Pride is like a lofty tower built on sand—impressive for a moment, but destined to fall before the weight of God’s truth.
Pride is a recurring theme throughout the Bible and is often portrayed as one of the greatest obstacles to a person’s relationship with God. Scripture repeatedly warns against arrogance, self-exaltation, and trusting in one’s own strength, while encouraging humility, dependence on God, and a servant-hearted attitude. The Bible teaches that pride can lead to spiritual downfall, but humility brings wisdom, honor, and God’s favor. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, numerous passages reveal God’s view of pride and the importance of cultivating a humble heart. The following Bible verses provide valuable insight into the dangers of pride and the blessings that come from walking humbly before God.
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QUOTED FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT
1. [Leviticus 26:19] I will break down your stubborn pride and make your sky like iron and your land like bronze,
2. [Job 33:17] He makes them turn from doing wrong; he keeps them from pride.
3. [Job 35:12] He does not answer when people cry out because of the arrogance of the wicked.
4. [Job 40:11-12] Unleash the fury of your wrath; look on every proud man and bring him low. Look on every proud man and humble him; trample the wicked where they stand.
5. [Job 41:15] His rows of scales are his pride, tightly sealed together.
6. [1 Samuel 2:3] Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed.
7. [2 Samuel 22:28] You save an afflicted people, but Your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
8. [2 Chronicles 32:26] Then Hezekiah humbled himself and repented of his pride, as did the people of Jerusalem. So the LORD’s anger did not fall on them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.
9. [Psalm 10:4] The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
10. [Psalm 59:12] Because of the sinful things they say, because of the evil that is on their lips, let them be captured by their pride, their curses, and their lies.
11. [Psalm 73:6] Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
12. [Psalm 101:5] Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate.
13. [Psalm 131:1] My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty. I do not aspire to great matters or things too lofty for m
14. [Psalm 138:6] Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.
15. [Proverbs 8:13] To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
16. [Proverbs 11:2] When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.
17. [Proverbs 13:10] Pride only breeds quarrels, but with ones who take advice is wisdom
18. [Proverbs 15:25] The LORD will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow.
19. [Proverbs 16:5] The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
20. [Proverbs 16:18] Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.
21. [Proverbs 18:12] Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.
22. [Proverbs 21:4] Wicked people are controlled by their conceit and arrogance, and this is sinful.
23. [Proverbs 21:24] A proud and arrogant person, whose name is “Scoffer,” acts with overbearing pride.
24. [Proverbs 26:5] Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
25. [Proverbs 29:23] A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.
26. [Isaiah 2:12] For the LORD of hosts will have a day of reckoning Against all who are proud and arrogant And against all who are lifted up, That they may be degraded.
27. [Isaiah 9:9] And the people of Israel and Samaria, who spoke with such pride and arrogance, will soon know it.
28. [Isaiah 13:11] I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant and lay low the pride of the ruthless.
29. [Isaiah 13:19] Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the pride and glory of the Babylonians, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah
30. [Isaiah 16:6] We have heard of Moab’s pomposity, his exceeding pride and conceit, his overflowing arrogance. But his boasting is empty.
31. [Isaiah 25:11] God will push down Moab’s people as a swimmer pushes down water with his hands. He will end their pride and all their evil works.
32. [Jeremiah 13:15] Listen and give heed. Do not be arrogant, for the LORD has spoken
33. [Jeremiah 13:15] Listen and give heed. Do not be arrogant, for the LORD has spoken.
34. [Jeremiah 13:17] If you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the LORD’s flock will be taken captive.
35. [Jeremiah 13:29] “This is what the LORD says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.
36. [Jeremiah 48:29] We have all heard of the pride of Moab, for his pride is very great. We know of his lofty pride, his arrogance, and his haughty heart.
37. [Jeremiah 49:4] Why do you boast of your valleys–your valleys so fruitful, O faithless daughter? You trust in your riches and say, ‘Who can come against me?’
38. [Jeremiah 49:16] The terror you cause and the pride of your heart have deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks, O occupiers of the mountain summit. Though you elevate your nest like the eagle, even from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD
39. [Zephaniah 2:10] This is what they will get in return for their pride, for insulting and mocking the people of the LORD Almighty.
40. [Zephaniah 3:11] On that day you will not be put to shame for any of the deeds by which you have transgressed against Me. For then I will remove from among you those who rejoice in their pride, and you will never again be haughty on My holy mountain.
41. [Zechariah 9:6] Foreigners will occupy the city of Ashdod. I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.
42. [Zechariah 10:11] They will pass safely through the sea of distress, for the waves of the sea will be held back, and the waters of the Nile will dry up. The pride of Assyria will be crushed, and the rule of Egypt will end.
43. [Obadia 1:3] You have been deceived by your own pride because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains. ‘Who can ever reach us way up here?’ you ask boastfully.
44. [Daniel 4:37] Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
QUOTED FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT
1. [Mark 7:21-23] For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”
2. [Romans 1:30] slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents.
3. [Romans 11:20] That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
4. [Romans 11:25] I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in
5. [Romans 12:3] For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.
6. [Romans 12:16] Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
7. [1 Corinthians 4:6] Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.
8. [1 Corinthians 4:18] Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you
9. [1 Corinthians 13:4-5] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
10. [2 Corinthians 12:7] even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
11. [2 Corinthians 12:20] For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
12. [Galatians 5:26] Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
13. [1 Timothy 3:6] A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall.
14. [1 Timothy 6:4] Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions.
15. [1 Timothy 6:17] Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.
16. [2 Timothy 3:4] They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.
17. [Philippians 2:3] Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
18. [James 1:10] But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.
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