. He went out into the passageway. The servant woman saw him there and told bystanders, He is one of them! Peter denied it again. Later the bystanders accused Peter again saying: You cannot deny that you are one of them, because you, too, are from Galilee. read more.
Then Peter said: I swear I am telling the truth! May God punish me if I lie! I do not know the man you are talking about!

A servant girl saw him sitting by the light of the fire. She looked steadfastly upon him and said: This man was also with him. He denied it saying: Woman, I do not know him! After a little while another saw him, and said: You are one of them. Peter replied: Man I am not! read more.
Another hour passed. Someone else said: It is true this man was with him for he is a Galilean. Peter responded: I do not know what you are talking about! Immediately, while he spoke he heard the cockcrow. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said to him: Before the cockcrow this day you will deny me three times. He left there and wept bitterly.

Simon Peter stood nearby warming himself. They asked him: Are you also one of his disciples? He denied it saying: I am not. One of the servants of the high priest, being a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said: Did I see you in the garden with him? Peter denied it again. Then the cock crowed.

They took them to the magistrates and said: These men, being Jews, cause great trouble in our city. They offer customs that it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans.

We have found this man to be a troublemaker who stirs up sedition (resists lawful authority) among all the Jews throughout the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

The Jews were moved with jealousy so they gathered bad people who organized a crowd for a riot. They assaulted the house of Jason in order to bring them out to the crowd. When they did not find them they dragged Jason and other brothers before the rulers of the city. They said: These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also. Jason welcomed them. They all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.

When he arrived the Jews who also came there from Jerusalem presented many grievous complaints against Paul. They could not prove them. Paul defended himself: Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I committed any sin.

Then the high priest ripped his robes apart and said: He has said evil against God! Why do we need more witnesses? You have heard his words of blasphemy!

We have heard his words against God. What is your opinion? They all said he should be put to death.

The Jews answered him: We do not stone you for good work but for blasphemy. You are a man and you make yourself like God. (John 1:1) Jesus said: Is it not written in your law, I said, you are 'god-like ones'? So if he called them 'god-like ones,' those to whom the word of God came, and the Scriptures may not be annulled, read more.
do you say to the one whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, you blaspheme? And this because I said, I am the Son of God. (Psalm 82:1, 6) (John 1:34; 5:18) (Luke 1:35) If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me. But if I do them and you do not believe me, believe the works! That way you may know and understand that the Father is with me, and I am with the Father.

The Lord Jehovah says: 'I will treat you the way you deserve, because you ignored your promises and broke the covenant.

Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God's name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to Jehovah the God of Israel.

But he rebelled against him! He sent his envoys to Egypt that they might give him horses and many troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Can he indeed break the covenant and escape?' As I am alive,' says the Lord Jehovah, 'this king will die in Babylon because he broke his oath and the treaty with the one who put him on the throne the king of Babylon. Even the powerful army of the king of Egypt will not be able to help him fight when the Babylonians build earthworks and dig trenches in order to kill many people. read more.
He broke his oath and the treaty he had made. He did all these things, and now he will not escape.' The Lord Jehovah says: As surely as I am the living God, I will punish him for breaking the treaty that he swore in my name to keep. I will spread out a hunter's net and catch him in it. I will take him to Babylon and punish him there, because he was unfaithful to me.

Why does this man speak this way? He blasphemes for only God is the one who can forgive sins.

The scribes and the Pharisees reasoned saying: Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

A man on a bed, a paralytic, was brought to Jesus. Seeing their faith Jesus said to the sick man: Have courage; your sins are forgiven. Some of the scribes said among themselves: This man has no respect for God. Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said: Why are your thoughts evil? read more.
Which is easier, to say, your sins are forgiven, or to say, get up and walk? So that you know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins [he turned and spoke to the paralytic or paralyzed man]: Get up, take your bed and go to your house.

This time the Devil took Jesus to an extremely high mountain. He showed him all the kingdoms of the world with all their greatness. I will give all this to you, the Devil told Jesus, if you kneel down and worship me.

Then the devil said: I will give all this authority and glory to you, for it has been turned over to me. I may give it to whomever I will. If you will worship me it will all be yours.

He was about to enter Egypt. He said to his wife Sarai: I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say: 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me, but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake, and my life will be spared because of you. read more.
When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that she was a very beautiful woman. Pharaoh's officials saw her. They praised her to Pharaoh. She was taken into his palace. He treated Abram well for her sake. Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels. Jehovah inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram's wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. What have you done to me? he asked. Why did you not tell me she was your wife? Why did you say: 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!

he said that his wife Sarah was his sister. So King Abimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

Satan replied: Would Job respect you if he got nothing out of it? You have always protected him and his family and everything he owns. You bless everything he does. You have given him enough cattle to fill the whole country.

Satan answered Jehovah: Skin for skin! Certainly, a man will give everything he has for his life. But stretch out your hand, and strike his flesh and bones and he will curse you to your face!

Rebekah said to her son Jacob: I have just heard your father speak to your brother Esau. He said: 'Bring me some wild game, and prepare a good-tasting meal for me to eat. Then I will bless you in the presence of Jehovah before I die.' Now listen to me, Son, and do what I tell you. read more.
Go to the flock and pick out two fat young goats. I will cook them and make some of that food your father likes so much. You take it to him to eat. Then he will give you his blessing before he dies. Jacob said to his mother: You know that Esau is a hairy man. I have smooth skin. Perhaps my father will touch me and find out that I am deceiving him. That way, I will bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing. His mother replied: Let any curse against you fall on me, my son. Just do as I say, and go and get the goats for me. So Jacob brought the meat to his mother. And she cooked the tasty food that his father liked. Then she took Esau's best clothes and dressed Jacob in them. She also covered the smooth part of his hands and neck with goatskins. She gave her son Jacob the good-tasting meal and the bread she had prepared. He went to his father and said: Father? Yes, he answered. Who are you, Son? Jacob answered: I am your older son Esau. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of the meat that I brought you. Then you can give me your blessing. Isaac said: How did you find it so quickly, son? Jacob answered: Jehovah your God helped me find it. Isaac said to Jacob: Please come closer. Let me touch you. Are you really Esau? Jacob went closer. His father touched him. He said: You sound like Jacob, but your hands feel hairy like Esau's. So Isaac blessed Jacob, thinking he was Esau. Isaac asked: Are you really my son Esau? Yes, I am, Jacob answered.

Rebekah said to Isaac: I cannot stand Hittite women! I would rather die than see Jacob marry one of them.

Hushai told the priests Zadok and Abiathar: Ahithophel advised Absalom and the leaders of Israel to do one thing. But I advised them to do something else. Quickly send messengers to tell David: 'Do not rest tonight in the river crossings in the desert. Make sure you cross the river. Otherwise Your Majesty and all the troops with him will be wiped out.' Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En Rogel. They could not risk being seen coming into the city. A servant girl was to go and tell them. They were to go and tell King David. read more.
A young man saw Jonathan and Ahimaaz and told Absalom. So both of them left quickly. They went to the home of a man in Bahurim who had a cistern in his courtyard. They climbed down into it. The man's wife took a covering and spread it over the opening of the cistern. She scattered grain over it so that no one would notice anything. Absalom's officials came to the house and asked the woman: Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? She answered: They crossed the river. The men looked for them but could not find them. So they returned to Jerusalem. After they left, Ahimaaz and Jonathan came up out of the cistern. Then they reported to King David. They told him what Ahithophel planned against him. They said: Hurry up and cross the river. So David and his men crossed the Jordan. By daybreak they had all gone across.

Michal lowered David through a window. He ran away to escape. Then Michal took some idols, laid them in the bed, put a goat-hair blanket at its head, and covered the idols with a garment. Saul sent messengers to get David. Michal said: He is sick. read more.
Then Saul sent messengers to see David. They said: Bring him up to me on his bed. I will put him to death. The messengers entered. There, on the bed was the household idol with the quilt of goats' hair at its head. Saul said to Michal: Why have you deceived me like this? You let my enemy go. He has escaped! Michal said to Saul: He said to me: 'Let me go! Why should I kill you?'

