Revealing Bible Verses About Hypocrisy

Dear friends, hypocrisy can subtly pervade our lives if we are not vigilant. Scripture contains many sobering warnings about the dangers of pretending to live by virtuous or religious principles that one’s actual behavior contradicts.

When belief and action seriously diverge, we risk slipping into self-deception that can be difficult to recognize or remedy. Wielding spiritual platitudes to impress others while failing to nurture genuine inner righteousness does greater harm to the hypocrite than to those he fools.

The Bible urges consistency between professing faith and demonstrating it through upright conduct, honesty, and wholehearted devotion to God. When chastising those guilty of hypocrisy in His day, Jesus employed strong language. He emphasized practicing what one preaches over making a public spectacle of pious gestures. Genuine humility and purity of heart matter far more to God than outward appearances calculated to mask inner corruption.

Scripture also reminds us that only God fully knows a person’s heart and motives. While fellow men can observe each other’s behavior, the Lord peers into the unseen realm within. Therefore we must guard not only against blatant hypocrisy that fools society, but subtler forms invisible to all but the One to whom we must ultimately answer. For the hidden man of the heart cannot remain concealed from His omniscient eyes.

Now let’s reflect on specific Bible passages that address this sobering topic and search our own hearts.

The Dangers of Hypocrisy

Matthew 23:27-28
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity”

Luke 12:1-2
“In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known”

Matthew 15:7-8
“Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me”

James 3:17
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy”

Romans 2:21-23
“Thou therefore which 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 makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?”

1 John 2:4
“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him”

False Prophets and Teachers

Matthew 7:15
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”

2 Peter 2:1-3
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not”

1 Timothy 4:1-2
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron”

2 Timothy 3:5
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away”

2 Corinthians 11:13-15
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works”

Matthew 24:11
“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many”

Hypocrisy in Personal Conduct

Matthew 6:2
“Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward”

Luke 6:42
“Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye”

Matthew 23:3-4
“All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers”

James 1:26
“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain”

Galatians 6:3
“For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself”

Matthew 6:5
“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward”

Judging Others Hypocritically

Romans 2:1-3
“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?”

Matthew 7:3-5
“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye”

Luke 6:37
“Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven”

James 4:11-12
“Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?”

John 8:7
“So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her”

Romans 14:10
“But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ”

The Consequences of Hypocrisy

1 Timothy 1:19-20
“Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme”

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
“Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved”

Revelation 21:8
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death”

Galatians 2:13
“And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation”

Titus 1:16
“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate”

Matthew 24:51
“And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth”

Exhortations Against Hypocrisy

1 Peter 2:1
“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings”

Luke 12:56-57
“Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?”

Ephesians 4:25
“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another”

Colossians 3:9
“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds”

1 Timothy 4:12
“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity”

James 3:14
“But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth”