23 Bible Verses about Self Justification

Most Relevant Verses

Revelation 6:17

because the great day of their anger has come, and who can stand it?"

Romans 5:1-2

Since we have been given right standing with God through faith, then let us continue enjoying peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have an introduction through faith into this state of God's favor, in which we safely stand; and let us continue exulting in the hope of enjoying the glorious presence of God.

Romans 3:27-30

So where has human boasting gone? It was completely shut out. On what principle? On that of doing something? No, but on the principle of faith. For we hold that a man is brought into right standing with God by faith, that observance of the law has no connection with it. Or is He the God of Jews alone? Is He not the God of heathen peoples too? Of course, He is the God of heathen peoples too,read more.
since there is but one God, who will consider the Jews in right standing with Himself, only on condition of their faith, and the heathen peoples on the same condition.

Galatians 2:20-21

I have been crucified with Christ, and I myself no longer live, but Christ is living in me; the life I now live as a mortal man I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. I never can nullify the unmerited favor of God. For if right standing with God could come through law, then Christ died for nothing.

Luke 16:14-15

Now the Pharisees who were lovers of money had been listening to all this, and they began to ridicule Him. Then He said to them, "You are the men who exhibit your uprightness before the public, but God knows your hearts. For what stands high in the sight of men is detestable in the sight of God.

Luke 18:9-14

To some people who were confident that they themselves were upright, but who scorned everybody else, He told the following story: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee stood and said this self-centered prayer, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, robbers, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector.read more.
I fast two days in the week. I pay a tithe on everything I get.' But the tax-collector stood at a distance and would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but continued to beat his breast, and say, 'O God, have mercy on me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man, and not the other, went back home forgiven and accepted by God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Matthew 23:1-7

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples: "The scribes and Pharisees have taken Moses' seat as teachers. So everything they tell you, do and practice, but stop doing what they do, for they preach but do not practice.read more.
They tie up heavy burdens and fasten them on men's shoulders, but they refuse to lift a finger to help bear them. They do what they do to attract people's attention. They wear on their coats Scripture texts in big letters, and they wear large tassels, and they like the places of honor at feasts and the front seats in synagogues, to be greeted with honor in public places, and to have men call them 'Teacher.'

Mark 12:38-39

And in His teaching He continued to say: "Beware of the scribes who like to go about in long robes, to be saluted with honor in public places, to be seated in the front seats in the synagogues, to occupy the places of honor at banquets --

Luke 20:45-46

While all the people were listening, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes who like to go about in long robes and love to be saluted with honor in public places, to be seated in the front seats in the synagogues, and to occupy the places of honor at banquets --

Romans 2:17-27

Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on law, and boast about God, and understand His will, and by being instructed in the law can know the things that excel, and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness,read more.
a tutor of the foolish, a teacher of the young, since you have a knowledge of the truth as formulated in the law -- you who teach others, do you not teach yourself too? You who preach that men should not steal, do you steal yourself? You who warn men to stop committing adultery, do you practice it yourself? You who shrink in horror from idols, do you rob their temples? You who boast about the law, do you by breaking it dishonor God? For, as the Scripture says, the name of God is abused among the heathen because of you. Now circumcision benefits you only if you practice the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision is no better than uncircumcision. So if the uncircumcised heathen man observes the just demands of the law, will he not be counted as though he were a Jew? And shall not the heathen man who is physically uncircumcised, and yet observes the law, condemn you who have the letter of the law and are physically circumcised, and yet break the law?

Luke 10:25-29

Just then an expert in the law got up to test Him by asking, "Teacher, what shall I do to get possession of eternal life?" And He answered him, "What is written in the law? How does it read?" Then he answered, "You must love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, your whole strength, and your whole mind, and your neighbor as you do yourself."read more.
He said to him, "You have answered correctly. Continue to do this, and you will live." But he, as he wished to justify his question, said, "But who is my neighbor?"

Galatians 3:1-5

O senseless Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose very eyes Jesus Christ was pictured as the crucified One? I want to ask you only this one thing: Did you receive the Spirit by doing what the law commands, or by believing the message you heard? Are you so senseless? Did you begin by the Spirit, but are now approaching perfection by fleshly means?read more.
Have you suffered so much for nothing? If it really is for nothing. Now when He supplies you with the Spirit and performs His wonder-works among you, does He do it because you do what the law commands, or because you believe the message that you heard --

Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came up to Him and asked, "Lord, how many times may my brother wrong me and I have to forgive him? As many as seven?" Jesus answered him: "I tell you, not as many as seven, but as many as seventy times seven! So the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle up his accounts with his slaves,read more.
And when he began, a man was brought to him who owed him ten million dollars. And because he could not pay it, his master ordered him to be sold, yea, even his wife and children and all he had, and payment to be made. So the slave fell down at his feet and pleaded, 'Give me time, and I will pay you every cent of it.' And his master's heart was moved with pity, and he let the slave go free with his debt cancelled. "But that slave went out and found one of his fellow-slaves who owed him twenty dollars, and he caught him by the throat and began to choke him, demanding, 'Pay me what you owe me!' "And his fellow-slave fell down before him and pleaded, 'Give me time, and I will pay you.' But he refused and went out and had him put in jail until he should pay the debt. "When his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly troubled, and went and reported all that happened to their master. Then his master called to him, and said, 'I cancelled all that huge debt of yours, because you pleaded with me to do so. Ought you not to have shown mercy to your fellow-slave, as I too had done for you?' And the master was enraged and turned him over to the official torturers, until he should pay the whole debt. This is the way my heavenly Father too will deal with you, if you do not, each one, heartily forgive your brother."

Matthew 19:16-22

And a man came up to Him and asked, "What is there good that I can do to possess eternal life?" And He answered him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only One who is perfectly good. But if you want to get into that life, you must practice keeping the commandments." He asked Him, "What sort of commandments?" Jesus answered, "You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not lie,read more.
You must practice honoring your father and mother. And you must love your neighbor as you do yourself." The young man said, "I have kept all these commandments; what more do I lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell everything you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come back here and follow me." And when the young man heard that, he went away in deep distress, for he owned a great deal of property.

Mark 10:17-22

As He was again starting on a journey, a man ran up to Him, and knelt to Him, and was asking Him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?" And Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me perfectly good? No one is perfectly good but God Himself. You know the commandments: Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Do not defraud. Practice honoring your father and mother."read more.
But he said to Him, "Teacher, I have kept all these commandments ever since I was a child." Then Jesus looked at him and loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing. Go, sell everything you have, and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come back and follow me." But his countenance fell at that command, and he went away in deep distress, for he owned a great deal of property.

Luke 18:18-23

Then a certain member of the council asked Him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to get possession of eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me perfectly good? No one is perfectly good but God Himself. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Practice honoring your father and mother.'"read more.
But he said, "I have kept all these commandments ever since I was a child." When Jesus heard this, He said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell everything you have, and distribute the money among the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come back and follow me." But when he heard that, he was very sad, for he was surpassingly rich.

Philippians 3:4-9

though I too might rely on these. If anyone thinks that he can rely on outward privileges, far more might I do so: circumcised when I was a week old; a descendant of Israel; a member of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew, a son of Hebrews. Measured by the law, I was a Pharisee; by the standard set by zeal, I was a persecutor of the church, and measured by the uprightness reached by keeping the law, I was faultless.read more.
But for Christ's sake I have counted all that was gain to me as loss. Yes, indeed, I certainly do count everything as loss compared with the priceless privilege of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have lost everything, and value it all as mere refuse, in order to gain Christ and be actually in union with Him, not having a supposed right standing with God which depends on my doing what the law commands, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the real right standing with God which originates from Him and rests on faith.

Romans 2:1-11

Therefore, you have no excuse, whoever you are, who pose as a judge of others, for when you pass judgment on another, you condemn yourself, for you who pose as a judge are practicing the very same sins yourself. Now we know that God's judgment justly falls on those who practice such sins as these. And you, who pose as a judge of those who practice such sins and yet continue doing the same yourself, do you for once suppose that you are going to escape the judgment of God?read more.
Do you think so little of the riches of God's kindness, forbearance, and patience, not conscious that His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But in your stubbornness and impenitence of heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when the justice of God's judgments will be uncovered. For when He finally judges, He will pay everyone with exactness for what he has done, eternal life to those who patiently continue doing good and striving for glory, honor, and immortality, but wrath and fury, crushing suffering and awful anguish, to the self-willed who are always resisting the right and yielding to the wrong, to every human soul who practices doing evil, the Jew first and then the Greek. But glory, honor, and peace will come to everyone who practices doing good, the Jew first and then the Greek; for there is no partiality in God's dealings.

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by His unmerited favor through faith that you have been saved; it is not by anything that you have done, it is the gift of God. It is not the result of what anyone can do, so that no one can boast of it.

Romans 3:21-24

But now God's way of giving men right standing with Himself has come to light; a way without connection with the law, and yet a way to which the law and the prophets testify. God's own way of giving men right standing with Himself is through faith in Jesus Christ. It is for everybody who has faith, for no distinction at all is made. For everybody has sinned and everybody continues to come short of God's glory,read more.
but anybody may have right standing with God as a free gift of His undeserved favor, through the ransom provided in Christ Jesus.

Titus 3:4-7

But when the goodness and lovingkindness of God our Saviour were brought to light, He saved us, not for upright deeds that we had done, but in accordance with His mercy, through the bath of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which He abundantly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Saviour,read more.
so that we might come into right standing with God through His unmerited favor and become heirs of eternal life in accordance with our hope.

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