Jehu assembled all the people and said to them: Ahab was Baal's servant in a small way, but Jehu will be his servant on a great scale. Now send for all the prophets of Baal, all his servants and priests, to come to me. Let no one stay away for I have a great offering to make to Baal. Anyone who is not present will be put to death. Jehu did this with deceit. It was his purpose to destroy the servants of Baal. Jehu said: Let there be a special holy meeting for the worship of Baal. So a public statement was made. read more.
Jehu sent through all Israel; and all the servants of Baal came, not one kept away. They entered the house of Baal. It was full from one end to the other end. Jehu said to the keeper of the robes: Get out robes for all the servants of Baal. So he got out robes for them. Jehu, with Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, went into the house of Baal. He said to the servants of Baal: Make a search with care, to see that no servant of Jehovah is with you, but only servants of Baal. They went in to make offerings and burned offerings. Jehu put eighty men outside. He told them: If any man whom I give into your hands escapes, he who lets him go will forfeit his own life for that life. As soon as he finished offering the burned offering Jehu said to the armed men and the captains: Go in and put them to death! Do not let one come out! So they put them to the sword. Pulling the images to the ground, they went into the holy place of the house of Baal. They removed the image of Asherah from the house of Baal and burned it. The altar of Baal was pulled down and the house of Baal was broken up and made an unclean place, as it is to this day. Jehu put an end to the worship of Baal in Israel.

Go back into the city and tell Absalom: Your Majesty, I am your servant. I will serve you just as I served your father in the past. Hushai, if you do that you can help me ruin Ahithophel's plans. Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you. You can tell them everything you hear in the palace. Have them send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what you hear. read more.
David's advisor Hushai slipped back into Jerusalem. Absalom came into the city at the same time.

When he came to Benjamin Gate, the captain of the guard there, whose name was Irijah, son of Shelemiah and grandson of Hananiah, arrested the prophet Jeremiah. He said: You are deserting to the Babylonians! Jeremiah answered: That is not true! I am not deserting to the Babylonians. But Irijah would not listen to him. Irijah arrested Jeremiah and took him to the officials. The officials were so angry with Jeremiah that they beat him and put him in prison in the scribe Jonathan's house, which had been turned into a prison.

Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub's and his entire family who were the priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. Saul said: Listen here, son of Ahitub! He responded: Here I am lord. Saul asked him: Why did you and Jesse's son plot against me? You gave him bread and a sword. You even prayed to God that he could rise up against me and ambush me, as he is doing now. read more.
Ahimelech asked the king: But whom among all your officials can you trust like David? Your Majesty, he is your son-in-law, the commander of your bodyguard. He is honored in your own household. Is this the first time I have prayed to God for him? Not at all! You should not blame my family or me for this. I knew nothing at all about this. The king said: Ahimelech, you and your entire family are going to die.

There was an old prophet living in Bethel. His sons told him what the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They reported what he said to the king. Their father asked: Which way did he go? His sons saw which way the man of God went. So the prophet said to his sons: Saddle the donkey for me. So they saddled the donkey and he mounted it. read more.
He rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree. Are you the man of God who came from Judah? He asked. I am. Came his reply. He said: Come back to the house with me and have a meal. But the man of God from Judah replied: I may not go back with you or go into your house. I will not take food or a drink of water with you in this place. Jehovah said to me: 'You are not to take food or water there, or go back again by the way you came.' Then he said: I am a prophet like you. An angel said to me by the word of Jehovah, Take him back with you and give him food and water. But he lied to him. So he went back with him, and had a meal in his house and a drink of water. But while they were seated at the table, the word of Jehovah came to the old prophet who had brought him back. Crying out to the man of God who came from Judah, he said: Jehovah says, 'because you have gone against the voice of Jehovah, and have not done as Jehovah ordered you, but have come back, and have taken food and water in this place where he said you were to take no food or water; your dead body will not be put to rest with your fathers.'

Right there in front of everyone, he pretended to be insane. He acted confused and scratched up the doors of the town gate. He drooled in his beard. Look at him! Achish said to his officers. You can see he is crazy. Why did you bring him to me? I have enough crazy people without your bringing another one here. Keep him away from my palace!

