92 Bible Verses about Pharisee Hypocrisy

Matthew 23:1-39 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, ...

Matthew 23:13 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.

Luke 12:1 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Matthew 23:23 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Matthew 23:15 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

Matthew 23:27 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.

Matthew 23:23-24 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

Matthew 23:5 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,

Matthew 23:3 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.

Isaiah 29:13 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,

Luke 18:11 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

Luke 18:9-14 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ ...

Matthew 23:25-28 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Matthew 5:20 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Romans 3:23 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:10 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;

Acts 23:6 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”

Luke 11:42 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Luke 11:39 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.

Mark 8:15 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

Matthew 23:29 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous,

Matthew 23:27-28 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Matthew 23:14 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 23:2-3 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.

Matthew 15:14 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Matthew 15:8 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

Matthew 15:1-3 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?

Matthew 9:10-13 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 7:3-5 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

Matthew 6:5 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Matthew 6:1-34 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ...

Isaiah 65:5 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.

1 John 3:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

1 John 1:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2 Peter 2:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

1 Peter 2:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

Hebrews 1:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

2 Timothy 3:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Ephesians 5:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Galatians 6:1-2 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.

Romans 6:23 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 2:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

Acts 26:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee.

Acts 23:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.

Acts 17:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Acts 17:10-11 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

John 14:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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

John 9:34 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

John 9:22 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

(His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.)

John 5:24 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”

John 3:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Luke 18:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:

Luke 13:14-15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it?

Luke 7:36-50 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” ...

Mark 12:13-17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.

Matthew 23:33 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?

Matthew 23:26 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

Matthew 23:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

Matthew 23:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?

Matthew 23:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’

Matthew 23:13-15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

Matthew 23:6-7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.

Matthew 23:3-4 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.

Matthew 23:1-3 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.

Matthew 22:15-22 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. ...

Matthew 19:3-9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” ...

Matthew 16:11-12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Matthew 16:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Matthew 16:6-12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? ...

Matthew 15:12-14 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Matthew 15:7-9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Matthew 13:33 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

Matthew 9:34 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”

Matthew 9:14 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

Matthew 6:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Matthew 6:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Matthew 3:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.

Matthew 3:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Matthew 3:7-10 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Ezekiel 33:31-32 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it.

Ezekiel 33:31 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.

Jeremiah 42:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

That you have gone astray at the cost of your lives. For you sent me to the Lord your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the Lord our God, and whatever the Lord our God says, declare to us and we will do it.’

Jeremiah 7:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’

Isaiah 58:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.

Isaiah 33:14 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: “Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?”

Isaiah 32:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For the fool speaks folly, and his heart is busy with iniquity, to practice ungodliness, to utter error concerning the Lord, to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied, and to deprive the thirsty of drink.

Proverbs 11:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.