Bible verses on hypocrisy
When a person affirms one thing, but behaves in the opposite way, he or she is adopting hypocritical behavior. In his time, Jesus severely denounced hypocrisy, particularly that of the scribes and Pharisees. In this article, discover what the Bible has to say about hypocrisy, through various texts and Bible verses.
Hypocrisy is listening to God's word without putting it into practice
"And they go to you as the people gather; they sit before you, they, my people; they listen to your words without putting them into practice; for their mouth is full of the passions they want to indulge, and their heart cleaves to profit." (Ezekiel 33:31)
Hypocrisy is saying something without doing it
"Then Jesus addressed the crowds and his disciples, and said, "The scribes and Pharisees teach from the pulpit of Moses. So whatever they tell you, do and observe. But do not act on their deeds, for they say and do not do. They tie up heavy burdens that are hard to carry, and they load people's shoulders with them; but they themselves won't lift a finger." (Matthew, 23,1-4)
Commentary: Here, Jesus severely condemns the attitude of the scribes and Pharisees, and explains what hypocrisy is: " for they say and do not do (Matthew 23:3)." Jesus warns us against this: "but do not act according to their deeds" (Matthew 23:3).
Hypocrisy can be characterized by arrogant behavior
Boasting too much can sometimes mean behaving in a way that's not in keeping with who I am, and can therefore lead to a form of hypocrisy. Jesus shows us in Matthew and Luke the unadjusted behavior of the scribes and Pharisees, through these two verses for example.
"All their actions they do to be noticed by people: they enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their bangs; they love places of honor at dinners, seats of honor in synagogues and greetings in public squares; they love to receive from people the title of Rabbi." (Mt 23:5-7).
"The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself: "My God, I thank you because I am not like other men - they are thieves, unjust, adulterers - or like this publican" (Luke 18:11).
Hypocrisy is the hallmark of false teachers
Hypocrisy in the Bible is sometimes also the mark of false teachers, as with these verses below:
"But there were also prophets of lies among the people, just as there will be teachers of lies among you, who will introduce heresies leading to perdition and deny the sovereign Master who redeemed them. They are preparing for their perdition. Many will follow them in their debaucheries; because of them, following the path of truth will be the object of reproach, and in their greed they will exploit you with false speech; their condemnation has long been in progress, and their perdition is not dormant" (2 Peter 2:1-3)
"These kinds of people are false apostles, fraudsters, who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder: Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is not surprising that his servants should also disguise themselves as servants of God's righteousness; they will have an end in keeping with their deeds" (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
Hypocrisy and piety do not go hand in hand
In the Bible, hypocrisy and piety do not go hand in hand.
"So when you give alms, don't sound the trumpet before you, like the hypocrites who make a spectacle of themselves in the synagogues and in the streets, to get the glory that comes from men. Amen, I tell you, they have received their reward. "( Matthew 6:2)
"And when you pray, don't be like the hypocrites: they like to stand in synagogues and crossroads to show themselves to men when they pray. Amen, I tell you, they have received their reward" (Matthew 6:5).
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you lock up the kingdom of heaven before men; for you yourselves do not enter it, nor do you let in those who wish to enter! "( Matthew 23:14)
Hypocrisy makes you unhappy
This is what Jesus shows us in Matthew, with the qualifier "unhappy" recurring 9 times in verses 13 to 29 of chapter 23 of Matthew's Gospel.
13 " Unhappy are you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you lock up the kingdom of heaven before men; for you yourselves do not enter it, nor do you let in those who wish to enter!
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you scour the sea and the earth to make a single convert, and when that has happened, you make him a man doomed to hell, twice as bad as you!
16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say: "If one makes an oath by the Sanctuary, it is void; but if one makes an oath by the gold of the Sanctuary, one must fulfill it."
23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, because you pay tithes on mint, fennel and cumin, but you have neglected what is most important in the Law: justice, mercy and faithfulness. That's what you should have practiced, without neglecting the rest.
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you purify the outside of the cup and plate, but the inside is full of greed and intemperance!
27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you resemble whitewashed tombs: on the outside they have a beautiful appearance, but the inside is full of bones and all sorts of unclean things.
29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you build the sepulchres of the prophets, you decorate the tombs of the righteous,"
Ways to combat hypocrisy
Here are a few ways to combat hypocrisy in our lives:
- in his attitude of service
- to know and imitate Christ
FAQ on hypocrisy in the Bible
What does hypocrisy mean in the Bible?
Here's a definition of hypocrisy given by Jesus in Matthew's gospel:"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, because you purify the outside of the cup and plate, but the inside is full of greed and intemperance! "(Matthew 23:25)
How many times does the word hypocrite appear in the Bible?
Hypocrisy, especially the spiritual hypocrisy of the Pharisees, is one of the things Jesus attacks. Of the 18 occurrences of the word hypocrite in the Bible, 17 of them are said by Jesus.
What is the opposite of hypocrisy in the Bible?
The opposite of hypocritical conduct is righteous conduct, i.e. when our actions and words are adjusted but also when they are adjusted to God's will. "Blessed are the men of integrity in their ways, who walk according to the law of the Lord"(Psalm 118 (119), 1).
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