David's friend Hushai from Archi's family came to Absalom. He said: Long live the king! Long live the king! Is this how loyal you are to your friend? Absalom asked Hushai. Why did you not go with him? Hushai answered: Jehovah and the people of Israel have chosen you to be king. I cannot leave. I must stay and serve the one they have chosen. read more.
After all it seems right for me to serve you, just as I served your father.

Samuel told Saul: Jehovah sent me to anoint you king of his people Israel. Now listen to Jehovah's words: The Israelites were on their way out of Egypt when the nation of Amalek attacked them. I am Jehovah All-Powerful. I am going to make Amalek pay for what he did to Israel! Go and attack the Amalekites! Destroy them and all their possessions. Do not have any pity. Kill their men, women, children, and even their babies. Slaughter their cattle, sheep, camels, and donkeys.' read more.
Saul called his forces together and inspected them at Telem. There were two hundred thousand soldiers from Israel and ten thousand from Judah. Then he and his men went to the city of Amalek. They waited in ambush in a dry riverbed. He sent a warning to the Kenites, a people whose ancestors had been kind to the Israelites when they came from Egypt: Go away and leave the Amalekites. That way I will not kill you along with them. So the Kenites left. Saul defeated the Amalekites. He fought all the way from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt. He captured King Agag of Amalek alive and with the sword he killed all the people. Saul and his men spared Agag's life and did not kill the best sheep and cattle, the best calves and lambs, or anything else that was good. They destroyed only what was useless or worthless. Jehovah spoke to Samuel: I am sorry that I made Saul king. He has turned away from me and disobeyed my commands. Samuel was angry. All night long he pleaded with Jehovah. Early the following morning he went off to find Saul. He heard that Saul had gone to the town of Carmel. There in Carmel he built a monument to himself. Then he went to Gilgal. Samuel went up to Saul. Saul said: Jehovah bless you, Samuel! I have obeyed Jehovah's command. Samuel asked: Why do I hear the sound of cows and sheep? Saul answered: The army brought them from the Amalekites. They spared the best sheep and cows to sacrifice to Jehovah your God. But the rest they claimed for God and destroyed them. Be quiet, Samuel told Saul, Let me tell you what Jehovah told me last night. Speak, Saul replied. Samuel said to Saul: You are little in your own eyes. Even though you are a leader of all of the tribes of Israel that Jehovah anointed king over Israel. Jehovah sent you on a mission. He said: Go and destroy those sinners, the Amalekites. Fight against them until every one is dead. Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you pounce on the plunder? Why did you do evil in the sight of Jehovah? Then Saul said to Samuel: I did obey the voice of Jehovah. I went on the mission Jehovah sent me. I brought back Agag the king of Amalek. I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. The people took from the plunder of the flock the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. Samuel said: What is more pleasing to Jehovah, burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Obeying is better than sacrifice. To pay attention is better than the fat of rams. The sin of divination is rebellion. Wickedness and idolatry are arrogance. They are evil. Because you rejected the word of Jehovah, he rejects you as king. Then Saul told Samuel: I have sinned by not following Jehovah's command or your instructions. I was afraid of the people and listened to them. But now I beg you, forgive my sin and return with me, so that I can worship Jehovah. I will not return with you, Samuel answered. You rejected Jehovah's command. He has rejected you as king of Israel.

when Elisha's servant Gehazi said to himself: My master has let Naaman get away without paying a thing! He should have accepted what that Syrian offered him. By the living God Jehovah I will run after him and get something from him. He ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw a man running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him, and asked: What is wrong? Nothing is wrong, answered Gehazi. But my master sent me to tell you that just now two members of the group of prophets in the hill country of Ephraim arrived. He would like you to give them three thousand pieces of silver and two changes of fine clothes. read more.
Please take six thousand pieces of silver, Naaman replied. He tied the silver in two bags and gave them and two changes of fine clothes to two of his servants, and sent them on ahead of Gehazi. They reached the hill where Elisha lived. Gehazi took the two bags and carried them into the house. Then he sent Naaman's servants back.

