40 Bible Verses about Pretence

King Jeroboam's son Abijah became sick. 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. Take him ten loaves of bread, some cakes, and a jar of honey. Ask him what is going to happen to our son. He will tell you.read more.
She went to Ahijah's home in Shiloh. Old age had made Ahijah blind. 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.

Rebekah listened while Isaac was speaking to his son Esau. Esau went into the open country to hunt for some wild game to bring back. 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.'read more.
Now listen to me, Son, and do what I tell you. 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.

Laban had two daughters. The older was named Leah and the younger Rachel. Leah had soft eyes and Rachel was shapely and very beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said: I will work seven years for you, if you will let me marry Rachel.read more.
Laban answered: It is better that I give her to you than to anyone else. Stay here with me. Jacob worked seven years for Laban. The time seemed like only a few days, because he loved Rachel so much. Jacob said to Laban: Give me my wife for the time is completed. I want to marry Rachel now! Laban gathered all the men of the place and gave a feast. In the evening when it was dark, he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him. Jacob slept with her. Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her maid. What have you done to me? Jacob asked Laban: Did I work for you in return for Rachel? Why did you cheat me?

Tamar found out that her father-in-law Judah was going to Timnah to shear his sheep. She realized that Shelah was now a grown man. She had not been allowed to marry him. So she decided to dress in something other than her widow's clothes and to cover her face with a veil. Then she sat outside the town of Enaim on the road to Timnah. Judah came along. He did not recognize her because of the veil. He thought she was a prostitute,read more.
and asked her to sleep with him. She asked: What will you give me if I do?

Joab son of Zeruiah knew the king was still thinking about Absalom. Joab sent someone to Tekoa to get a wise woman from there. He told her: Please act like a mourner. Dress in mourning clothes. Do not use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time. Go to the king and speak to him in this way. Then Joab told her exactly what to say.

Joseph recognized his brothers the moment he saw them. Even so, he acted as if he did not know them and spoke harshly to them: Where did you come from? They answered: From Canaan, to buy food.

Jacob's sons wanted to get even with Shechem and his father because of what happened to their sister. So they tricked them by saying: You are not circumcised! It would be a disgrace for us to let you marry Dinah now. But we will let you marry her, if you and the other men in your tribe get circumcised.

David had a beautiful daughter named Tamar. She was Absalom's sister. She was also the half sister of Amnon. Amnon fell in love with her. Tamar was a virgin. Amnon could not think of a way to be alone with her. He was so upset about it that he made himself sick. Amnon had a friend named Jonadab. He was the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab usually knew how to get what he wanted.read more.
Jonadab said to Amnon: You are the king's son. Even so day after day I see you looking sad. What is the problem? Amnon answered: I am in love with Tamar, the sister of my half brother Absalom. Jonadab said: Pretend that you are sick and go to bed. When your father comes to see you, say to him: 'Please ask my sister Tamar to come and feed me. I want her to fix the food here where I can see her. Then she can serve it to me.' So Amnon went to bed and pretended that he was sick. King David went to see him. Amnon said: Please have Tamar come and make a few cakes here where I can see her. Then she can serve them to me. David sent word to Tamar at the palace: Go to Amnon's house and fix him some food. She went there and found him in bed. She prepared dough and made some cakes there where he could see her. Then she baked the cakes. Tamar emptied them out of the pan for him to eat. But he refused to eat. He said: Send everyone away. So they all left. He said to her: Bring the cakes here to my bed and serve them to me. She took the cakes and went over to him. She offered them to him. He grabbed her and said: Come to bed with me!

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.

There is one who claims to be rich, yet has nothing. There is one who claims to be poor, yet has great riches.

You live in the middle of deceit. Through deceit they refuse to know me, says Jehovah. Thus says Jehovah of Hosts: Behold, I will refine them and assay them. What else can I do, because of the daughter of my people? Their tongue is a deadly arrow. It speaks deceit! With the mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor, but inwardly he sets an ambush for him.read more.
I will punish them for these things, declares Jehovah. I will punish this nation and I will not be satisfied.

The Pharisees took counsel how they might trap him in his talk. They sent their disciples with the Herodians to Jesus. They said: Teacher we know you are truthful. You teach the way of God in truth. And you are not partial to the influence of men. Tell us what you think? Is it lawful to pay the poll tax to Caesar, or not?read more.
Jesus perceived their wickedness. He said: Why do you test me, you hypocrites? Show me the tribute money. They brought a penny (denarius) to him. He asked: Whose image and superscription is on this coin? Caesar's, they said. Then he said: Pay Caesar the things that are Caesar's. Pay God the things that are God's. When they heard it, they were amazed and left him.

Pharisees and Herodians went to him that they might catch him in talk. Teacher, they said, we know that you are truthful, and not concerned about what other people think. You truthfully teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay or should we not pay? Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them: Why do you test me? Show me a denarius.read more.
And they brought it. He said to them: Whose is this image and superscription? They said: Caesar's. Jesus said: Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. They greatly marveled at him.

They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous. The spies listened for something in his speech to deliver him up to the authority of the governor. Teacher, they said, we know that you are right in what you say and teach. You are not partial and do not play favorites. Rather you teach the way of God truthfully. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?read more.
He perceived their craftiness, and replied: Show me a denarius. Whose image and superscription does it have? They said, Caesar's. He said to them: Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. They were not able to apprehend him in front of the people. They were amazed by his answer and kept quiet.

When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, They resorted to a ruse (scheme) (trick). They acted as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, worn out, torn, and mended. They had worn out and patched shoes on their feet, they wore old garments; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.read more.
They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel: We come from a distant country, make a treaty with us. The men of Israel said to the Hivites: Perhaps you live near us. How can we make a treaty with you? They said: We are your servants. Joshua said to them: Who are you? Where do you come from? They said: From a very far country, your servants came because of the name of Jehovah your God, for we have heard about him and all he did in Egypt; and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth. Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying: 'Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them: We are your servants. Therefore make a treaty with us.' We took hot fresh bread for our provision out of our houses on the day we came to you. Now it is dry, and it is moldy: These bottles of wine, which we filled, were new and now they are cracked. Our garments and shoes have become old by reason of the very long journey. The men sampled their provisions but did not ask for counsel from Jehovah. Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live. The leaders of the congregation ratified it by an oath. At the end of three days after they had made a treaty with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them. The children of Israel journeyed to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim. The children of Israel did not kill them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by Jehovah God of Israel. The entire congregation murmured against the princes. But all the leaders said to the entire congregation: We have sworn to them by Jehovah the God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. This we will do to them. We will even let them live in case we become angry. This is because of the oath we swore to them. The leaders said to them: Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water to the entire congregation as the leaders had promised them. Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying: Why did you deceive us, saying: 'We are very far from you' when you dwell among us?

Saul ordered his officials: Find me a woman who is a medium. I will go and consult her. There is one in Endor, they answered. Saul disguised himself. He put on different clothes. After dark he went with two of his men to see the woman. Consult the spirits for me and tell me what is going to happen, he said to her: Call up the spirit of the man I name. The woman answered: You know what King Saul has done? He forced the fortunetellers and mediums to leave Israel. Are you trying to trap me and get me killed?read more.
Saul made a sacred vow. By the living God Jehovah I promise that you will not be punished for doing this, he told her. Whom shall I call up for you? The woman asked. Samuel, he answered. The woman saw Samuel. She screamed and said to Saul, Why have you tricked me? You are King Saul!

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went to Ramoth-gilead. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: I will change my clothing, so that I do not seem to be the king. Then I will go into the fight. You put on your royal robes. So the king of Israel changed his dress and went into the battle. Now the king of Aram had given orders to the thirty-two captains of his war-carriages, saying: Make no attack on small or great, but only on the king of Israel.read more.
So when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said: Truly, this is the king of Israel. They turned against him and surrounded him. Jehoshaphat gave a cry.

Thus the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to Ramoth in Gilead. The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat: I will disguise myself and go into battle. You, however, should wear your royal robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. The king of Aram gave orders to the chariot commanders. He said: Do not fight anyone except the king of Israel.read more.
When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said: He must be the king of Israel. So they surrounded him in order to fight him. When Jehoshaphat cried out Jehovah helped him. God drew them away from him. Soon the chariot commanders realized that Jehoshaphat was not the king of Israel. Then they turned away from him.

David kept running from Saul that day until he came to Gath. There he met with King Achish. The officers of King Achish were also there. They asked Achish: Is David a king back in his own country? Do the Israelites not dance and sing: 'Saul has killed a thousand enemies; David has killed ten thousand enemies?' David thought about what they said. It made him afraid of Achish.read more.
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.

Saul sent messengers to watch David's house and kill him in the morning. Michal, David's wife advised him: If you do not save yourself tonight, you will be dead tomorrow! 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.read more.
Saul sent messengers to get David. Michal said: He is sick. 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?'

([Psalm of David]) I will thank Jehovah at all times. My mouth will always praise him.

Fearing they would be cast ashore on rocky ground they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. The sailors were seeking to flee from the ship. They lowered the boat into the sea by pretending they were lowering some anchors from the bow.

He with a servant who is lightly esteemed is better off than he who has no food and yet is honored.

Later, when Josiah had repaired the Temple, King Necho of Egypt came to fight a battle at Carchemish at the Euphrates River. Josiah went to attack him. Neco sent messengers to Josiah. He said: What is your quarrel with me, king of Judah? I am not attacking you. I have come to fight those who are at war with me. God told me to hurry. God is with me, so stop now or he will destroy you. But Josiah would not stop his attack. He disguised himself as he went into battle. He refused to listen to Necho's words, which came from God. He went to fight in the valley of Megiddo.

Do not loudly announce it when you give to the poor. The hypocrites do this in the houses of worship and on the streets. They do this to be praised by men. Believe me, they have already been paid in full.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that appear beautiful on the outside. They are full of dead men's bones and uncleanness on the inside. You appear righteous to men. However, inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Jesus answered: Be careful that no man misleads you. Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.

Jesus warned them: Take heed that no man lead you astray. Many will come in my name (Greek: onoma: claiming my authority), saying, I am he; and will lead many astray.

He said: Take heed that you are not led astray. Many will come in my name, saying, I am he but the time is not at hand. Do not follow them.

Even after all this, Israel's treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart. She was deceitful, says Jehovah.

You hypocrites (liars)! Isaiah's prophecy was right about you. These people honor me with their lips, but their heart (innermost thoughts) is far from me.

He told them: Isaiah prophesied about you hypocrites. It is written: 'This people honor me with their lips but their heart is far from me.

These people praise me with their words, said Jehovah, but they never draw near to me in their hearts (deepest thoughts). Their reverence for me comes from the repetitious tradition of men.

Then he came across another man, and said: Give me a wound. And the man gave him a blow wounding him. So the prophet went away, and pulling his headband over his eyes to keep his face covered. He took his place by the road waiting for the king. When the king went by he cried out to him: Your servant went out into the fight. A man came to me. He brought a man to me and said: 'guard this man. Do not let him get away. Your life is the price of his life or you will have to give a talent of silver in payment.'read more.
But while your servant was turning this way and that, he was gone. Then the king of Israel said to him: 'You are responsible; you have given the decision against yourself.' He quickly took the headband from his eyes. The king of Israel saw that he was one of the prophets. He said to him: These are the words of Jehovah: 'Because you have let go from your hands the man whom I had put to the curse, your life will be taken for his life, and your people for his people.' Then the king of Israel went back to his house, bitter and angry, he went to Samaria.

Put away all badness and all deception, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil talk.

Remove the false way from me, and graciously grant me your law.

Thousands of people in the crowd were gathered together so much that they bumped into one another. He said to his disciples: First of all, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

For this you were called because Christ also suffered for you. He left you an example (a copy for imitation) (a model) that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin and deception was not found in him.

He was buried like a criminal in a rich mans grave. He had done no wrong, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

We cast down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God. We bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.