75 Top Bible Verses About Lying and Deceit

There is so much good information in these Bible verses about lying and deceit! The Scripture references in this article will guide you in discerning safe relationships from unsafe relationships. You will learn how to spot manipulation and deal with people who have a pattern of manipulation. Additionally, you will be prompted to talk with God about any subtle patterns of deceit in your own heart, such as, people pleasing and lies of omission. This powerful information taken direct from the Holy Bible will transform your life and relationships!

God is Truth

Before we can dive into Bible verses about lying and deception, we must establish how vital truth is. There are so many contrasts in the Bible, such as God being true and the enemy being the father of lies; light and darkness; good and evil. 

God’s Word is very clear that He values truth and He Himself embodies Truth- it is one of His attributes. He is Truth and only speaks the truth, therefore this makes God so trustworthy. The truth can never change and always be relied upon. This gives us great peace as we cling to security that comes with what is true and unchanging.

Titus 1:2 God Cannot Lie

in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,

John 17:17 God’s Words are Truth

Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

John 17:3 Only One True God

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

John 14:6 Jesus is the Truth

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

The Enemy is the Father of Lies and Deception

The enemy is Satan and he is known as the father of lies as well as a deceiver. He opposes God, God’s people and God’s plans. As a result, he uses deception as a weapon of opposition because it is part of his character. Deception and manipulation create confusion and lead us away from Truth and keep us from living out the Truth. 

Satan is a Liar

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Satan is Deceptive

2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

God Loves Honesty and Blesses Honesty

Proverbs 12:22 – Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.

Ephesians 4:15 – “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,”

1 Peter 3:10 – For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;

Zechariah 8:16 – “These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace;”

Proverbs 12:19 – Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Psalm 10:9 – Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

Proverbs 16:13 – Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.

​What does the bible say about lying?

Before diving into what the Bible says about lying and deception, let’s define “lying”.  Lying is simply the act of deliberately presenting something that is untrue as though it were the truth. Deceit is any act aimed at the concealment, distortion or misinterpretation of truth. Anything forbidden by God, which includes lying, is protection. God clearly outlines what is best for His people in His Word. He is a good Father, who guides us to do what will help us thrive in this world. The Word of God, clearly directs us to put on the new self, which includes being a truth teller. As we identified earlier, God is True and only speaks Truth. We are made in His image and are called to reflect Truth. Let’s take a peek at some powerful Bible verses about lying and deceit.

One of the Ten Commandments explicitly tells us “don’t tell lies”. 

Exodus 20:16 – You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Lying is even listed as one of the things God hates. He hates it because He knows how destructive lying can be in our lives, relationships and community. Our Heavenly Father knows the pain that conflict, confusion and division brings when we engage in lying or are being deceived.

Proverbs 6:16-19 – There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Proverbs 12:22 – Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.

Zechariah 8:16-17 – ​These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.

Consequences of Lying in the Bible

Lying can lead to a variety of problems and negative consequences in your personal life, relationships, and in society. God values the truth and calls His people to mirror the light of Christ to others and the world around us. Let’s outline some Bible verses about lying and deceit and the consequences that come with it.

Broken Relationships

Proverbs 16:28 –  A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.

Dishonesty creates strife and division within our relationships. Seeking to maintain integrity in our relationships through being a truth teller increases trust. Without trust, a relationship breaks down. Deception wrecks the foundation of trust in relationships leading to conflict and chaos.

Creates Conflict and Disaster

Proverbs 6:14-15 – …who plots evil with deceit in his heart – he always stirs up conflict. Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed – without remedy.

Emotional & Mental Distress 

Psalm 51 –Lying and deception can lead to feelings of guilt, anxiety, and stress, as they constantly worry about being discovered or the consequences of their deceit. We saw that in David’s Psalm 51 when the prophet Nathan confronted David’s sin with Bathsheba. He was heartbroken due to the deception that was involved with adultery and murder.

Damage to Reputation

Romans 1:29 – They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips.

Lying can harm a person’s reputation and credibility. Once someone’s dishonesty is discovered, their integrity and reliability may be questioned, making it difficult for others to have confidence in them.

Emotional Harm

When you are on the receiving end of a pattern of deception, it is emotionally abusive. Any form of lying and manipulation (i.e. gaslighting, passive aggressiveness, etc.) leads to hurt, betrayal and emotional distress. Additionally, it robs people of security and safety in their relationship when someone in their life has a pattern of deception. 

Negatively Impacts Community

Proverbs 29:12 – If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked.

Stirs Up Conflict in Community

Proverbs 6:19 –…a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

Communication Breakdown

 Lying hinders effective communication. When falsehoods are present, it becomes challenging to establish clear and accurate understanding, leading to misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and a breakdown in effective communication.

Loss of Trust 

Trust is so hard to gain- usually taking much time to build. However, trust can be lost in a single moment and difficult to regain when lying and deception are involved. Lying erodes trust between individuals. When someone is caught lying or consistently engages in deception, it can damage relationships and make it difficult for others to trust them in the presently and in the future.

Patterns of Lying Will Grow (if left unchecked)

James 1:15-16 – but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Lying Will Be Caught

Proverbs 10:9 – Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

So many people choose to manage their lives with deception, as a result, end up with broken relationships, addtional distress and a reputation that is hard to overcome. There is a reason God’s best for His people include telling the Truth- it’s a necessary part of healthy relationship, healthy lives and a reputation that glorifies God.

What does the Bible say about manipulation?

While the word “manipulate” is not in the Bible, it is however a form of deception. It includes ways we influence others to get what we want. I believe we all do this sometimes (more on that later). According to Web MD, manipulation is the exercise of harmful influence over others. People who manipulate others attack their mental and emotional sides to get what they want. Another definition on the web: control or influence (a person or situation) cleverly, unfairly, or unscrupulously.

​I loved this definition- specifically because it points to manipulation being done in order to “get what they want”. I think it is safe to say everyone has used manipulation at times to get what they want. Let me elaborate: Examples of manipulation include

gas lighting, playing the victim, guilt tripping, love bombing, silent treatment, directly lying, passive aggressiveness, exaggerating and criticizing. This is not an exaustive list, but you get the idea. As we navigate through the Bible verses on lying and deceit, it can be tempting to see it in others, but there is deception in each of us as well. Sometimes that deception seems as innocent as not sharing our authentic selves with others. It could also also be in avoiding conflict and people pleasing. If this speaks to your heart, I have hope to share with you later in the article.

What does the bible say about dealing with manipulators?

Be Discerning

Matthew 10:15 – Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

There is so much good in the world, but we need to be aware that there is evil as well. Sometimes the lies and deception are in our most significant relationship. Seek God, seek wise counsel and seek truth to help you navigate relationships in which deception is an issue. But, don’t deny it’s existence.

Look for Patterns

Proverbs 17:9 – Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

As mentioned earlier, we all have deception in us and are a work in progress. But notice patterns of deception- that is good information for you to discern if someone is safe to be in relationship with.

Be Forgiving

Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Forgiveness is non-negotiable for children of God. However, forgiveness does not equate to trust or reconciliation in every situation. This is a truth that I have learned the hard way!

Difference Between Trust & Forgiveness

Navigating Reconciliation

Have Boundaries

Proverbs 22:5 – Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.

When someone in your life has displayed a repeated pattern of deception, they have proven themselves untrustworthy and as a result, unsafe. You can forgive them and no longer give them as much access to your heart. This requires you be wise and discerning-ask for God’s help on this!

Will God forgive me for lying?

In a single word- YES! As I started talking about earlier, there is a temptation to read the Bible verses about lying and deceit and look outward at others. While it is wise to evaluate the safety of your relationships, it is also important to look within your own heart. God’s Word emphasizes the importance of taking the log out of our own eye before taking the splinter out of someone else’s eye. Additionally, Scripture calls us to confess and repent of any sin in our own life. We all have sin (and deceit) in our lives in some way, shape or form. Deception has an element of self protection.