Reuben came back to the pit and found that Joseph was not there. He tore his clothes in sorrow. He returned to his brothers and said: The boy is not there! What am I going to do? Then they killed a goat and dipped Joseph's robe in its blood. read more.
They took the robe to their father and said: We found this. Does it belong to your son? He recognized it and said: Yes, it is his! Some wild animal has killed him. My son Joseph has been torn to pieces! Jacob tore his clothes in sorrow and put on sackcloth. He mourned for his son a long time. All his sons and daughters came to comfort him. However, he refused to be comforted. He said: I will go down to the grave still mourning for my son. So he continued to mourn for his son Joseph.

The soldiers were instructed to say: His disciples came at night and stole him while we slept.

So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continues until this day.

I went up to him and killed him. I knew that he would die anyway as soon as he fell. Then I took the crown from his head and the bracelet from his arm. Here, I have brought them to you. David and all his men tore their clothes in sorrow. They grieved and mourned and fasted until evening for Saul and Jonathan and for Israel, the people of Jehovah, because so many had been killed in battle.

she called her household servants and said to them: Look! My husband brought this Hebrew here to fool around with us. He came in and tried to go to bed with me. I screamed as loud as I could. When he heard me scream, he ran out of the house, leaving his coat with me. Potiphar's wife kept Joseph's coat until her husband came home. read more.
She said: That Hebrew slave of yours tried to rape me!

David and his men raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. Their territory extends from Telaim to Shur and Egypt. David attacked the territory and left no man or woman alive. He also took sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing and returned to Achish. Achish would ask: Whom did you raid today? David would answer: The south country (Negev) in Judah, or the south country of the Jerahmeelites, or the south country of the Kenites. read more.
He did not bring a single man or woman back to Gath alive. He thought, they could tell Achish what I really did. This was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. Achish trusted David and thought: David's people must be furious with him. From now on he will have to take orders from me.

Then his wife Jezebel said: Are you now the ruler of Israel? Get up, eat and be happy. I will give you the garden of Naboth the Jezreelite. So she sent a letter in Ahab's name, stamped with his stamp, to the elders and nobles who were in authority with Naboth. The letter she wrote is as follows: Let a time of public sorrow be fixed, and put Naboth at the head of the people. read more.
Get two good-for-nothing persons to come before him and give witness that he has been cursing God and the king. Then take him out and have him stoned to death. So the elders and nobles in authority in his town did as Jezebel said in the letter she sent them. They gave orders for a day of public sorrow and put Naboth at the head of the people. The two good-for-nothing persons came in and took their seats before him and gave witness against Naboth, in front of the people. They said: Naboth has been cursing God and the king. Then they took him outside the town and had him stoned to death.

he sent for him and said: I made you promise in Jehovah's name not to leave Jerusalem. I warned you that if you ever did, you would die. Did you not agree to it and say that you would obey me? Why did you break your promise and disobey my command?

Jesus answered: I will ask you one question. If you give me the answer, I will say by what authority I do these things. Where did the baptism of John come from? Was it from heaven or from men? They talked among themselves. If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why did you not have faith in him?' But if we say, 'From men,' we must fear the people, because they all recognize John to be a prophet. read more.
Therefore they answered: We have no idea. He replied to them: Then I will not tell you by what authority I do these things.

Hushai said: This time Ahithophel's advice is not very good. You know your father and his followers are mighty warriors. They are as fierce as a mother bear whose cubs have just been killed. Your father has a lot of experience in fighting wars. He will not spend the night with the others. He has no doubt already found a hiding place in a cave or somewhere else. When people hear that some of your soldiers have been killed, everyone will think your entire army has been destroyed. read more.
Even the bravest man with a heart like a lion would lose his courage. All Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and the men with him are brave. My advice is to gather all Israel's troops from Dan to Beersheba. They are as numerous as the sand on the seashore. Lead them into battle yourself. Find him and attack him! We will fall on him as dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. If he retreats into a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city and drag it into a valley. Not even a pebble will be found there. Absalom and all the people of Israel said: The advice of Hushai from Archi's family is better than Ahithophel's advice. Jehovah commanded Ahithophel's good advice to be defeated in order to ruin Absalom.

