30 Bible Verses about Outward Appearance

you will know them by their fruits: do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? so every good tree yields good fruit: but a corrupt tree yields bad fruit. a good tree cannot produce bad fruit: neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.read more.
every tree that doth not yield good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire. by their fruits then shall ye know them.

Certainly a good tree does not produce bad fruit: nor does a bad tree produce good fruit. for every tree is known by its fruit: it is not on thorns that men gather figs, nor do they gather grapes on a bramble bush. a good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces what is good: and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart produces what is evil: for 'tis from the abundance of the heart, that the mouth speaketh.

even so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father who is in heaven.

Either allow the tree to be good, and its fruit good; or else say the tree is corrupt, and its fruit corrrupt: for a tree is distinguished by its fruit. O degenerate race, how can ye, wicked as ye are, utter any thing that is good? for "'tis the overflowing of the heart that the mouth dischargeth." a good man out of the good treasure produces good things: and an evil man, out of the evil treasure, produces evil things.read more.
but I declare unto you, that men shall give an account at the day of judgment, of every scandalous expression they utter. for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

my father will be honour'd by your bearing much fruit, and you will have the honour of being my disciples.

just so faith, if it be not operative, is intirely lifeless. it will be said, "you have a speculative faith, but mine is practical. where is your faith, if no effects appear? as for me, my actions will vouch for my faith.

but he was troubled at this answer, and went away very sorrowful, for he had a great estate.

wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye clean the outside of the cup, and of the plate, but within they are full of rapine and impurity. thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and plate, that the outside may be likewise clean. wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye are like whited sepulchres, which to outward appearance are fine. but within are full of dead mens bones, and all sort of filth.read more.
just so ye put on an air of probity in the sight of men, but within are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Beware of false prophets, who to outward appearance are sheep, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

upon which the Lord said to him, you Pharisees won't leave any filth upon the outside of a cup or a platter: while your consciences are abandon'd to rapine, and sensuality. do you stupidly imagine that he, who made the outward man, did not make the inward too? be but charitable to the utmost of your ability, and every thing will be pure to you.

for these are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguised so as to pass for true apostles. and no wonder; for satan himself may put on the appearance of an angel of light. therefore it is not strange if his agents are so disguised as to appear like ministers of the gospel; but their end shall be answerable to their actions.

by which indeed they make a pretence to wisdom, by a worship of their own devising, by an air of humility, and self-denial, and a disregard to the gratifications of sense.

be not unmindful of hospitality: for thereby some have unknowingly entertained angels.

if to avoid the violation of the Mosaic law, a man be exposed to circumcision on the sabbath-day, are ye angry at me, because I cured a man, whose whole body was indisposed on the sabbath-day? judge not according to appearances, but judge according to equity.

The Pharisees too, who were noted for avarice, heard all this discourse, and treated him with derision. but he said to them, you pretend to piety before men, which, however they may admire, is an abomination to God, who knows your real temper.

you pass sentence according to your passions: I pass sentence on no man;

Do ye judge of things by the outward appearance? if any man is confident in himself, that he is Christ's, let him from himself conclude too, that as he is Christ's, even so are we.

My brethren, let not your christian profession be accompanied with partiality. when any one, adorn'd with a gold ring, and a splendid dress, enters into your assembly; and a poor man comes in meanly habited: if you should respectfully say to the suit of fine cloths, sit you there, that's for quality; and to the poor man, stand thou there, or place your self at my feet:read more.
have not you made an arbitrary distinction, don't your judgments flow from a vicious principle?

you say you are rich, and have increased your gain, and have need of nothing; but you do not consider that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

but he said to them, you pretend to piety before men, which, however they may admire, is an abomination to God, who knows your real temper.

But as for those who were men of real eminency, how considerable soever they were heretofore, it does not any ways affect me; God accepts not the person of any man: for they who were of note, in conference with me, had nothing new to add.

I will strike her children dead; and all the churches shall know that I am he who searcheth the reins and the heart: and I will give to every one of you according to your works.

then in the audience of all the people, he said to his disciples, beware of the Scribes, who are fond of appearing in their long robes, affect to be saluted in publick, to have the upper hand in the synagogues, and at all entertainments. who under the pretext of their long prayers devour the fortunes of widows. wherefore they shall be punish'd with greater severity.

therefore, when you give alms, do not make a proclamation of it as the hypocrites do, in their publick assemblies by sound of trumpet, that they may have the applause of men. for I assure you, they have their reward.

and this I say, not to commend myself again unto you, but to give you an occasion of glorying on my account, that you may confront those who make a false show of glorying.

they who desire to make a figure in the world, constrain you to be circumcised, only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

for which cause I am not discouraged, but tho' my body decays, yet my mind is daily renewed. for the light affliction, which I at present suffer, will be infinitely over-ballanced by an eternal weight of glory; for I have no regard to the things which are visible, but to such as are invisible: since visible things are temporary, but the invisible are eternal.

for it is not the Jew in outward appearance, neither is it the external mark of circumcision: but it is the Jew, who is so inwardly, and it is the circumcision of the heart, according to the spiritual, not the literal sense, which have the approbation, I do not say of men, but of God.

let their ornament consist, not in what is external, in curling the hair, in appendages of gold, or finery of dress; but in the internal qualities of the mind, in that purity, in that mild and dispassionate temper, which is so acceptable to the divine being. the holy religious women of former times were thus adorned, and were submissive to their husbands.

and that the women be decent in their apparel, adorned with modesty and reserve, not with broider'd hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but, as becomes women, who make a profession of religion, to be adorn'd with virtue.