30 Bible Verses about Self Deception

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

What! know ye not that the unjust shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor rapacious persons, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

but if we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

because thou sayst, I am rich, and wealthy, and have want of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

But wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites, who shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, nor suffer those that are entering to go in. Wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; for ye devour widows houses, and for a cover make long prayers: therefore ye shall receive the heavier judgement. Wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites: for ye compass sea and land to make a proselyte, and when he is gained, ye make him more the child of hell than yourselves.

But wo unto you pharisees, who tithe even your mint, and rue, and all your herbs, and pass by judgement and the love of God: these ought ye to practise and not to omit the others. Wo unto you pharisees; for ye love the chief seat in synagogues, and salutations in public places. Wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; for ye are like graves that do not appear, and those that walk over them are not aware of them.read more.
And one of the doctors of the law answered and said unto Him, Master, in saying these things thou reproachest us also. And He said, Wo unto you also, ye interpreters of the law, for ye load men with insupportable burthens, and ye yourselves touch not the burthens with one of your fingers. Wo unto you; who build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Thus ye testify that ye approve of the deeds of your fathers; for they put them to death, and ye build their sepulchres. And therefore the wisdom of God hath said, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute: that the blood of all the prophets which has been shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the temple. Verily I tell you, it shall be required of this generation. Wo unto you interpreters of the law; for ye have taken away the key of knowledge, ye entered not in yourselves, and those that were entering in, ye hindered.

They answered Him, We are the seed of Abraham, and never were slaves to any one, how then dost thou say, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily I say unto you, whosoever maketh a practice of sin, is the servant of sin.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a mirror, who beheld himself, and went away, and immediately forgot what manner of man he was.read more.
But he that looketh well into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his heart, this man's devotion is vain.

Come now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go to such a city, and spend a year there, and trade and get gain; (though ye know not what will be on the morrow; for what is your life? a vapor, which appeareth for a little while, and then vanisheth away:) whereas ye ought to say, If the Lord will, and we should live, and do this or that:read more.
but ye glory in your presumption: all such glorying is wicked.

And He spake a parable to them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do? for I have not room to lay up my corn. And he said, This I will do: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will bestow all my products and my goods.read more.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast plenty of goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?

Bring forth therefore fruits becoming: penitents: and do not say within your selves, "We have Abraham for our father:" for I tell you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

Bring forth therefore fruits becoming penitents, and do not say within yourselves, "We have Abraham for our father," for I tell you that God can of these stones raise up children to Abraham.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of my Father, who is in heaven: many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name have wrought many miracles? and I will then declare unto them, I never owned you, depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.

When the master of the house shall have risen up and shut the door, and ye begin to stand without and knock at the door saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and He shall answer and say to you, I know you not, whence ye are: then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drank in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets, But He will say, I tell you, I know you not, whence ye are; depart from me all ye workers of iniquity:

Then will He say also to those on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was famishing, and ye gave me nothing to eat; I was a-thirst, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye took no care of me.read more.
Then will they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee famishing, or a-thirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not relieve thee? Then will He reply to them, saying, Verily I tell you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the lest of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life everlasting.

They answered Him, Abraham is our father, Jesus replied, If ye were the children of Abraham, ye would do the works of Abraham: but now ye seek to kill me, who have told you the truth which I have heard from God: Abraham did not thus. But ye do the works of your father. Then said they unto Him, We are not born of fornication, we have one Father, even God.read more.
Jesus said unto them, If God were your father, ye would love me: for I came forth, and do come, from God; neither came I of myself, but He sent me. And why do ye not understand my language, but because ye cannot bear my doctrine? Ye are of your father the devil, and are bent upon doing the lusts of your father: he was a murderer from the beginning, and continued not in the truth: for there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh like himself, for he is a liar, and the father of such. And because I say the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convicteth me of sin? And if I speak truth, why do ye not believe me? He, that is of God, receiveth the words of God; but ye therefore receive them not, because ye are not of God.

Behold thou art called a Jew, and restest on the law, and boastest in God, and knowest his will, and approvest things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, and art persuaded that thou art a guide of the blind,read more.
a light to them that are in the darkness, an instructor of the simple, a teacher of babes, having the form of the knowledge and of the truth which is in the law. Thou then, who teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Thou, that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou, that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? Thou, that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou, that boastest in the law, dost thou by transgression of the law dishonour God? for through you the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, as it is written. For circumcision indeed is profitable, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcised keep the righteous precepts of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be accounted to him for circumcision? and shall not the uncircumcision that is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision art a transgressor of the law? for he is not a Jew, who is only so in appearance; nor is that circumcision, which is only in appearance, in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit, not in the letter: whose praise is not from men, but from God.

and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God.

Beware of those that are like dogs, beware of evil doers, beware of the concision. For we are of the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit, rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other thinks he hath whereof to trust in the flesh, I more:read more.
having been circumcised on the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of Hebrews, with respect to the law a pharisee, as to zeal persecuting the church, as to the righteousness of the law blameless: but those things, which were once gain to me, I counted loss for Christ.

Let no one deceive himself: if any among you seem to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be truly wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is written, "He taketh the wise in their own craftiness:" and again, "The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain."

But Peter answered and said to Him, though they should all be offended in thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I tell thee that this night, before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. Peter replied, though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. And so likewise said all the disciples.

And Jesus saith unto them, Ye will all of you be made to offend on my account this night; for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: but after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. But Peter said to Him, though all should be made to offend, yet will not I.read more.
And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I tell thee, that to day, even in this very night, before the cock crow twice thou wilt deny me thrice. But he said with the more vehemence, Though I should die with thee, I will never disown thee. And so likewise said they all.

And he said unto Him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee both to prison and to death. But He replied, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before thou hast thrice denied that thou knowest me.

Peter saith unto Him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thee. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily verily I tell thee, The cock shall not crow till thou hast denied me thrice.

For we presume not to number, or compare ourselves with some who recommend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are void of understanding.

For if any one thinketh that he is something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

And when thou prayest, be not like the hypocrites; for they love to pray in public assemblies, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be taken notice of by men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

And He said unto them, Ye justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

And He spake also this parable to some that trusted in themselves as being righteous, and despised others. Two men went up to the temple to pray; the one a pharisee and the other a publican. The pharisee standing by himself prayed thus, O God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, rapacious, unjust, adulterous, or even as this publican.read more.
I fast twice a week, and I give tithes of all that I possess. But the publican standing at a distance did not presume so much as to lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, O God, be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for whoever exalteth himself shall be abased, but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Inasmuch as from the first creation of the world, the invisible things of Him, even his eternal power and Godhead, are, if attended to, clearly seen in his works: so that they are inexcusable; because having thus known God they glorified Him not as God, neither were they thankful; but were infatuated by their own reasonings, and their heart being void of understanding was darkened. Pretending to be wise they Became fools:read more.
and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for an image like to corruptible man, and birds, and beasts, and reptiles.