Elisha went to Damascus when King Benhadad of Syria was sick. The king was told that Elisha was there. He said to Hazael, one of his officials: Take a gift to the prophet and ask him to consult Jehovah to find out whether or not I am going to get well. Hazael loaded forty camels with all kinds of the finest products of Damascus and went to Elisha. Hazael said: Your servant, King Benhadad sent me to ask if he will recover from his sickness. read more.
Elisha answered: Jehovah has revealed to me that he will die. However go to him and tell him that he will recover. Elisha stared at him in horror until Hazael became ill at ease. Suddenly Elisha burst into tears. Why are you crying? Hazael asked. Because I know the horrible things you will do against the people of Israel, Elisha answered. You will burn their fortresses, slaughter their finest young men, batter their children to death, and rip open their pregnant women. How could I ever be that powerful? Hazael asked. I am nobody, only a dog. Elisha replied: Jehovah has revealed to me that you will be king of Syria. Hazael returned to Benhadad, who asked him: What did Elisha say? He told me that you will certainly get well, Hazael answered. The following day Hazael took a blanket, soaked it in water, and smothered the king. Hazael succeeded Benhadad as king of Syria.

Ehud made himself a double-edged sword about a foot and a half long. He fastened it on his right side under his clothes. He took the gifts to Eglon, who was a very fat man. When Ehud gave him the gifts, he told the men who carried them to go back home. read more.
But Ehud turned back at the carved stones near Gilgal, went back to Eglon, and said: Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you. So the king ordered his servants: Leave us alone! Then they all went out. The king was sitting there alone in his cool room on the roof. Ehud went over to him and said: I have a message from God for you. The king stood up. With his left hand Ehud took the sword from his right side and plunged it into the king's belly. The whole sword went in, handle and all, and the fat covered it up. Ehud did not pull it out of the king's belly, and it stuck out behind, between his legs. Ehud went outside, closed the doors behind him, locked them.

The people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain. They gathered around Aaron. They said to him: We do not know what has happened to Moses, the man who led us out of Egypt. Make gods to lead us. Aaron replied: Have your wives, sons, and daughters take off the gold earrings they are wearing. Bring them to me. The people took off their gold earrings and handed them to Aaron. read more.
After he worked on the gold with a tool, he made it into a statue of a calf. Then they said: Israel, this is your god, who brought you out of Egypt. Aaron built an altar in front of it when he saw what happened. Then he announced: Tomorrow there will be a festival in Jehovah's honor. Early the next day the people sacrificed burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. After that they sat down to a feast, which turned into an orgy. Jehovah said to Moses: Go down there. Your people whom you brought out of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have already turned from the way I commanded them to live. They made a statue of a calf for themselves. They have bowed down to it and offered sacrifices to it. They said: Israel, here is your god who brought you out of Egypt.' Jehovah added: I have seen these people. They have an iron sinew (stiff necked people) (are impossible to deal with). Now let me alone. Let my anger burn against them. I am so angry with them I am going to destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation. But Moses pleaded with Jehovah his God. Jehovah, he said, why are you so angry with your people? These are your people whom you brought out of Egypt using your great power and mighty hand! Do not let the Egyptians say: 'He was planning all along to kill them in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth. That is why he brought them out of our land.' Do not be so angry. Reconsider your decision to bring this disaster on your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. You took an oath, swearing on yourself. You told them: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. I will give to your descendants all the land I spoke of. It will be their long lasting possession.' So Jehovah changed his mind and did not bring disaster on his people as he threatened. Moses went back down the mountain. He carried the two stone tablets with the commandments written on both sides. God made the tablets and engraved the commandments on them. Joshua heard the people shouting and said to Moses: I hear the sound of war in the camp. Moses replied: That does not sound like a shout of victory or a cry of defeat; it is the sound of singing. Moses came close enough to the camp at the foot of the mountain to see the bull-calf and to see the people dancing. He became furious! He threw down the tablets he was carrying and broke them. He took the bull-calf that they had made, melted it, ground it into fine powder, and mixed it with water. Then he made the people of Israel drink it. Moses asked Aaron: What did these people do to harm you? Why did you make them sin in this terrible way? Aaron said, Do not be angry with me. You know the people as well as I do. They are determined to do evil. They said to me: 'That man Moses led us out of Egypt, but now we do not know what has happened to him. Make us a god to lead us.' Then I asked them to bring me their gold earrings. They took them off and gave them to me. I threw the gold into a fire, and out came this bull.

