Bible verses about pride
The best-known sentence about pride in the Bible is quoted more often than the run it belongs to, and the run is harder than the sentence. These passages are set out with a sentence on each — including the king whose one boast cost him a year of grace.
Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. — Proverbs 16:18 · WEB
The most quoted sentence in the book opens the run, and its most surprising claim is that self-control outranks military conquest.
The Pharisee stood and prayed by himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men: extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. — Luke 18:11 · WEB
Two men in the same temple at the same hour, and the one who goes home right is the one who asked for nothing else.
Yahweh says, “Don’t let the wise man glory in his wisdom. Don’t let the mighty man glory in his might. Don’t let the rich man glory in his riches. — Jeremiah 9:23 · WEB
Three things a person may not boast of are named, and the one permitted boast turns out to be knowledge of what God delights in doing.
The king spoke and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” — Daniel 4:30 · WEB
A year of grace passes, one boastful sentence spends it, and the sentence falls while the words are still in his mouth.
You said in your heart, “I will ascend into heaven! I will exalt my throne above the stars of God! I will sit on the mountain of assembly, in the far north! — Isaiah 14:13 · WEB
Five sentences beginning with I will, spoken by someone reaching for a throne above the stars, and the passage supplies no name.
doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; — Philippians 2:3 · WEB
The remedy for division is stated as an act of accounting, not of feeling.
Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility and subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” — 1 Peter 5:5 · WEB
Humility is described as something put on rather than felt, and the reason to accept a low position is that the timing of any rise belongs to someone else.
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” — James 4:6 · WEB
The sharpest address in the letter is followed immediately by the most generous sentence in it.
For I say through the grace that was given me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith. — Romans 12:3 · WEB
Sober self-assessment opens the body image, the gifts differ by grace, and each gift's instruction is simply to do it — with its adverb.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. — Matthew 23:12 · WEB
Before the woes, an instruction to the crowd: keep what they teach, don't copy what they do — and take no titles yourselves.
By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, a thorn in the flesh was given to me: a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively. — 2 Corinthians 12:7 · WEB
A request is refused three times and answered with something else, and the refusal is the letter's whole argument delivered to the man making it.
For if a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. — Galatians 6:3 · WEB
Two statements about burdens that appear to contradict, and the Greek uses different words for the two things carried.
For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly; but he knows the proud from afar. — Psalm 138:6 · WEB
A short thanksgiving with a large claim in the middle: the high God's attention is on the low.
When pride comes, then comes shame, but with humility comes wisdom. — Proverbs 11:2 · WEB
The collection opens its second chapter with a shop scale, and the word it uses for God's reaction to a rigged one is the word reserved for idolatry.
“Behold, I am of small account. What will I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. — Job 40:4 · WEB
Job's first answer is silence, which is not enough, and God names the real charge: that Job would put God in the wrong to be right himself.
A man’s pride brings him low, but one of lowly spirit gains honor. — Proverbs 29:23 · WEB
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