Maybe deception exists in the form of people pleasing, omitting to tell someone how you really feel or simply manipulating to get your own way. I am not saying this to condemn anyone and I’m definitely speaking to myself as well. In fact, the deeper I dove into the Bible verses on lying and deceit, the more convicted I was about my own little white lies. Additionally, everyone falls short of God’s glory. His grace is sufficient for us and His power is made perfect in our weakness. God has no expectation of perfection, but He does call us to repentance when deception comes up so we can be free from sin. Let’s see what the Bible has to say to followers of Christ…

We Are All Sinners

1 John 1:8 – If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Deceit Starts in the Heart

Matthew 23:26-28 – Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Proverbs 4:23 – Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Matthew 15:19 – For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

God is Faithful to Forgive

​1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Proverbs 28:13 – Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

God Delights in Repentant Hearts

Psalm 51:17 – The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Stories About Lying in the Bible

Lying is not a new sin in today’s world. Human beings have been doing since the beginning of time all the way back in Genesis when Adam and Eve lied to God about their sin. Abraham got caught up in lying about Sarah not being his wife to protect himself (Genesis 20:2). Then Isaac did the exact same thing (Genesis 26:7)! Jacob lied to get the firstborn’s blessing and inheritance (Genesis 27:24). One of the most popular stories of deception involved David- he got tied up in adultery and murder in which lies were intertwined (1 Samuel 20:6). All of these examples (and these are just a few) show that deception seems to be connected with self protection and self gain (selfish ambition).

James 3:15-16 – But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

Book of Proverbs: Bible Verses About Lying and Deceit

Proverbs 12:22 – Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.

Proverbs 19:5 – A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.

Proverbs 19:9 – A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.

Proverbs 20:17 – Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.

Proverbs 26:28 – A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.

Proverbs 10:18 – The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.

Proverbs 12:19 – Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Proverbs 14:5 – A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.

Proverbs 14:25 – A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.

Proverbs 26:24-26 – Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Proverbs 16:13 – Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.

Proverbs 12:19 – Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Proverbs 8:7 – For my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

Proverbs 28:13 – Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Proverbs 24:26 – Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips.

New Testament Bible Verses About Lying and Deceit

2 Corinthians 8:21 – For we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man.

Matthew 5:37 – Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

John 8:44 – You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Acts 5:3-4 – But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.’

Romans 3:13 – Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips.

Ephesians 4:25 – Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

Colossians 3:9 – Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 – Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared.

1 Peter 2:1 – So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

Revelation 21:8 – But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.

James 5:12 – But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no’ be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

1 Peter 3:10 – Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.

Old Testament Bible Verses About Lying and Deceit

Leviticus 19:11 – You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another.

Isaiah 59:3 – For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness.

Jeremiah 9:5 – Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity.

Hosea 4:1-2 – Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Micah 6:12 – For the rich men of the city are full of violence; her residents speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

Zechariah 8:16 – These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace.

Exodus 20:16 – You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Get Access to the Resource Library

​

​

Subscribe

Psalms Bible Verses About Lying and Deceit

Psalm 34:14 – Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.

Psalm 101:7 – No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.

Psalm 120:2-3 – Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue?

Psalm 15:2 – He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart.

Psalm 34:12-13 – Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.

Psalm 19:14 – Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Last Word on Bible Verses About Lying and Deceit

We’ve all spoken deceptive words. God’s protection means we tell the truth and walk in honesty-that is His best for us. For anyone who rejects the Truth of Christ, God’s judgment awaits them, but those who are in Christ (as imperfect as we are) will not face God’s final judgment. The above verses give us great insight into our own hearts and how to navigate relationships with anyone who is caught in a pattern of deception. Nobody and their deceptive practices are beyond the grace of God. He runs toward and delights over repentant hearts. And, there is no end to His forgiveness. Lean into the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.