They secretly induced me to say: We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. They stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and pursued him. They caught him and brought him to the council. They brought false witnesses, which said: This man will not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. read more.
We heard him say: 'This Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.'

Jehovah told him: Jeroboam's wife is coming to ask you about her son, for he is sick. Jehovah told Ahijah what to say. Jeroboam's wife pretended to be someone else when she arrived there. Ahijah heard her coming in the door and said: Come in. I know you are Jeroboam's wife. Why do you pretend to be someone else? I have bad news for you. Go and tell Jeroboam that this is what Jehovah, the God of Israel, says to him: I chose you from among the people and made you the ruler of my people Israel.

Adam said: The woman you put here with me gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it. Then Jehovah God said to the Eve: What is this you have done? The woman answered: The serpent deceived me, and I ate.

His wife Rebekah was very beautiful. He was afraid that someone might kill him to get her. So he told everyone that Rebekah was his sister. After Isaac had been there a long time, King Abimelech looked out a window and saw Isaac intimately laughing and caressing Rebekah. Abimelech called him in and said: Rebekah must be your wife! Why did you say she is your sister? I thought someone would kill me, Isaac answered. read more.
Do you know what you have done? Abimelech shouted. If someone had slept with her, you would have made our whole nation guilty!

Abraham said that she was his sister. She said the same thing. I did this with a clear conscience. I have done no wrong!

He said to Sarah: Do not forget that I have given your brother twenty-five pounds of silver. This is to silence any criticism against you from everyone with you. You are completely cleared.

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. They kept back part of the money. His wife was also knowledgeable of the transaction. They brought part of the funds to the apostles. Peter said: Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the money from the land sale? read more.
While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your power? Why did you conceive this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God. Hearing these words Ananias fell down and died. Great fear came over all those who heard these things. The young men arose, covered him up, and carried him out, and buried him. About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. Peter said to her: Tell me whether you sold the land for such a price? And she said: Yes, we did. Then Peter said: How is it that you have agreed together to put Jehovah's Spirit to the test? Look, those who buried your husband are at the door to carry you out. Then she fell down at his feet and died. The young men came in, and found her dead. They carried her out to be buried by her husband.

You are making a fatal mistake. You asked me to pray to Jehovah our God for you, and you promised that you would do everything that he commands.

The woman took the two men, and hid them. She said: Men came to me but I did not know where they came from. When it was dark and they shut the gate the men went out. I do not know where they went. Pursue them quickly and you will overtake them. She hid them on the rooftop of the house. She covered them with stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.

He said the same to the second son. That son answered, 'Yes, I will go,' but he did not go to work.

One of them, a prophet of their own, said: Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons.

Jeroboam said to his wife: Disguise yourself so that no one will recognize you, and go to Shiloh. That is where the prophet Ahijah lives. He is the one who said I would be king of Israel.

King Solomon took an oath by Jehovah, saying: May God's punishment be on me if Adonijah does not give payment for these words with his life.

The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'A gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Wisdom is justified by its actions.

Sarah denied saying: I did not laugh! She was afraid. He said: But you did laugh!

You will not die, the serpent said to the woman. God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened. Then you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Again he said: Stand at the door of the tent. When any man comes to inquire and asks: 'Is there a man here?' Say: No.'

He sent them to Bethlehem. He said: Search diligently for the young child. When you find him, bring me word so I may come and bow down to him also.

Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a nation living here and there in small groups among the people in all the divisions of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of any other nation. They do not keep the king's laws. For this reason it is not right for the king to let them be.

Jehovah asked Cain: Where is your brother Abel? I do not know, he replied. Am I my brother's keeper?