16 Bible Verses about Pretending

Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten in front of them and ran away to the wilderness.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Foreigners obey and come crawling.

As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me. Foreigners will cringe in front of me.

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.

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

They devour widows' houses and for pretence make long prayers. These shall receive greater condemnation.

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.

I do not sit with deceitful men, and I will not be found among hypocrites.

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.